INVEST IN THE FUTURE of Harris Creek
The story of Harris Creek began in 1879, a few miles away from our current location. Today, we carry on the original mission of the church to reach both Waco and the world for Jesus. After years of prayerful consideration, we believe the next best step to fulfill our mission is to expand our campus with a new worship auditorium and updated kids facilities.
The CHALLENGE WITH OUR CURRENT SPACE
Whether you’re brand new or have been at Harris Creek for years, it’s clear every week that more and more people are walking through the doors. Praise God for that! We want to make this church a place where everyone can learn to follow Jesus in community with other believers.
Unfortunately, right now, our building can’t keep up.
Over 34,000 people have sat
in overflow in the last three years.Ministry events spill into hallways.
New Re:gen groups have no place to gather.
We moved all the walls we can to make larger classrooms.
Every weeknight the campus is utilized for midweek ministries.
In addition to the challenges this brings to our current body, we have heard this is keeping a substantial number of people from ever setting foot on our campus. Let’s build a place where everyone is welcome.
Let’s save a seat.
The vision
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AUDITORIUM
We will build a brand new, approximately 3000 seat auditorium. The location will be on the East side of the building, where we host Family Reunion.
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KIDS, YOUTH, AND COLLEGE SPACES
Once the new auditorium is complete, we will renovate the current auditorium for kids and youth, including an indoor play area.
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OUTDOOR SPACES
Once the new auditorium and Kids Ministry spaces are complete, we’ll finish the exterior with a new baptismal and covered seating for church family gatherings.
WHat’s the cost?
TOTAL COST
$29M
~3000 seat auditorium, AV, new Commons area, coffee shop, additional bathrooms, and parking lots.
Estimated Completion: December 2027
Auditorium
$21M
Renovation of current auditorium for youth and kids, AV, indoor play area, updated classrooms and kids meeting spaces, and administrative building.
Estimated Completion: October 2028
kids spaces
$7M
Outdoor meeting spaces, baptismal, landscaping, and final touches.
Estimated Completion: August 2029
outdoor Spaces
$1M
* Note: Our current campaign to Save a Seat is meant to raise money for the auditorium. The additional phases of construction will be funded through our current savings and expected future giving that is on track with our current receivables.
How TO GET INVOLVED
You have a part to play in the future of Harris Creek.
1. SAVE A SEAT
Partner with your Life Group, create a plan with your family, or set up planned giving options (stocks, trusts, crypto) by connecting with our team at finance@harriscreek.org.
2. PRAY FOR OUR FUTURE
Pray for our body, our city, and that God would continue to build the house at Harris Creek. Pick up a Psalm 127:1 keychain at the Save a Seat installation and set a daily alarm at 1:27p to serve as ongoing reminders to pray.
We exist to help everyone follow Jesus by engaging the lost, equipping the saints, and empowering members for service.
3 WAYS TO GIVE
SAVE A SEAT
We need you to sacrificially give as much as you can in this season. A bold, upfront gift can help us launch into the future with momentum. Each gift helps us build one of ~3,000 seats in the new auditorium and also allows us to make new spaces for Kids, Youth, and College Ministries.
Save a seat over time
A one-time gift may be out of reach at this time. An alternative is to make a commitment to give monthly in addition to your current giving. This would help you and your family Save a Seat over the course of the building project, approximately 28 months. (Example: $250/month = 1 seat, $1,000/month = 4 seats)
Save a seat together
You can also save a seat by giving whatever amount you are able, and this will be pooled with others. When we hit $7,000 in that pool, we’ll have saved a seat together. Every single dollar helps us make a space for someone to walk into Harris Creek for the first time.
Need help making a plan?
For more information on how to give through appreciated stocks, Donor-Advised Funds, or other alternative methods, our Finance Team would be glad to assist you.
Email them at finance@harriscreek.org.
save a seat progress to date
White = Seats Saved
Green = Remaining Seats to be Saved
Every seat has a story
FAQ
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We are grateful to be debt free. We consistently operate well under budget and save for future building projects.
To see our financial numbers from 2024, you can view our End of Year Report.
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We are working with Visioneering Studios out of Dallas. You can learn more about their company here.
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Pray!
Financially, no amount is too small, and every single dollar matters. You can also partner up with your Life Group or other members of the church and pool your giving together. Our Financial Team would love to help you make a plan, regardless of how much you have to give.
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We believe the money needed is already in our body and we believe that God has called us to this. With that said, we are always listening to Him for direction.
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We will convert our current auditorium into a large gathering space for our Kids and Youth Ministries! Before we can begin to make these changes, we will need to be completely moved over and meeting in the new auditorium.
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We agree that missions and serving others are core to who we are. The building will actually multiply that impact, allowing us to train, send, and mobilize even more people for ministry both locally and globally.
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A building is a tool. What makes it meaningful is the ministry that happens inside; lives are changed, families discipled, and leaders raised up. Our focus will always remain on people, not walls.
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Absolutely. We are moving forward only because we have seen God’s clear provision and believe this step of faith is needed for the future. Every dollar given will be used carefully, with a plan in place to remain financially healthy.
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The building fund is separate from our regular ministry budget, so weekly giving continues to fuel ministry as usual. In fact, the expanded space will allow us to strengthen and expand ministries long-term.
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It’s important to note that the majority of the growth in the Waco area is around us. We are also full in our midweek ministries. Our church would be able to use this building well if we remained the same size, and it allows for growth.
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We have added services in the past and we may continue to have the need to do so even with the added capacity of a new auditorium.
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We will continue to train pastors and send them. We will continue to remain open to satellite campuses like we’ve had in the past. The growth, however, is around here. So, our sending and discipleship hub needs to grow to meet the needs we have right here. The most strategic place in Waco to plant a church would be across the street.
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We believe God will send to this church all that we are able to effectively disciple. The goal is not to be big, but to be faithful to all God brings through our doors (Matthew 6:33).
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Our church is led by a group of Elders who oversee the health of the body and lead with strategy and vision. No one in our leadership desires or has any plans to leave and we know ultimately this is the Lord’s church and He controls the future of this place.
Unless the lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
Psalm 127:1
2025 Memory Verse
Have more Questions?
Reach out to our team at any time. We will make sure your message lands in the right place.