Ten years ago, 25 people moved to Knoxville to start a church. The intention was never to start an event; it was always to create a place to belong. A group of people who feel like family.
We see it in college students finding community away from home. In young professionals finding roots in seasons of transition. In young families being cared for, welcomed and discipled. In empty-nesters inviting their families into a fresh start.
For ten years, we’ve seen that dream become a reality. Built Together is our plan to keep building.
We want to raise $1.2M by October 2029
(…but that’s just our secondary goal)
Primary Goal
100% Engagement
We want every person connected to our church to ask themselves: how can I contribute to who we’re becoming?
Secondary Goal
$1.2 Million Raised
We want to invest $1.2 million in the spaces, leaders and outreach needed for the next decade of our church.
Who We’re Building For
Testimonies from our Church
What We’re Building Together
Leadership
As our church grows, we want people in our church to be cared for well. That means investing in the leaders who can see to that happening.
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We want to be a discipleship-driven church: a place where people don’t just come around and meet Jesus, but where people can grow and mature in their faith while helping other people grow and mature in their faith, too. One of the most practical ways to do that is to add a role to our staff focused on creating and sustaining that type of culture in our church.
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As we’ve grown, the amount of logistical & administrative responsibilities has grown too. Pastors and key leaders are fulfilling their big picture responsibilities, as well as taking care of the more administrative tasks. The more administrative tasks they need to do, the less hands-on ministry they can do. Adding a Director of Ministry Support will free up other staff members to continue moving the mission forward.
Partnerships
The kingdom has always been bigger than what happens within our church. So we want to invest in partnerships that demonstrate that belief.
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In Jellico, TN, there’s an incredible rehab facility that is changing the trajectory of generations in that area. Now, they’re planting a church so they can continue discipling and pouring into people and families in Jellico for years to come. We want to help them get there.
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Our friends at Local Church are moving into their first full-time church facility. Within the first year of planting, they’ve seen so many Halls and Powell people begin following Jesus for the very first time. We want to help them move into their new building well.
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We also want to make additional investments in some of the partnerships we’ve had for a while now: Magnolia Ministries, serving women in need in East Knoxville. Jalynn Baker, our missionary to Tijuana, Mexico. And local elementary schools, including South Knoxville and Dogwood, right in our part of town.
Facilities
Buildings aren’t the point of church, but what happens inside of them are. We want to invest in our facilities to help them last for years to come.
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Our outdoor area has already become an incredible gathering space for communal meals, for kids to play on the playground, and for parents to interact before and after the Gathering. We want to invest in making it an even better, more hospitable space for that to happen–and to benefit our community as a whole.
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The balcony in our sanctuary needs some work. We’d love to improve the balcony to make it safer and more hospitable; as well as adding restrooms accessible from that part of our building.
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Part of owning a building is the inevitable maintenance costs required to make the facility inhabitable and hospitable. To do that, we need to make significant investments in our roofing, structural and foundational fixes, and HVAC system.
Answering Your Questions
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No. Built Together is a giving campaign above and beyond regular giving. Regular giving supports the ongoing ministry and operations of our church. Built Together is designed to help fund specific investments in facilities, leadership, and outreach for the next decade.
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Yes. However, if we fall short of our goal, we’ve decided which items will get priority based on need and importance. If you’d like to know more about how the items will be prioritized and funded, you can reach our Executive Director, Stephen Ellet here.
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Our 10-year anniversary gives us a meaningful moment to remember God’s faithfulness and prepare for our future. As our church continues to grow, we want to make wise, proactive investments that help us care for people well and participate in our mission and vision faithfully.
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This initiative is about way more than the amount given. It is about shared participation. For some, generosity may look like a significant financial gift. For others, it may look like a small but consistent gift. We are asking everyone to pray and participate as God leads them.
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Put simply, because our church has never existed for itself. Built Together includes investments in our own church family and investments beyond that. People invested in our church when they weren’t a part of it, so we want to do the same for others.
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Staff is not the mission. But healthy leadership helps protect and multiply the mission. As more people come, more people need care, formation, connection and support. These roles are designed to help the whole church become healthier, not simply make our staff bigger.
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We want you to feel good about what you’re giving, and what it’s going toward. You can find a full break-down of how much money is being spent where in our Built Together PDF.
Ready to Help Us Build?
Here’s what we’re asking of each person connected to our church on or before September 27, 2026:
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Pray & Discern.
Ask God how and how much he might have you give (in addition to your current giving). Our goal isn’t to guilt anyone into giving, but to invite them to consider what God might have them give.
2
Let us know.
Fill out the form below informing us of what you will give as a one-time gift, and what you intend to give over the next three years–all on or before Sunday, September 27, 2026.
3
Set up your giving.
Set up your one-time and recurring giving at the link below. Or if you prefer, send checks to the address on our Contact Page. Just be sure to include the words Built Together on the memo line.
The Story of Our Church
To know where we’re going, it might be helpful to know where we’ve been.
Learn more in the video about the story of our church.