The idea behind Project Church is to be an authentic community where people can belong before they believe. Where we can wrestle with doubts, explore why Jesus is such a big deal, and take next steps in living the life we are all meant to live.

Project Church is a community for explorers of God and followers of Christ. Basically, a church for people like you and me.

People who want to discover the lives they were meant to live. People who have honest questions about God, Christianity, and life in general. People who are dealing with real life issues and need direction. People who are fed up with plastic religion. People who may be stuck in a rut and tired of going through the motions. People who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. People who desire to be real with themselves, others, and God.

Join us Sunday mornings at 10 at the historic Elks Theatre in downtown Rapid City.  Wherever you’re at with God and church, you’re invited to join us for a time of connection, music, and a message.  The gathering lasts about an hour, the dress is casual, and we even have a nursery for the little ones.

Check out the rest of the site for more information about Project Church. If you’d like to get to know us a bit more, you can find us on Facebook or simply shoot us an email.

Thanks again for checking us out and we hope to see you soon!

The quest for freedom burns within all of us. We long for liberty and seek freedom in many forms: religion, relationships, vocations, entertainment, possessions, and more. All of which leave us wanting.

Yet Jesus proclaims in John 8:36, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

he Christian life is to be a free life but what does it mean to live free? How does the gospel change everything? That’s what Project Church is exploring as we look at Paul’s letter of liberty- Galatians.

If you’re in the Black Hills area, join us at the historic Elks Theatre in downtown Rapid City on Sundays at 10am.  If you’re outside the area, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

In him, God became a man, entered our messed-up story, and changed the story by living the life we couldn’t live, dying a death we should have died, and rising from death and offering new life to all who believe in him.

As a result of what Jesus did (and is doing), our hope, our project, is to be the church Jesus had in mind.  Not some religious institution of self-righteous, judgmental hypocrites, but a movement of love of jacked-up yet growing people who are exploring and following Jesus. Who are taking our first steps and next steps in living the lives we are meant to live.  Who are an authentic community of grace, truth, mission, and meaning.

Our style and methods may be innovative and daring, but make no mistake about it, Project Church is all about, all for, and all because of, Jesus.

So what kind of church are we?

We use three words to describe us: Gospel. Community. Mission.

Gospel

We believe in the timeless truths of the ancient scriptures. We aren’t looking to invent some new religion. That’s weird. We also aren’t seeking to push the Bible down your throat or beat you over the head with it. That’s not how we roll.  But we do believe the Bible is relevant to our lives. And since Jesus said it was all about him, we recalibrate our lives according to it. It’s our supreme court and ultimate authority and no person, philosophy, or teaching is above it. We figure if God says it’s his very word, then it should be a big deal to us.

It’s in the Bible where we discover the gospel.  The good news of the grace and truth of Jesus Christ.  Grace means God can’t love us any more or less than he already does.  There’s nothing that can separate his love from us.  It sounds too good to be true yet there’s no purer truth in all the universe than the gospel. In Christ, we get what we don’t deserve. Him and his ever-flowing, over-flowing, love and forgiveness. We simply need to believe it and receive it.  And because we get what we don’t deserve, we are free to give grace to others.  It’s not always easy- but it’s always good.

If you’re not sure what you believe, we welcome you to explore the scriptures with us. We all wrestle with doubts and none of us have it all figured out. At Project Church, you can belong before you believe.  But rest assured, we have a basis for life and faith, and that is found in the holy scriptures.

Read God’s Epic Story to discover more about what we believe.

Community

Project Church boils down to relationships.

We get this from God. After all, He is in relationship with himself as Father, Son, and Spirit. When He created humanity, He designed us for relationships- with Him and one another. It’s in the fabric of our being.

This is why God calls us to above all- love Him and people. Love can only travel on relational highways. The very highway He constructed. Our challenge is to love like God does. Right where people are.

At Project Church, our aim is to be an authentic community.  Meaning we want to be real with God, ourselves, and each other.  Church was never meant to be a bunch of people who sit in pews, put on masks, and go through the motions.  Instead, we’re to be a family where no one stands alone.  Where you’re free to be yourself.  Where we spur each other on.  A real church for real people.

Because relationships are so important, we seek less churchy activities and more friendships with people despite where they are on their spiritual journey. If anything, the church is to equip people to go through everyday life to build and develop genuine relationships. Not keep them corralled in church buildings like cattle.

This may seem to be a given, and perhaps a bit elementary, but we are about intentional, genuine relationships. This is where the rubber meets the road in terms of following Jesus and being the church Jesus had in mind.

Mission

God is on a mission in this world and our hope is to tether ourselves to him and follow wherever he leads. Our mission is to do what Jesus said:  Make disciples who love God and love people.

It is a collision of what’s known as the Great Commandment & the Great Commission.

All followers of Jesus are missionaries wherever God has placed us.

As everyday missionaries and disciples of Jesus, we will stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves and offer hope to the hopeless. We will fight against injustice and guilt-based religion by living out the gospel of grace. We will never forget that our ultimate mission is to bring good news and be good news to those around us. After all, in serving others, we serve Christ. We are called to be carriers of hope and infect all those around us. We simply want to tether themselves to Jesus and go as far as He leads.

Too often, the church has attacked the culture in which we live. This is the equivalent to throwing rocks at the house of the very people you’re called to love. Jesus showed us the way to change a story is to enter a story.

All around us are a multitude of stories that need to be changed.  We can’t make all the stories better. We wish we could. But we can make some better and some is better than none.

Our greatest hope and mission is for folks to meet the One who puts all the pieces back together. Who restores stories. That’s why we enter the story. To change the story.

Imagine a time where friends gather to connect (and make new ones) over coffee and tea, enjoy and sing along to some live music, and discover the timeless message of Scripture taught in a way that’s relevant to life today.

This is what a typical gathering of Project Church looks like.

Expect to feel at home. No pressure, no anxiety, no intimidation, and no guilt.  The entire experience lasts about an hour and one thing is for sure….you won’t be bored and you won’t feel unwelcome.

When we say, “come as you are” we actually mean it.  Wear a hat, wear your comfortable jeans, or get all dressed up.  All we ask is that you wear something.

The idea behind Project Church is to be an authentic community where people can belong before they believe. Where we can wrestle with doubts, explore why Jesus is such a big deal, and take next steps in living the life we are all meant to live.

Hope to see you there!

This epic is revealed within the grand narrative of Scripture in a collection of 66 books known as the Bible. Inspired by God yet written by human hands, the infallible words of Scripture are God-breathed, without error, and are the supreme and final authority for life and faith.

In eternity, this story was formed.  It begins with the Author and Creator of all things- the one, true, sovereign God. He exists in community with Himself as Father, Son, and Spirit yet remains one God. He is altogether good, holy, just, wise, powerful, and loving.

In love, the Author created a world of wonder, beauty, and harmony for his masterpiece creation, humanity. Created in His image, human beings walked in relationship with the Creator and enjoyed the paradise of His creation. This is the beginning.  All was as it should be.

Then the story took a dramatic turn. Something had gone terribly wrong.

Sin entered the story through the deception of an evil serpent and the rebellion of humanity. Creation had fallen, paradise was lost, and separation came between humanity’s relationship with God and each other. Life was broken and nothing was as it should be.

In the darkest moment in human history, sin bled into the story resulting in shame, suffering, pain, distrust, despair, and pride. Although still bearing the image of God, all of humanity would now live in a fallen state of sin unable to rescue ourselves.

In the midst of this horrific event, hope and restoration is promised by God as He reveals the climax of His story. God would become a man with a mission to rescue his beloved creation and crush the evil serpent. God would write clues of His arrival into the story through various messengers, laws, events, and promises. All of which would be fulfilled through the hero of God’s epic- Jesus Christ.

Jesus entered human history miraculously as he was conceived by the Spirit of God and born to a virgin mother. Fully God yet fully human, he did what humanity could not do. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life teaching us to love God and others as ourselves. But it was his exclusive claim to being the only way to God, as well as his claim of being God, that led to his arrest, torture, and execution on a Roman cross.

He would show his great love for us through his willful yet excruciating sacrifice on the cross.  There is no greater love.

It is on the cross where the hero redeemed and rescued his beloved creation.
It is on the cross where the hero became our sin, enduring the just wrath of God.
It is on the cross where the hero became our substitute and paid the penalty for our sins.
It is on the cross where those who believe in him have right standing before God.
It is on the cross where we are cleansed from the curse of sin- past, present, and future.
It is on the finished work of the cross where Jesus died for us so that we might live for him.

But the story doesn’t end there…He came back!

Three days after being buried in a tomb, he rose from death defeating hell, conquering sin, and crushing the sting of death. He appeared to hundreds of witnesses and then physically ascended into Heaven and is presently seated at the right hand of God the Father.  Salvation is only found by God’s saving grace in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  God’s grace is not earned, it is freely given to all who truly believe. Those who believe will spend a life and eternity in relationship with Him. Those who don’t, get exactly what they want, a life and eternity apart from a relationship with God.

The story continues to be written through the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God was promised by Jesus to supernaturally guide our stories, work in the hearts of humanity, and draw us near to Jesus. The Spirit resides within us and works to teach and transform us,  help us when we are in need, convict us of our sin, secure our salvation, and empower us with spiritual gifts to advance the Kingdom of God on earth today.

The mission of Jesus was, and is, crystal clear: to seek and save that which was lost.  And that’s exactly what He did…and what He’s doing.

Through the Church, followers of Jesus are united as one body made up of various expressions of church.  They gather in prayer, worship, teaching, community, and mission with baptism and the Lord’s Supper being visible expressions of the gospel story.

The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus and join God in the renewal of all things by announcing the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven and telling the story of God’s amazing grace, the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the ends of the earth- starting in our local communities.

Today, Jesus Christ reigns supreme as King of kings and Lord of lords. This epic will end when the King returns to earth in all his power and glory to gather his people, judge the living and the dead, and usher in a new Creation, a new Paradise, a new Kingdom, where we will worship and enjoy Him forever.

In the end, Jesus wins.

This is God’s epic story.

This is what we believe!

——————————————————————————————————————————

At Project Church, we also value the ancient roots of our faith as found in the creeds.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic [universal] and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic [universal] Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen.

When: The last Wednesday of each month at 7pm

Where: Sanford’s Grub & Pub (306 7th St. Downtown Rapid City)

Our mission is clear: Love God. Love People. Live Free.

In light of this, we have committed to focus on three actions of social justice:

1. Being good news to the poor
In particular, in our local community.

We have a relationship with an elementary school that’s located in the heart of the most impoverished area of our city. Our hope is to utilize this common ground to reach out to the students, families, and staff of this school and be good news to them in creative and loving ways.

2. Freedom for the enslaved
Freedom comes in many forms. So does slavery. We are committed to helping people live free in many ways however, one particular cause has broken our hearts and captured our imagination: human trafficking and sex slavery. With two children sold every minute with an estimated 27 million souls crying out for freedom, we must do something!

Our church is going to partner with Love146.org. Their vision is the abolition of child sex slavery and exploitation. Nothing less.

That’s a fight worth fighting!

To work to that end, they provide aftercare for the children who have been trapped in this horrific industry as well as prevention programs to bring awareness to the issue.

3. Joining God in advancing the gospel
We believe the most effective way to do this is through starting fresh expressions of gospel-driven churches.

The gospel of grace found in Jesus is the greatest news to ever hit humanity. Our love for him compels us to love others and join together in communities of faith to become more like Jesus.

There’s no greater cause than the gospel.

Giving half our offering away is a huge leap of faith for our new church and we’re trusting that God will provide for all of our needs. Following him is one grand adventure and we’re just getting started.

Please consider investing in what Project Church is doing both locally and around the world. It’s only possible with the generosity of people like you.

If you would like to donate to Project Church, you can give securely and quickly via PayPal by clicking the donate button below. As a new church, every little bit helps.

Thank you so much for your generosity.

If you prefer snail mail:

Project Church
P.O. Box 9032
Rapid City, SD 57709

While you’re there, connect with other people who dig who we are and what we’re about.

LINK

You can also catch us on Twitter.

These messages are recorded at our Sunday morning service at 10 a.m. at the Elks Theatre in downtown Rapid City, SD.

Feel free to download, listen, and share these recordings.

You can also subscribe via iTunes.

There’s a big difference.

Religion ends with guilt.
Jesus begins with forgiveness.

Religion adds burdens.
Jesus carries burdens.

Religion enslaves.
Jesus frees.

Religion is about what I have to do.
Jesus is about what he has done.

Religion sees us vs. them.
Jesus sees us.

Religion leads to pride.
Jesus leads to humility.

Religion is salvation by morality.
Jesus is our salvation.

Religion brings religious institutions.
Jesus brings movements of love.

Religion separates itself from the world.
Jesus steps into the world.

Religion is about rules.
Jesus is about grace.

Religion tries to change behaviors.
Jesus changes hearts.

Religion produces self-righteousness.
Jesus is our righteousness.

Religion points a finger.
Jesus took the blame.

Religion makes judgmental hypocrites.
Jesus forgives judgmental hypocrites.

Religion lost.
Jesus won.

Religion’s no match for Jesus.

Recommended Bible: ESV Study Bible (Related article: A Divine Conversation)

Exploring

The Reason For God by Tim Keller

Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell

Discovering

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennen Manning

Prodigal God by Tim Keller

What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

ReJesus by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch

Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus

Pocket Guide to the Bible by Jason Boyett

Following

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper

Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney

Death by Love by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

Soul Graffiti by Mark Scandrette

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson

The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren

Theology

Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem

Desiring God by John Piper

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton

Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

Essential Truths of the Christian Faith by R.C. Sproul

Mission/Church

Total Church by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester

The Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll

The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch

The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch

The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay

An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus

Marriage/Relationships/Sexuality

Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Going All the Way by Craig Groeschel

A Celebration of Sex by Douglas Rosenau

Intimacy Ignited by by Joseph and Linda Dillow & Peter and Lorraine Pintus

Porn-Again Christian by Mark Driscoll

We’re a project because we’re not there yet.

Imagine with us as we picture the kind of church we hope to become.

Picture a church…

• who’s big on Jesus and big on people
• where no one stands alone
• where you can belong before you believe
• where it’s okay to wrestle with doubts
• where you can explore why Jesus is a big deal
• where followers of Christ see themselves as missionaries
• that was real with God, ourselves, and others
• that’s Gospel-centered
• where you’re loved no matter what
• that’s honest with you no matter what
• that said no to the status quo
• that was a place of discovery and growth
• that reproduces other churches
• that didn’t weird out your friends (or you)
• where the Bible is taught and not used to beat you over the head
• that accepts you right where you are
• that all boils down to relationships
• where hypocrites can recover
• that looked inside-out, not outside-in
• that really loves kids
• that’s not boring
• that has strong theology and soft hearts
• that was a movement and not an institution
• that said, “come as you are” and meant it
• that rallies around someone in need
• that doesn’t want to fill up with your week with church activities
• that wasn’t known for picket signs and protests
• where it’s okay to wear a hat
• that genuinely cares for our city
• that gathers in various venues
• that was 100% religion-free
• where you leave your self-righteousness at the door
• who blend innovation, creativity, and simplicity with the unchanging and life-changing message of Jesus
• that will do whatever it takes to lead people far from God to live lives following Jesus
• who are known for love

We’re still picturing, dreaming, and discovering…