How This Megachurch Is Bucking the Church-Planting Trend
Texas megachurches tend to plant in the suburbs, according to the Houston Chronicle, but not River Pointe Church.
Instead, the next campus for the congregation will be in Houston’s inner loop at the former location of West End Baptist Church (WEBC), which merged with RPC last year.
“It’s such a crazy story,” RPC Lead Pastor Patrick Kelley tells the Chronicle. “It’s unheard of.”
Though the two congregations were birthed out of different denominations, the pastors worked out an agreement.
“I don’t think anybody has a problem with it being a different denomination,” says WEBC Associate Pastor Michael Quintanilla. “It is more about adjusting to having new people in the space and getting used to changes in services and things like that.”
According to the River Pointe website, WEBC and RPC voted to merge in August 2015.
“In merging, WEBC gave River Pointe their building and property, which birthed a brand-new opportunity for both congregations. West End Church was born,” the website reads. “River Pointe Church West End Campus and West End Baptist Church determined that day to become one church and together to see people all over Houston, come to know and follow Jesus Christ.
“The location at 802 Shepherd Drive in Houston is the future permanent home of West End Church. Restoration and renovation of the current buildings that are 60 and 80 years old respectively has begun and the best is yet to be!”
The Chronicle reports RPC will soon begin $5.6 million renovations to the WEBC campus, and it will open in 2017.
RPC has two other locations—one in Richmond, Texas, and the other in Missouri City, Texas.
