We’ve been praying for God to do BIG things here at Vansickle! God has been answering those prayers in some exciting ways!

[The Need]   [The Urgency]   [The Solution]   [The Legacy]   [Frequently Asked Questions]

The Need.

Over the last 18 years, our student ministry has experienced various seasons of tremendous growth, drawing youth from both in- and outside of our community. Why has God chosen to bless our seemingly out-of-the-way church? Because here young people find both 1) the love of Christ and 2) the solid biblical teaching that answers their toughest questions.

It’s that remarkable combination that has drawn enough young people to overwhelm their current space —  a converted garage with square footage that is inadequate for the number of students who use it.

And yet they still come. Their love for the Lord and one another seems to be stronger than their discomfort. While we pray their resilience stays strong, we remember that Jesus himself addressed the discomfort of a hungry multitude with all they had: a basket of fish and bread.

But the hard truth is that when church facilities reach the point where newcomers are uncomfortable, attendance declines. How sad it is when that happens at Vansickle, where we can provide so much love and biblical truth—both of which can miraculously change the trajectory of a student’s future. Sadly, this has been the trend for too long.

So, for two years, Vansickle leaders have prayed about how God wants us to minister to the spiritually hungry youth who already love this church and one another.

The Urgency.

If you’re able, walk down and take a look at the youth’s current room and picture the 40-50 young people who gather there each week. That’s a quick way to see just how badly they need more space.

But there’s more to consider. The population within a 20-minute drive of Vansickle is expected to grow by almost 15-percent over the next couple of years. Nearly 13,000 of those represented in that statistic will be teenagers. Thirteen thousand. How will we reach them and their families?

While these numbers have helped us assess the need to provide space for that level of growth, it’s important to remember this: These young people are more than numbers. They are souls who need to be reached with the gospel and nurtured to become faithful followers of their Savior.

Throughout our history, the people of Vansickle have demonstrated just how driven we are to be a part of God’s work and reach those who need love, acceptance and a place to which they can belong. That you’re here to learn more is a testimony of your desire to see exactly how we can move faithfully forward, together.

A Solution.

God is moving in mighty ways within the student ministry! So far in 2024, 15 students have been baptized, and 16 students gave their lives to Christ. We’ve taken more than 100 people to camp each summer for the last three years — of which only a handful were visitors. They’re filling up cabins built to accommodate 100 people. How can they minister to these students here at church in a building meant to serve 30-40 people? It’s devastating to see new students come in and immediately be overwhelmed because of how cramped it is. Many first-time guests refuse to come back because of it.

With much prayer, after consulting with developers, we’ve put together preliminary plans for a two-story, 5,000-square-foot multi-use student facility. It will have six classrooms, accommodate more than 120 people, and will include a small half-court gym. There will also be a small kitchen and serving area.

This space would give the church more options for other ministry opportunities and provide a way for our student ministry to sustain its growth and reach the new families moving into the area.

The Legacy.

In 1971, 33 people came together for worship in the middle of a pasture beneath the shade of two trees; later that same week, those same 33 people voted to become a new church, to call their first pastor, and to join the Hunt Baptist Association. In 1972, the church body voted to purchase two acres of land on FM 1564 and adopted the name Vansickle Baptist Church, in honor of the surrounding community.  Through the years, the church continued to grow. In 1990, a new classroom building and sanctuary were built to meet the growing needs of the community; these remain in use today as the education wing and fellowship hall.  In 2006, further growth prompted the church body to build the current Worship Center, which has the capacity to hold up to 800 people. As of October 2024, the church continues to experience growth and the addition of new members, with a total membership 1,210.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Faithfully Forward?

A: Faithfully Forward is the name of our stewardship campaign. As announced, the elders have been considering some next steps in light of our current growth, demographics, and rooms on our campus. The recommendation is to build a multi-use, student building on the south side of the current property.

Q: What is the goal?

A: The goal of Faithfully Forward is that all members and attendees of Vansickle will participate through their prayers, giving, and support. The monetary goal is $1.4 million, which is 2 times our current annual budget, to be given over the next 3 years, which will be used to build the multi-use building.

Q: How do I find out more about the building and campaign?

A: You can attend one of the church-wide meetings or go to our website for the vision and plans. The dates are Oct. 11, 12, 13 and 20 and attendance times vary in order to accommodate all of our members.  See the website for more details and architect renderings.

Q: What is the square footage of the new building and how many people will it accommodate?

A: The projected square footage for the upstairs and downstairs is 7400 sq ft. It is expected to accommodate 120 students in the flexible spaces and 100 students in the classrooms.

Q: How can I help?

A: You can pray. Before saying “yes” or “no,” pray. Ask, “what does God want for our church?” We believe that we can accomplish anything God calls us to do. Then, be ready to join with the church in the vision of Faithfully Forward. There is a big mission field within a 20-minute drive of the church and it is full of families with teenagers.

Q: How much will a new building cost?

A: Our current plans are being drawn up by a local architect. If approved, we will get a minimum of three bids from local contractors and builders, as required by our financial policies and procedures. We anticipate the space will cost about $1mil (furniture and fixtures will be additional costs). Once we receive the bids our project management team will work with the elders and determine which is best for us.

Q: How are we going to afford these costs?

A: We believe the only way to do this is to trust God to provide through our members and attenders. First, Faithfully Forward is a stewardship commitment through a one-time gift, over and above one’s tithes and offerings, to be brought on Nov. 10. Second, on November 17, we will focus on a 3-year commitment of tithes and offerings that will begin in January of 2025.

Q: Is it possible to use Jubilee funds for this project? 

A: It is possible, but our intention is to use only the money raised through the Faithfully Forward campaign.

Q: What about other fundraisers to help with costs?

A: Other fundraisers may be used as reminders of our commitments and other costs. Faithfully Forward is primarily focused on members and attenders faith and hearts as they ask God what to give.

Q: When will the building project begin and end?

A: If the church votes to move forward the project would begin after bids were received and a builder/contractor is chosen. Those choices would likely happen in late November so construction could begin in the first quarter of 2025. Once building plans are finalized we will have a timeline for completion.

Q: How will the space be used for other groups (inside and outside the church)? 

A: We hope that the new building will be a place where people will want to be. It will include: half-court basketball, pickleball and volleyball so there will be some great athletic and exercise space. There will be space for small gatherings, too.

Q: Has the current use of churchwide space been evaluated, especially related to how much is unused and all that is being used for storage?

A: We have looked at the current space and we have several classrooms in the education wing and several in the upstairs children’s area that we can grow into. The primary need is space for our students. The current room is too small for them to be all together on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. Lifeway recommends 12-15 sq. ft. per person and our current room is about 20×40 and can hold about 50 students if there was no other furniture or fixtures in the room. There are about 40 chairs set up, plus a sound system, A/V cart and microphones that take up floor space. It is overcrowded for most of our programming.

Q: Would it be possible to have a full-service kitchen in the new building?

A: In the plans, there is a refrigerator, a stove, oven, plus a microwave and an island from which to serve. There are cabinets and some pantry space along with some general storage.

Q: What will happen to the current youth room?

A: Right now the plans are to keep this space as a classroom to be used by another age group.

Q: Are there any new plans for the Kids’ Ministry (like an outdoor playground)?

A: This multi-use building is next in the planning since we remodeled the nursery for our babies and preschool aged children. It would be great to raise enough money in this campaign for an outdoor playground, or…!

Q: How will security work for the new building?

A: As we grow, our prayer is that our teams, including Security and Greeters, will also grow. Additional members of each team will be needed for the new building.

Q: How will groups be able to reserve the new building outside of Sundays and Wednesdays?

A: Once the new building is complete, reservations can be made through the church office, just as you can reserve current space. The youth will have priority on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.

Faithfully Forward (One-time Gift), Click HERE

Check out the Plans Here.