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Sunday Service Twice As Nice

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By GEORGE WILKENS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

Updated: 12/10/2007 05:33 pm

NEW TAMPA - Like the community it began serving in 2000, LifePoint Church has attracted large numbers, endured growing pains and coped with change.

The nondenominational Christian church that initially met at an apartment complex clubhouse and this year expanded to a former grocery store has taken in a neighbor: CrossPointe Church of Wesley Chapel.

"It's been the most miraculous ride you could ever have imagined," said Brad White, senior pastor, of LifePoint's achievements and expansion.

"CrossPointe Church of Wesley Chapel joined LifePoint Church, so two churches became one," White said of the assimilation that occurred last month. CrossPointe's senior pastor, Bruce Moore, is now LifePoint's executive senior pastor.

Expansion into southern Pasco County always has been part of the long-term plan for rapidly growing LifePoint Church, so the church merger made sense, White said. "We'll be able to start a Wesley Chapel campus in 2008," White said. "We felt like we could do that better together."

With two Sunday services to accommodate nearly 300 members, CrossPointe had reached capacity at its own building, White said. There are no plans for the former CrossPointe building at 27137 Foamflower Blvd.

At LifePoint, the growth spurt provided by the merger is only the tip of the iceberg. The move into the former Winn-Dixie Marketplace in March has fulfilled a "Build it and they will come" philosophy.

"We've reached more people in nine months in this building than in 6½ years before we moved.

"We're going to reach capacity here in a short time," he said as he sat in his office carved out of the 48,800-square-foot former grocery fronting Bruce B. Downs Boulevard just south of Cross Creek Boulevard.

"Since we moved into this building, our draw has been more broad," with about 85 percent of members coming from New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes and Zephyrhills.

The first weekend in the fully remodeled concrete-block building drew 1,500 worshippers, almost doubling previous numbers. Weekend attendance now averages 2,200, necessitating the recent addition of a fourth service.

Moving to a building at one of Bruce B. Downs' busiest intersections improved the visibility of the church that long met at the New Tampa Family YMCA, but other factors are helping boost the rapid growth.

LifePoint peppers area ZIP codes with snazzy, eye-catching postcards and other direct-mail advertising.

"In the last year and a half, we've sent out just shy of 500,000 pieces of direct mail. That's just planting seeds in the community and letting people know who we are," said John Barbian, LifePoint's pastor of communications, comparing it to brand recognition and keeping the name before the public.

White said that though many LifePoint visitors come in response to encouragement from friends and neighbors, the mailings provide a helping hand.

And special events, such as recent appearances by The Power Team - a Dallas-based organization that incorporates feats of strength and martial arts into its ministry - have been successful in drawing newcomers.

"We did it just to reach out and touch this community, to connect with families and kids," White said. In all, attendance during The Power Team's five-night visit totaled nearly 6,000.

But that's only half the battle. "They won't come back if you don't connect with them, and you're not relevant," White said.

"We're doing today what we've been doing for seven years - loving people and helping them discover their purpose in life. That's our statement: No one stands alone."

LifePoint's newfound spaciousness has made it possible for the modern church to offer even more.

Apex, LifePoint's special place for teenagers, offers X-box video games, pool tables, indoor basketball and a worship center of its own.

There are special services for younger children and a nursery for those younger than 2.

Most LifePoint members have children of high-school age or younger, and average weekend attendance includes about 1,000 children.

"More people have discovered that, and they're spreading the word."

IF YOU GO

WHAT: LifePoint Church

WHERE: 8702 Hunter's Lake Drive

WHEN: Services are at 5:30 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and noon Sundays

INFORMATION: Call (813) 907-9818 or visit www.life point.tv.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4847 or gwilkens@tampatrib.com.

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