Archive for February, 2011

• Elevation is 3 years old.
• They have 3 campuses (all of which are portable – they set up and tear down weekly) 
• Their regular attendance is now around 5,000 per weekend (across the 3 campuses and multiple services)
• They have seen over 4,700 professions of faith. 
• They have baptized over 1,200 people during this 3rd year of ministry. 

With that in mind I wanted to share my experiences: 

• The moment that we arrived we saw the portable "A-frame" directional signage pointing us into Elevations parking area. The parking team were easily identifiable (parking vests) with Elevation Church tshirts underneath.
• The Greet team was amazing – they handled getting us everything we needed prior to the service and told us all we needed to know. They also told us if we would fill out the Guest Card and turned it in at the end that we would receive a free tshirt (you might not care but I'm a sucker for a cool tshirt!) 
• The lobby looked amazing – it didn't look like a school, it looked like a happening church! They utilized pipe and drape and banners excellently.  
• The lobby staff were friendly and knowledgable. They walked around asking our team question and wondering if they could help us in anyway.  
• Campus Pastor John Bishop saw our team and quickly engaged, showing them around (and even threatened to break the usher's rules ). 
• I was amazed that the greet team and lobby team were not all young people. I noticed that many of those serving at this rockin' church were my age and older. 
• We waited in the lobby until 10 mins before the service – they keep the doors shut until that time and people are escorted in to their seats. 
• We sat where they told us to. They fill the room up from the front to the back. Don't wanna sit at the front? Don't get there early – hang in the lobby or something. Most church-people would die if you told them where to sit. (I loved this: Elevation understands that too much empty space in a room kills momentum. Kudos to them for sticking to their guns on such an important issue). 
• The worship team was excellent! One of the best I've heard (and definitely one of the youngest). The music was rockin' and it was ALL ABOUT Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made for us. The words were centered on the cross, the blood, life-change, surrender, obedience… you might not like the sound but if you don't like the content you have a problem with God. (I loved the sound).  
• They offer people earplugs just in case it's too loud for you. It really wasn't that loud – but I thought that the earplugs were great. It was saying, "we respect your hearing, please respect our culture", meaning, the people they're trying to reach like it a little louder than some… let's accomodate them. 
• The message was in-your-face. Pastor Steven preached from 1Corinthians 5 (the whole chapter) and confronted a lot of issues that most churches won't touch because it makes people uncomfortable.   
• There were a bunch of 1st time visitors (I'm saying more than 20, maybe in the 30-40 range). Remember, this was a 6pm service. And no, it's not a "Sunday Nite service", it's the Sunday morning service on Sunday nite. The people who attend that service don't go to church on Sunday morning – they attend on Sunday evening.  

Our people loved it! They were excited and pumped by the "Elevators" enthusiasm, they were challenged by the message (many of them said to me, "I really needed to hear THAT message tonite"). I was so proud of what I witnessed there – to see my brothers and sisters in Christ exalting Him so greatly in that city. To me, Elevation does portable church better than 99.9% of churches who have amazing buildings. Why? Because this church is sold-out to the vision of who they are: Elevation exists "so that people far from God will be filled with life in Christ".