Church Profiles

Building a Healthy Foundation from a Broken Past

At 38 years of age, Junior Rostirola has every reason to be bitter about his past. Instead, he’s using his childhood of trauma to fight for families, change lives, and build the fastest growing church in Brazil.

Center Church, San Diego, California

Four years ago, Pastor Marcus Jones planted an inner city church in a fertile field where no one else was growing fruit. He leaned on methods from The Purpose Driven Church and today is reaping the harvest.

Parkway Place Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas

Early in his ministry, Pastor Allan Greer implemented the Purpose Driven (PD) model at Parkway Baptist. But it wasn’t until attending PEACE Training at Saddleback’s Retreat Center that he caught the vision for impacting the entire nation of Zambia.

Impact Church in Scottsdale, Arizona

Impact Church in Scottsdale, Arizona—made up of professional athletes—probably has some of the healthiest members in the nation. What sets this Purpose Driven Church apart is that it’s equally focused on spiritual health by balancing all five purposes.

Rock Springs Church in Cortez, Colorado

As an only child, David grew up traveling with his parents in vocational evangelistic work. By the time he was 20, he had visited more than 600 churches—most of which he considered unhealthy. When Rock Spring Church invited David to be their pastor, he was determined to turn things around with the five purposes.

Paul VI High School, Camden County, New Jersey

Four years ago, Father John Rossi was commissioned by his bishop to serve as director of Catholic identity at Paul VI High School in Camden County, New Jersey. Now he’s teaching religion and helping students grow their Catholic Christian faith—and he’s relying on the five purposes every step of the way.

North Madison Christian Church, Madison, Indiana

Bob Hicks wanted to be an airline pilot, transporting people from one place to another. When a pastor challenged him to instead transport souls into eternity, he saw it as an opportunity with unparalleled impact. That’s when Pastor Bob relied on The Purpose Driven Church.

New Direction Christian Church, Memphis, Tennessee

At 33 years of age, Pastor Stacy Spencer planted New Direction Christian Church, by drawing on advice from The Purpose Driven Church to meet the needs of the community. Today the church has over 22,000 members with campuses in Mississippi and South Africa. And that’s just the beginning.

First Baptist Church, Wimberley, Texas

Pastor Scott Weatherford is an expert when it comes to planting new churches and revitalizing existing ones. Through it all he’s used the Purpose Driven model to get churches off the ground, keep them growing, or bring them back to life. Now, he’s leaning on his own advice for this next chapter in ministry.

The People’s Church, Sri Lanka

Pastor Abigail Shafta or The People’s Church has faced challenges head-on, each one ending in a mighty miracle. Now, tackling church health is next in line.

Destiny Church, Leesburg, Virginia

In 1998, Greg Wigfield was running a successful insurance company but knew God had given him the business for the purpose of ministry. After reading The Purpose Driven Church Greg planted Destiny Church. Find out how Pastor Greg is still using his business skills to grow the Kingdom.

Church of the Nativity, Timonium, Maryland

When Father Michael White arrived at Church of the Nativity, he found the parish lethargic and stagnant. Then he did something unheard of in the Catholic Church—he began to study healthy, evangelical churches. Along the way, he discovered the Purpose Driven Church.

Church @ The Springs, Ocala, Florida

Ron and Teddi Sylvia liquidated their retirement funds and started Church @ The Springs in 1994 with 21 people. Built on PD principles, today they have over 3,000 members and multiple campuses.

Orchard Community Church, Gorham, Maine

Gary Groves didn’t know much about planting a church, but having become a believer at Saddleback Church, he did know about becoming Purpose Driven. Find out how he used PD to help launch Orchard Community Church.

Dunedin City Baptist Church, New Zealand

In its long history, Dunedin City Baptist Church in New Zealand has seen programs, pastors, and people come and go. When Pastor Trevor Geddes came on staff in 1985, he wanted to be a church that reached the lost and built disciples. Find out out PD helped fulfill that vision.

Mars Hill Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois

Clarence Stowers, Jr. inherited a traditional baptist church in 1999 that had plateaued. But opportunity came, disguised as a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to make Mars Hill Baptist Church one of the fastest growing churches in the midwest.

Integrity Church, Burlington, North Carolina

In 1997, Integrity Church began as a Purpose Driven Church with the tagline, “Real People. Real Church.” Recognized as a growing and innovative church, today they credit PD as the big piece of what God has used to sustain them.

New Seasons Church, Chicago Illinois

New Seasons Church has become one of the most unique congregations in Chicago, developing from a small African American church into a thriving congregation in many locations.

Calvary Fellowship, Miramar, Florida

When Bob Franquiz left his position as director of a bible college in Fort Lauderdale, he was venturing into unknown territory to follow God’s calling. His vision was to build a church that would teach the Bible in relevant and creative ways.

Parkway Church, Victoria, Texas

Mike Hurt, pastor of Parkway Church in Victoria Texas, helped build a PD megachurch by focusing on his passion for biblical community and PD principles.

Parkway Fellowship Church, Katy Texas

With a vision to start a Purpose Driven Church in Texas, Pastor Mike McGown of Parkway Fellowship Church launched what is now one of the fastest-growing churches in America.

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