Just one year after its inaugural service the new Elevation Church in Matthews boasts attendance of 1,200.
A rock and roll church that converts Providence High School into holy ground by working late Saturday night and early Sunday mornings, Elevation has struck a cord that is drawing a net full of people.
Seven couples from Christ Covenant Church in Shelby committed to starting a new church and a possible site included anywhere in the nation. They ended up just 60 miles down the road, in booming Matthews, NC.
After considering cities as varied as Atlanta, Raleigh, Jacksonville and Washington D.C. they settled at their back door after pastor Steven Furtick was struck with the need and opportunity in Matthews while driving on the new interstate loop.
Rapid growth does not surprise the leaders.
“We knew God was going to do big work through us because we knew the vision He had given us,” said Larry Brey, assimilation pastor. “If we work like it depends on us and pray like it depends on Him, we can do an amazing thing. Our goal is to reach the lost.”
Attracted by a loud, upbeat style and conversational, life relevant preaching, participants flood Elevation, which is practically across the street from another large and growing North Carolina Baptist church.
“We are trying to create a fresh place that is not about a list of dos and don’ts but about a relationship,” Brey said. “God loves you despite all your stuff. That message is coming through and lives are being changed.”
Children’s Sunday school features live actors and exciting videos. Security is high so parents—many in church for the first time—leave their children confidently. Three boys loved their first visit so much they were praying aloud to be able to come back when their mother walked in.
Elevation Church is one of 88 new churches started in 2006 with the help of the church planting team of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Providing seed money, consultation, coaching and support, members of the church planting team help identify potential new church sites and work with a church planter to make it happen.
NCMO Supports Church Planting
Church planting is one of the three major areas supported by gifts to missions through the North Carolina Missions Offering, received in most churches in September.
With 740 churches of all stripes in the Charlotte area, a new one started every 12 days, and every likely church starting site already occupied by a baby congregation, you might wonder why there is need for another.
There is an enormous number of unchurched people in Charlotte, people who are not drop outs, but people who have never dropped into a church. Brey said one family was leaving services when the mother’s name tag dropped to the ground. She reached to pick it up because she wanted to scrap book it as a reminder of her first time in a church.
“Lots of young marrieds who are new to Charlotte come,” Brey said. “That is our core group. High schoolers are coming and bringing their parents. We’re not so young anymore because we’re getting families.”
Unlike many new churches, a culture of generosity permeates. Elevation’s core values are: Whole hearted worship; strategic generosity, spiritual transformation, intentional mission and unified community.
Pastor Steven Furtick, who was worship leader at Shelby church, is just 26. With his wife, Holly, he was one of seven couples committed to starting a new church. The others who traded their jobs and lives in Shelby for the adventure of following Jesus’ leadership, are “Chunks” and Amy Corbett; Larry and Janet Brey; Tyler and Amy Ford; John and Heather Bishop; Eric and Nichole Phillips and Ray and Shauntona Harper.
Furtick and Brey were on staff at Christ Covenant. The others were volunteers.
With the church growing by 100 a month, long range planning is overwhelming. Their current auditorium seats 800 and two services must quickly grow to three. A traditional building plan could not occur fast enough to accommodate the growth.
These challenges are exiting, more than daunting, for one of North Carolina Baptists’ newest congregations.
For more information on church starting, or other missions and ministries of North Carolina Baptists, visit www.ncbaptist.org