There was a time when Saddleback was a neighborhood church -- a member of the local community. Explosive growth over the years has brought change, and now Saddleback is a local community within itself.
This new dynamic in our church must be faced with new approaches. Jesus’ command to “Go and make disciples” has always required us to think differently and creatively, depending on the situation in which we find ourselves. That’s why Saddleback has a long history of innovation: laying down traditions and old programs in favor of creating new ways to meet the needs of a growing congregation, determined to accomplish God’s purposes.
In the past, we decentralized our midweek Congregation. Instead of gathering as a large group on Wednesday nights in the Worship center, we placed our members in homes, so that they could grow with one another in a small group setting and thus experience the truth that we’re better together.
Now is the time to decentralize our weekend Crowd in much the same way. Our Saddleback Lake Forest campus is nearly maxed out. Unfortunately we are turning away hundreds of cars each week during our busiest services. By casting a wider net and coming together in smaller congregations around Orange County, we can offer more options to attract the non-churched and connect them to Jesus instead of turning them away.
We’re not reaching out because we need to be bigger, we’re reaching out because more people need Jesus. There are still too many people outside of God’s kingdom--too many people who have yet to experience the joy of God’s family. Is God calling you to play a role in this vision? Check out the rest of this site for more information and ways you can get connected.