NorthPointe UB: a Progress Report from Columbus, Ohio

Dan Kopp

NorthPointe is a Saturday night church. The area in which we're located is launching at least six new churches, and facilities are hard to come by. There is already a church meeting in our location on Sunday mornings. Next fall, a facility will become open where we could add a Sunday service, if God might so enable.

But what is pretty incredible is how He led us to this decision--and how some who are coming are expressing ever-so-openly that they would "never" have tried God or church had it been on Sunday morning. One fellow in particular, whom we got to know quite well on the golf course--not always at his best when he misses a shot, if you understand my drift--said, "I'm not a morning person at all. It's hard enough for me to get up each day and be productive at work. If you had had this on Sunday, we never would have come."

The night of launch, this hardened father of two came up in tears after the service. "I feel like the message was just for me, Dan, just for me." He and his family had never missed a PreView service (offered periodically prior to launch) nor any service since for which they've been in town. You should see the changes in his life! Others have expressed the same about the Saturday night opportunity. While it certainly feels "weird" in some ways--and while we'd certainly love to add a Sunday morning service at such time God can enable--it is awesome meeting this significant need.

NorthPointe celebrates her first spiritual grandchildren. A woman who has come to faith is a parent of a girl I coach on my daughter's fast-pitch team. She then invited a coworker. That coworkers, along with her husband, prayed to receive Christ, and all of those families and their children are growing spiritually through small group ministries.

We also praise God for the great products Huntington College offers the local church. A truly outstanding senior in the Educational Ministries program named Lee Houtz did an internship with us last summer and fall. The marriage of gifts and ministry was so great that Lee remains on staff, adding his great abilities in leading worship and ministering to youth.

Each week we see new faces and a great number of folks coming back. One couple, from a community service organization I joined, shared: "We hadn't been in a church for 16 years. We are so thrilled we found NorthPointe." They have come every opportunity they have had, and are showing tremendous signs of growth and receptivity!

One additional aspect of ministry that God is seeming to bless is the use of media that speaks the language of our day. A video projector and computerized programming sends creative and colorful slides to aid in worship, announcements, and brings the elements of the text and sermon right in front of the eyes of a media-addicted people. In addition, a digital camera on site can take pictures of families and especially their kids, and enable us to show them as the service closes. This creates a warm "thank you for coming" and a highly affirming and personal atmosphere. Contemporary drama or a video clip aid in "asking the question of the evening" so the topic can be more clearly answered by God's timeless Word.

All in all--in a nation where more than seven churches close every day, we are opening. it is such a thrill to be involved in the birth of this infant church in north Columbus's metro, NorthPointe. It has been such an adventure to move to this area practically knowing no one, and then to see how God has brought together a Launch Team, and now a young and growing family of faith! For all who have invested in the hilarious generosity of prayer and support, we express our unspeakable thanks. Exciting times are ahead, and we covet all the more your prayers.