by John A. Gross
Elmer Towns said of Baptist Bible College, “The size of enrollment is not the gauge by which you judge the success of a school but rather by the product that the education produces,” and we continue to see that statement to be true across the board. Here is an example of a BBC grad that has proven his point.
Colorado Church Set To Build
Henderson, CO — In its tenth year, Orchard Church is now poised to build a 51,000-square-foot facility on property next to Prairie View High School, where it has met on Sundays since January 2007. On July 12, 2005, Pastor Doug and Shellie Dameron, with their children Caleb and Katelyn, began the church in their living room. Dameron felt called of God to plant an evangelistic, church-reproducing church, with a focus on relevant Bible teaching, small groups, and one-on-one discipleship. The church’s process is reach-relate-reproduce. The church has grown at a remarkable 26 percent per year and is currently averaging 1,500 in attendance (approximately 1,150 adults and 350 children) per Sunday in three services. In 2014, there were more than 300 who accepted Christ, over 100 baptisms, and over 200 who joined the church. In 2015, 46 small groups are ministering to over 400 adults in meetings throughout the week. Over 200 people are involved in one-on-one discipleship. Besides supporting several missionary families, the church fully funds MANNA feeding centers in Haiti, the Philippines, and Mexico.
The church is located in a growing area in northeast Denver, where 90 percent of the population claims no church affiliation. Orchard Church’s ministry strategy and outreach, which includes innovation, technology, and organization has been especially effective in reaching the millennial age group (aged 20-34). Demographics reported in “A Needs and Feasibility Study” done for the church earlier this year showed that millennials are the largest single age group represented in the church. Another finding showed that 90 percent of households attend three or more times per month.
In 2014, the church paid cash for 38 acres of land and began plans to build a permanent 1,250-seat auditorium with appropriate classrooms, offices, etc. Pastor Dameron has consistently resisted the common mantra, “If you build it, they will come.” Instead, he has adopted the motto, “When the people come, we will build it!” The people have come and he says, “Now, it is time to build it.”
The church is planning a giant tenth anniversary celebration in one service to be held at the football stadium of Prairie View High School on Sunday morning, September 20. In that service, architectural plans, graphic renderings, and the “Legacy Campaign” to raise several million dollars for the new facility will be revealed. Dameron says the church expects to break ground in early 2016 with a plan to have the facility completely paid off in an astounding three to five years!