Why Now?

I'll be honest: I'm not a fan of debt.

I've spent most of my adult life trying to avoid it. Amanda and I paid cash for the first vehicle we purchased together after we were married, and we've continued that philosophy whenever possible. If we can save first and pay cash, that's what we prefer.

But there are some purchases that simply aren't realistic for most people to make with cash. I've never purchased one of our homes with cash. I don't know many people who have. Many families didn't even have a 20% down payment for their first house and have to pay PMI for an unfortunate season. It's not ideal, but it allows many to buy a home instead of waiting years while prices continue to climb.

We loved our first home, but it felt enormous for us two. That is, until there were more. As our

family grew, we needed more room. We welcomed children into our homes. We hosted Bible studies. We invited people around our table. Eventually, we realized the house that once seemed more than adequate no longer fit the family God had entrusted to us. So we made another wise investment. We borrowed again, not because we loved debt, but because we believed it was the right decision for the future of our family and ministry.

I see Rocky Creek in much the same way. We've been in our current worship center for almost sixty years. It has served us remarkably well. Countless people have met Christ there. Marriages have been strengthened. Children have grown into adults who now bring their own families through those same doors.

But our church family has grown. The issue isn't that we want something newer. The issue is that we've outgrown what has faithfully served us for decades. The very blessing we've prayed for has created the challenges we're now facing.

You might be wondering, "Why don't we just wait until we have all the money?"

It's a fair question. The reality is that this isn't like buying a new sound system or renovating a room. This project is a generational investment. And unlike many churches that borrow the majority of a project's cost, our goal is to begin construction with approximately 40-50% of the project already funded. That's a very different financial picture than simply borrowing because we don't want to wait.

We've also spent years preparing. Through an intentional strengthening of our operating budget, we've been setting aside funds each month in anticipation of future debt payments. By your generosity, we've saved a surplus to include in our down payment. To save money, we've chosen not to hire expensive campaign consultants or construction management firms, instead relying on the gifted people God has already brought into our church family. Every decision has been made with stewardship in mind.

Another question I occasionally hear is, "What if we spent all this money on ministry instead of a building?"

My answer is simple. That's exactly what we've been doing.

For nearly 200 years, Rocky Creek has invested in ministry. Over the last decade alone, we've invested millions of dollars in missions, church planting, homeless ministry, addiction recovery, counseling, children's ministry, student ministry, local outreach, and countless other opportunities to advance the gospel. Ministry has never stopped because we were focused on buildings.

In fact, we've invested more in ministry over the past decade than what we're preparing to spend on this facility. This building doesn't replace ministry; it aims to support it. It creates room for more people to worship, more disciples to be equipped, more people to be served, and more believers to be sent into our city and around the world.

Finally, there is another reality we can't ignore. Waiting isn't free. Construction costs continue to rise. Every month we delay, we pay more tomorrow for the same ministry opportunity. There comes a point where waiting no longer becomes wisdom but increases in expense. I believe we've reached that point. This pivotal moment in our church's history is a significant step. It deserves careful prayer, wise planning, and sacrificial generosity. But after months of prayer, study, conversations, and planning, I believe this moment is a providential window the Lord has opened to us.

Those who came before us built for us. Now it's our turn to build for those who have yet to come.