When we moved to Gig Harbor for seminary (1977) I had planned to eventually do mission work in Alaska. But God worked to encourage us to start a church here since this was a growing area. So we gathered a team of seminarians and had our first service September 7, 1980 in Arletta. In 1995 a rental church we were in sold so we prayed and the Spirit reminded me of a letter I had received that resulted in us buying our current site where we met in a barn until 2005 when we built our current auditorium. Later we felt led to maximize our site. Plans were drawn and now await approval for a permit to build and to extend our current auditorium by about 47%. We will nearly double the foyer, replace the old house with a new class room facility on one level, full basement for storage and a new fellowship hall and kitchen. See the complete plan in the booklet in our foyer or see the details by clicking here. http://www.discoverybaptist.org/facilities-expansion
Watercolor painting of proposed new facilities by Adria Hanson.
Later we realized how well located we were with a new hospital, new bridge, new stores, new houses and lots of new people. On the map I realized God had providentially placed us in the center of the Gig Harbor peninsula. The mission field was coming to us fast. Jake Nelson, our building deacon who works with the city, told me with the new home sites created last year plus new developments going in now we will have close to 750 new home sites available by spring. There are 178 new sites on Hunt street within two miles of the church. There is not much land left in the city so more homes will be built outside the limits. The mission field is coming to us so we need to be ready to witness and disciple people to Christ and His Word.
A recent survey says by far the religious composition of adults in Washington state claim to be Evangelical Protestants (25%). That means many who come here will already have some understanding of the Gospel while 75% will not. Our project title has been “Building for the generations to come.” They are coming and we are working to be ready.
Our Baptist Network NW (BNN) Revolving Fund has the funds for us according to Nelson Zarfas who spoke last Sunday. See it on LIvestream. A building is not a church but only a tool to help the church (God’s people) do ministry better. It is what happens inside the buildings for the generations to come that really counts. Pray with us as we move ahead to build for the generations to come.
Pastor Mark
