First Baptist Woodstock determined the need to relocate from a historical smaller downtown church site to a larger site east of the town. The church leadership sought the assistance of ALPHA principals to assist in the many planning steps necessary to change from a traditional church population to a church which could make a real difference in the lives of those attending.

Concerned that their church had little impact on their secular suburban Atlanta bedroom community, Pastor Johnny Hunt wanted to develop a church and a ministry which appealed to families and could provide a moral compass for the area. Frustrated that the county schools would not allow prayer before athletic events or during graduation exercises, Hunt purposed that FBC Woodstock would grow to become an impacting church. Now 15 years after relocating, the church has become a major influencer in their town and, in fact, the surrounding county as well.

As one of America’s largest mega-churches, FBC Woodstock has created literally hundreds of specific ministry entities which affect nearly every walk of life in the community. FBC members have been elected to local governing units and school boards and have a major impact on decisions made relating to the life of their community. From a congregation of 700, the church has now grown to over 12,000 with over 8,000 attending most Sundays. Providing a full range of worship choices, this “impacting” church successfully reaches all ages, all backgrounds, and all cultures.

The calling of a new, dynamic Senior Pastor started ripples in a previously quiet Presbyterian (PCA) church. In one of the fastest growing regions in the nation, Covenant had been static in its membership and outlook, several years since its founding pastor retired. The new Pastor, Dr. Robert Petterson, called the church to claim his Vision of reaching Southwest Florida for Christ. Just prior to his arrival, the church had organized a “Campus Vision Committee” (CVC) charged with the responsibility of how best to spend the $92,000 appropriated to update the campus. Within months of Dr. Petterson’s arrival and with over 35-50% growth from his strong, Biblically-grounded messages, ALPHA was asked to come lead the church in strategic planning, helping shape the Vision into action. Working closely with the CVC and the church Session ALPHA developed a clear, strong Purpose for the church- “Building bridges of irresistible influence to our daily network of relationships, community, and world in response to Christ’s challenge in Matthew 5:16”.

Next, ALPHA conducted a Campus Capacity Study to determine potential on the current 12-acre site. We identified the need to secure the out-parcels so that the church could create a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the entire 16-acre block. ALPHA developed Ministry, Resource and Facilities Plans; served as Client Representative to search and select professional team members; shepherded the Programming and Master Planning, congregational presentations; and communications planning. They also developed a Financial Plan, with stewardship, funding sources and cash flow scenarios, and coordination with the campaign consultant.

Alpha shepherded the church through its analysis, planning and preparation for the complex implementation of the PUD and the $20 Million campus development plan. Covenant conducted a very challenging Capital Stewardship Campaign that achieved 5 times its annual operating budget! The church has now moved into its new $11 Million worship center and education complex, and is now preparing for completion of its $18 Million Vision with Phase II… years ahead of schedule.

Located in Getzville, a suburb of Buffalo, The Chapel at Crosspoint is one of the largest evangelical churches in western New York State. Formerly located in Amherst, the church moved to its new location after a unique “changing of the guard” involving a two-pastor team transition plan from a traditional church into what is now the region’s major contemporary church. The Chapel is an amazing success story of strategic planning which involved the assistance of a servant interim pastor, who led the church following the death of its popular founding pastor, through the ultimate calling of a young pastor to take the helm. ALPHA principals worked with The Chapel for over 10 years through its 3-pastor history and guided the church through many of its relocation decisions, selection of architects, and counseled in the selection of Pastor Jerry Gillis to lead this great church.

The church evolved from a small traditional “high” church based upon a 90% Catholic cultural demographic into a 3,000 weekly-attender contemporary, evangelical church with a strong seeker-sensitive direction. Our efforts included planning for a youth center, alterations and updating of the main worship center, strategic planning for changes in ministry direction including staff reorganization, spin-off of their Christian school, and the ultimate planning for relocation to a new campus and creation of a new worship center.

A major historical church in this suburban community located one hour east of New York City, Black Rock’s leadership felt the unique call of God to change their ministry emphasis to reach more young families and young adults. Concerned that their surrounding community was deeply materialistic and unconcerned with spiritual values, Black Rock involved ALPHA principals in an examination of their ability to deliver ministry, their organization and staffing infrastructure, and planning for an expanded and renovated worship center which would attract their newly targeted attenders. ALPHA worked with church leadership on the development of new organizational plans and an updated strategic plan, negotiations with owners of adjacent properties and also assisted the church in the selection of architects for programming, master planning and design.

In western Nashville, Bellevue has grown from a congregation of 40 in 1990 to 3,200 adults and nearly 1,000 children and youth today. One of the fastest growing churches in Middle Tennessee, this contemporary church which focuses on reaching both the “over-churched and the unchurched” moved to its 280-acre campus in 2000. With a growth trend which was hard to comprehend by many, Bellevue Community Church was rejected by 11 different lenders as it attempted to construct its original Hope Park building. Dan Curtis of ALPHA was asked to assist the church and led their staff- and lay-leader building team in a re-examination of their Purpose and Mission, which led to a major change in their facility programming and master plan, while meeting their projected funding capacity. Dan negotiated funding with a major bank lender and managed the development process based on revised funding needs due to the church’s continued growth during development. Once accomplished, Bellevue was able to fund its construction and continue its amazing journey of faith. Now established as a major contemporary church, Bellevue reaches out to people of all religious backgrounds and provides one of the major small group ministries in Nashville, the “City of Churches”.

In a highly traditional church environment, this unique Southern Baptist Church chose to follow a contemporary and culturally relevant course to reach the unchurched in this southern city. The church had built a worship center which did not meet its growth requirements and which had limited parking and difficult access and egress. Dan Curtis of ALPHA worked with Pastor Bill Purvis through ministry-focused strategic planning and ultimate master planning. This work ultimately led to the purchase of a new site with great roadway visibility, sale of the prior church site, selection of architects, secured funding of its new facilities and assisted capital stewardship program design. From a church of 800, Cascade Hills now ministers to nearly 4,000 each Sunday and has become one of Georgia’s largest and most impacting churches.