When Pastor Robert Riedy stepped away from ministry five years ago to address his struggles with severe burnout and anxiety, he feared it might damage the church he’d led for so long. Now, he believes his hiatus helped transform it. “The worst thing that ever happened to me ended up being the best thing,” Riedy … Continued
Near the University of Delaware, The Journey Church has built its identity on being "a real church for real people." Through a culture of invitation, intentional outreach to young men, and community service via its Code Red ministry, the church has drawn in college students, veterans, and families alike—offering not just Sunday services, but genuine belonging.
In a fast-changing Southern Arizona suburb, Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene has grown by refusing to choose between generations—doubling down on both its ministry to active adults and its outreach to kids and young families. Lead Pastor Craig Coulter shares how a missions-focused culture, "God-sized" risks, and a relentless emphasis on relationship have fueled explosive growth, including a new worship center breaking ground this fall.
Grace Evangelical Church in Galloway, Ohio, launched the nonprofit Gift of Grace Aid, which has shipped 335 containers of supplies and assisted 1,500 refugees locally with housing, transportation, and education.
Visitors have described the center as a place that “restores your faith in humanity.”
The area’s unique demographics—theme park employees, young professionals, retirees and tourism workers—have led to a congregation with an eclectic mix of people.
The church’s success is a testament to divine grace working through flawed people, Pastor Adam Weber insists. Embrace’s goal-setting process, called “traction,” has also multiplied its congregation.
By spring 2024, Cul2vate harvested over 100,000 pounds of food—including potatoes, pumpkins and watermelons—on the Brentwood acres it converted to farmland.
During Sunday worship services, the church makes a point to celebrate how many people have been led to Christ.
“We believe in the power of generosity and the power of loving people through generosity,” says Outreach Pastor Michael Cason.
