Destination in Christ: Destination Church

Positioning itself for growth meant Destination Church in Central Virginia had to flip the “how-to list” often followed by churches looking to increase their numbers.

Founder and lead pastor Bryan Briggs knew from the book Rise of the Nones by James Emery White that church transfer was the number one way that churches grow. He also knew that launching a contemporary alternative church among the throngs of traditional and historical counterparts would not likely sway people, nor did he want it to. Further, he realized that the second and third growth factors of biological (members creating offspring) and prodigal (people returning to church) would not likely be factors for Destination.

Where Destination found its growth lies in the fourth growth area on White’s list: conversions. And for Briggs, that ties perfectly into the church’s singular mission to reach the lost.

“Our vision is to help lost people find their destination in Christ,” Briggs says. “Not where you have been, but where you are going in Christ.”

Briggs moved across the country in 2009 with a vision to plant movie-theater style churches. In 2011 Destination Church launched at the Colonial Heights Regal movie theater with 450 people on the first day. An additional location was added at a vacant Hopewell theater two years later. Destination took over the location as a church and two months later opened it as a discount movie theater, which helps cover 30 percent of the church’s expenses.

The church’s number one tool for growth is its six weekend services at two campuses. The casual dress, high-energy services attract some 30 new people each week by using 500 Dream Team volunteers to focus on first impressions, including Dunkin Donuts treats, free gifts and a T-shirt.

In over three years, there hasn’t been a Sunday when at least one person hasn’t given their life to Christ. To date there have been more than 1,400 decisions for Christ.

“I love how easy the movie-theater model is for new people to come check it out,” Briggs says. “People we are trying to reach have already been there. They are comfortable with the building and everyone knows where it’s located.”

The church’s goal is to plant movie theater campuses all over Virginia. In 2015, Destination Church will double by adding campuses at Regal Cinemas in Henrico in February and Midlothian in September.

Briggs shares the church’s biggest challenge is keeping people in between the lines that the church has identified as vision and values.

“Vision is where we are going and values are who we are. Some people want to come in and change that,” he explains. “We tell people, ‘Here are our vision and values; stay in between those lines and we’ll reach lost people by allowing them to experience what a church can be.’”

DESTINATION CHURCH
Colonial Heights, Va.
Lead Pastor: Bryan Briggs
Twitter: @bryanwbriggs
Website: DestinationWired.com
Founded: 2011
Affiliation: Assemblies of God
Locations: 2
Attendance: 1,549
Growth in 2013: +393 (34%)
Fastest Growing: 36

Rhonda Sholar
Rhonda Sholar

Rhonda Sholar lives in Orange City, Florida, with her husband, Darrin, and two children. A newspaper and magazine writer and editor for 20 years, she returned to the classroom in 2013 to teach writing to 40 fourth graders.

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