To be clear – church planting isn’t about building a brand, it’s about building the Kingdom.
The Church of Eleven22 has always been, and will always be, a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. And it wasn’t because of us that we are here, this whole thing would not have been possible without the faithfulness and generosity of Pastor Jerry Sweat and Beach Church. Years before Eleven22 even launched, God was already moving. Because of Pastor Jerry’s humility, wisdom, and heart for reaching the lost, a movement had already been building, so that by the time we officially launched, our building was already full. Packed with folks hungry for the gospel.
From day one, we knew this wasn’t about one location or one group of people – it was about making disciples that make disciples and reaching just one more person. That’s why Eleven22 didn’t stay in one place for long. We expanded, not just because we had to, but because God made it clear that the mission is bigger than one building
The Journey to Multisite
Here’s the deal. When God moves, you either keep up or get left behind. We saw an explosion of growth at our first location, and it became obvious that we couldn’t just keep squeezing more people into one building. But instead of just growing bigger in one place, we felt God calling us to spread out – to take the gospel to new communities, while keeping the heart and mission of Eleven22 intact. I love the Message translation of John 1:14, it says “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” That became our mantra when it came to going multisite, we would move into the neighborhood so that our folks could bring what we call their one mores, to meet Jesus.
Going multisite wasn’t about getting fancy with new buildings; it was about creating spaces where people could worship, hear the Bible preached, and be discipled. And every new campus followed the same DNA as the original:
- Raising up campus pastors: These aren’t just figureheads; these are shepherds who lead, disciple, and keep the mission at the forefront.
- Keeping the vision the same: No matter which campus you walk into, you’ll hear the same gospel-centered preaching and worship.
- Using technology to stay connected: Streaming sermons keeps every location on the same page, while still allowing space for local leadership to engage with the community.
- Serving the local community: We don’t just show up and set up chairs. Every Eleven22 campus is deeply committed to serving and loving the people right where they are.
Church Planting and Multisite: A Dual Strategy
Now listen, we’re not just about growing bigger – we’re about the Great Commission. That’s why multisite and church planting go hand in hand at Eleven22. Some places need a campus, and some places need an entirely new church. We do both because the goal isn’t to build up Eleven22, it’s to advance the gospel.
Church planting is central to what we do because we believe God’s plan for making disciples is through the local church. That’s why we invest heavily in church planters:
- The Church Planting Residency: We don’t just send people out unprepared. We train and equip them to launch gospel-centered churches that will stand the test of time.
- Funding and Support: It’s not just about giving them a blessing and a handshake – we put resources, mentorship, and strategy behind these church planters so they can thrive.
- Sending Out Leaders: Some of the best people at Eleven22 aren’t here anymore, because we sent them out to go start new churches. That’s a win.
And we don’t do this alone. We’ve partnered with Acts29, Exponential, and SEND Network – powerhouse organizations that are serious about equipping and supporting church planters worldwide. Because this isn’t about one church – it’s about the church.
Impact and Vision for the Future
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to have more campuses or plant more churches. The goal is to see lives transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. And we’ve seen it happen, over and over again.
This movement isn’t slowing down. As long as there are people who don’t know Jesus, we’ve got work to do. We’re going to keep launching campuses, keep planting churches, and keep making disciples. Not so that people know the name Eleven22, but so that people know the name above every name – Jesus Christ.
So, we’ll keep going, we’ll keep sending, and we’ll keep preaching the gospel until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. Because that’s the mission. That’s the movement. And we’re just getting started.
