Emmanuel Church aims to open $6 million third site in late 2018
Article provided by Emmanuel Church
Ranked among the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Churches in America 2017, Center Grove’s Emmanuel Church has broken ground on what will be home to the third location for this popular southside ministry. Expected to open in late 2018, the 30,000 sq. ft. venue will bring upwards of 1,000 attendees to the 14.5 acre Franklin plot in the Homesteads at Hillview development, near I-65 and State Road 44. While the building will be new, Emmanuel will be settling into a familiar community it once called home.
Founded in 1977 with 17 attendees, Emmanuel Church later moved to the Johnson County Sports Day Camp in Franklin, before landing at the current Greenwood campus location in 1982. Today, an average of more than 4,400 people gather at the three southside campuses (Greenwood, Indianapolis and Franklin), including nearly 400 at the temporary Franklin campus at Franklin Middle School.
The decision to open a site in Franklin was a strategic one. After opening the Banta Road/Harding Street (Indianapolis) location in 2013 – a site that regularly sees 600 weekend attendees – the original Greenwood campus was continuing to burst at the seams with many attendees who were commuting from Franklin and surrounding areas each week.
“We began to think about how we could better serve the people of Franklin,” says Senior Pastor, Danny Anderson. “We wanted to make church closer and more easily accessible to them – ultimately giving them the opportunity to help us grow Emmanuel’s impact in their own backyard.”
Emmanuel’s $6 million investment is one Franklin Mayor Steve Barnett sees as the latest example of continued growth of his city.
“We are glad to see Emmanuel find a home in Franklin,” Barnett says. “They have proven they are investing in the long-term economic development plans for the city. I look forward to seeing their growth and outreach to the community.”
And Emmanuel Church is poised for continued growth, too. In 2017 alone, the church saw a 12 percent increase in members across the three campuses – welcoming 461 new faces and seeing 851 people accept Christ.
The secret to Emmanuel’s growth may well be the relevant, authentic and high-tech approach to preaching. As a multi-site church – one church with multiple locations – Emmanuel offers video-streaming of Pastor Danny’s weekly talks to not only the Banta and Franklin campuses, but to also anyone anywhere around the world via the church’s website. It is also the only locally-founded southside church to extend its reach via multi-sites. And if you need religious merchandise, you may want to check out additional information from this source.
“We couldn’t be more excited to plant permanent roots in a community that has always felt like home to Emmanuel,” says Greg Coble, Franklin Campus Pastor & Groups Director. “In the meantime, we hope to continue to see new faces at our temporary site at Franklin Middle School. Come as you are, dress casually, grab a cup of complimentary coffee, and join us – in a homecoming of sorts.”
