REDESIGNED AND EXPANDED CHURCH CAMPUS
A strong, active, growing, vibrant Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo is essential for what God is leading us to do in the years to come. Accurate and relevant expository preaching, and a full range of biblically based ministries in Aliso Viejo, must be our determination and incessant prayer.
The expansion of our facility over the years—from leasing one, then two, then three, then four buildings within the interior of the Columbia loop has been a gracious provision by God and has adequately accommodated the growth of our ministries since 2005. We are convinced that this is the perfect and most strategic home base for Compass Bible Church to continue the work of planting new churches. Though through the years God did not allow us to reach an agreement with the owner to purchase the buildings we occupy, we can now providentially see that this has worked together for good in accelerating our church planting endeavors, and leading us to the threshold of purchasing 145 Columbia for the launch of the Compass Bible Institute.
Even so, we realize that the current state of this patchwork of buildings is inadequate for the kind of vibrant and active ministry that God is accomplishing among us. Thankfully an agreement was reached on a 20-year lease, which gives us an adequate minimum time frame to prudently pursue a needed overhaul of our entire campus.
In the newly-purchased 145 Columbia building there is sufficient space not only for the new Compass Bible Institute, but also for a relocation of the offices for the church staff. This is an answer to many prayers, as our church office building is far too small for our current ministry leaders and biblical counselors. This dual use of the 145 building will allow the old office space in 140 to be vacated and entirely remodeled for ministry use.
A focused effort to commence with a well-planned and carefully designed church campus at this time will serve the body of Christ at Compass in Aliso Viejo for many years to come. We have prayerfully worked with the ministry leaders at Compass to develop a plan for our future church campus that we are excited to present in the following sketches and renderings. The plan will include more seating in a remodeled main auditorium. Perhaps most significant, the project will reorient the auditorium, feeding all the foot traffic into a newly designed center courtyard with access to two buildings of classrooms. The revamped auditorium building will include an inviting main entrance, a much larger functioning lobby, a new café, and an expanded bookstore.
These changes will aid and enhance the weekly experience for those coming to hear the word of God in every classroom and for every age group to which we minister. We are confident that this timely investment in the makeover of our facility will yield fruit for the gospel as we continue to proclaim the excellencies of Christ to our community. Mindful of our majestic God, how grateful and satisfying it will be to pull together as a congregation to improve the excellence of our ministry outpost and church home.
Remember that a church facility is more than just a place for the men, women, and children of Compass to meet. It is the special environment in which God is regularly imparting the eternal truth of his word to his people. It is the context in which serious discipleship takes place. It is the unique space in which spiritual obstacles are overcome, righteous decisions are made, Christian friendships are forged, lives are transformed, souls are enriched, and eternal destinies are forever changed.
While the world pours billions of dollars into the construction and remodeling of places where consumers shop, stadiums in which sports teams compete, halls where musicians perform, and playgrounds for summer vacations, we are seeking to do something so much bigger. With God’s help we are setting out to enhance and adorn the place where the most profound activities in life will take place.
