Our West Side Story
In the fall of 2002, West Side Community Church began with the simple vision of caring about real people with real problems by giving real answers. Pastor John Clark and his wife Michele opened their home and said, “If in the first year, thirty-five people were all that showed up - we would be thrilled”. In less than three weeks we outgrew their home with more than forty people attending the first few services. So we moved to a one room school house.
Within the next four weeks, more than 100 people were attending West Side on Sunday mornings. We moved again! This time we rented the county park’s facility, Twin Lakes Lodge. By the time Easter Sunday arrived, we had outgrown the lodge with more than 200 people each weekend - and we were just six months old! We moved again, and began renting the auditorium at Traverse City West Senior High School. The facility was perfect for our ministries…and we had room to grow.
During this same period of time, God called us to purchase 20 acres of property, start new ministries, and expand our outreach services. With all of the growth we had experienced, we now needed to rent three different facilities each week just to meet the needs of our church family. As we continued to move, so did God!
West Side experienced the challenge of outgrowing the high school. With more than one thousand people calling West Side their home church and weekend service attendances nearing 600 people, we were in need of something larger! Since moving into our new building in the fall of 2008, weekend attendances have increased to over 1,200 - with more than 3,000 people calling West Side "Home."
2009 Year in Review: This video looks back at the last year and highlights some of the many events and activities that West Side Community Church has been a part of this past year:
Our New Home
In 2008, West Side Community Church constructed a 20,000 square foot Ministry Center located on M-72 West, near Solon Road. It allowed us to expand our ministry potential to the community and meet the needs of those who call West Side home.
The new building features a multi-purpose room that serves as the worship center and fellowship area. Large classrooms and a spacious meeting room cater to the needs of our Christian Education and student ministries. Additionally, a comfortable and safe nursery and toddler space with a private nursing mother’s room and restroom serve our young families.
For us at West Side, the sole purpose of building this church has always been about people. Our hearts are for people first. Our prayer is that this facility will be a lighthouse to those in need of a safe harbor during the storms of their lives--a place that is loving, accepting and nurturing to the community and world around us. We are committed to completing the mission, passion and vision of Christ!
The Heartbeat of West Side
From the first few services, we began to see that God was doing something BIG! We experienced growth in those early months that rivaled what we had only heard of in churches in large cities. We thought the growth would stop, or at least slow down… but we were wrong. As West Side has continued to grow numerically, it has been our commitment to grow spiritually as well… but that is easier said than done.
A typical weekend service at West Side consists of seekers (those looking for answers), first timers (those who have never attended church before) and many transients (those from other churches). Many of these who attend our services are skeptical, reserved and cautious about everything. As we reach out to these people we have to be confident that God is the answer to all of their questions… and We Are! It is critical that we treat everyone as special at West Side - from the senior pastor who greets you at the front door, to the hospitality team who serves you a hot cup of coffee, to the children’s ministry volunteer who serves your kids, to the person who worships beside you in the worship center. Through each moment of your experience at West Side, we pray you will begin to discover why so many people have said "it feels like home to me.” Every aspect of your experience is crucial to the effectiveness of coming into contact with a God who finds you irresistible and irreplaceable.
The Core Values of West Side
From the very beginning, God placed in our hearts the clear call to follow some basic principles that would make West Side unique. These principles are not unique because no one else does them. They are unique because no one else does them like we do.
A Safe Place to Discover God.
When we say “a safe place,” we are not saying a complacent place. Rather, safety is an issue that has to be taken seriously. We have strategically chosen to “do church” in such a way that it disarms people of their preconceived ideas of what church should look like. We encourage people to grab a cup of coffee and find a comfortable seat to enjoy the service. We have purposely chosen not to receive an offering by “passing the plate.” Instead, we have offering boxes at the entrances where you can place your gift. Another disarming agent is the genuine warmth and energy you experience from the staff at West Side. From the senior pastor greeting you at the front door to the humor and life application stories shared throughout the sermon, you will begin to relax and feel safe. It is then that the message of a loving God can be more easily received.
A Church that Cares about their Community.
We have been very proactive about caring for the disadvantaged in our area. West Side has distributed turkeys at Thanksgiving, along with back-packs, athletic shoes, school supplies, winter clothing, boots for children, and significant amounts of food to those in need throughout the year. We have also partnered with Freedom Builders Ministry to do home repair projects and launched a program that intentionally motivates our church to reach out to our community. Another evangelism ministry is North Shore Outdoor Ministries that trains, teaches and leads youth groups during a week-long evangelism experience.
A Freedom to Complete the Mission, Passion and Vision of Christ.
When you experience ‘freedom in the church’ there is nothing like it on earth! For too long churches have been a place of restriction and rules, but at West Side we encourage people to find freedom in Christ! When you are free you can begin to accomplish the things God has called you to do.
Our Call as Disciples of Christ is Clear:
Mission: We are to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Our mission is to see believers grow deeper in their faith, to understand the Word of God, and respond to His Voice. Our world needs to see a group of people who are completely committed to Christ!
Passion: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” (John 3:16). Our passion is to proclaim the truth that God loves you and He can’t imagine another moment apart from you-- so come home! Outreach and evangelism are key parts of our ministry.
Vision: “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary, be strong and do the work” (I Chronicles 28:10). That was our vision, and we completed the construction of our church building in 2008. The facility serves as a place of healing, help and hope for our community.
A Pastoral Staff Led Church
When some people hear “pastoral staff led church” they may think of a dictatorship with no boundaries or clarity. In reality, it is none of the above. Rather, West Side is committed to allow the pastoral staff to set the mission, passion and vision as well as the future direction of the church with the accountability, wisdom and strategy of the Board of Elders guided by God's Word. It is this relationship within the leadership that makes West Side function so smoothly. Everyone has the same goal, and with the appropriate checks and balances in place the staff are free to do what needs to be done on a daily basis without limiting their gifts and talents.
facility will become a
lighthouse to those in
need of a safe harbor
during the storms of
their lives.
