For one thing, a second check-in space was added in the elementary and preschool areas, but they share a lobby.“ It’ s the‘ place in between’ where different ages, different demographics are congregating,” he points out.“ It’ s not like a line at Disneyland where you only see who’ s directly in front of you, and maybe also who’ s behind you.” The old building had two lobbies –– one in the front of the church and the other in the back.“ This made it logistically impossible for Jamus to be accessible to everyone who wanted to speak with him after services,” Mills says.“ His vision for the new building was to create one centralized space where people could talk with him, along with a room where people could meet with a counselor to talk and pray. For first-time guests, there is also a Connection Wall where they can learn more about the church and discover ways to get connected.“ Additionally, there is a gathering area with a café and lounge.“ People have responded very favorably to this intentional hospitality and to the multiple touchpoints we are now able to offer.”
Where faith, leadership and growth meet Indeed, Jamus Edwards’ history at Pleasant Valley is inextricable from the church’ s amazing and sustained growth. Twenty years ago, PVCC was down to approximately 25 people. Five families were preparing to close the church when they gathered to pray and became convinced the answer was, essentially, not yet. Jamus Edwards, fresh out of seminary, stepped into leadership. Together, the five families pooled their personal assets as collateral and bought a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant which they transformed into a church.“ They really stepped out by faith,” Mills explains.“ And then the Lord just took it from there.” And how. From those humble beginnings, Pleasant Valley has grown to about 1,100 people on a typical Sunday. Its two most recent Easter services represented the highest attendance in the church’ s history, and the congregation has continued to set Sunday attendance records. Again, Mills credits much of that growth to Jamus Edwards’ leadership.“ He’ s a phenomenal pastor and wonderful individual— probably the humblest leader I’ ve ever been around, secular or faith-based,” he says.“ It’ s his leadership, his willingness to tackle any subject from the pulpit. His vulnerability and transparency about his own struggles humanize him.” This culture of authenticity was a driving force in Pleasant Valley’ s building projects. In form and function, the facilities express the ministry happening there rather than defining it. One of the clearest examples can be found in the design of the children’ s ministry area. Pleasant Valley needed to expand its children’ s capacity, eventually doubling its size. The former children’ s space became preschool space, while much of the old auditorium was transformed into elementary education space, with additional classrooms added. For this endeavor, Mills says he relied heavily on Rodney James’ unique building expertise— and more importantly, his heart for ministry.“ I was new to this whole thing. I was a college football coach for 30 years. I didn’ t even know what questions to ask, really,” Mills recalls.“ But I could ask [ James ] anything about the design, about the ratios of adultsto-children needed for classrooms or what have you.“ His is a for-profit enterprise, but it’ s never about profit,” Mills adds.“ I’ ve seen it reflected in the way that he runs Master’ s Plan. The head of the Master’ s Plan is Christ, just like Christ is the head of the church.”
Build for the ministry you have— and the one you’ re becoming Pleasant Valley’ s construction projects also demonstrate why a church’ s building plan should be viewed as a strategic framework rather than a rigid endpoint. While the original plans addressed the church’ s most pressing needs, new ministry opportunities continue to gain traction.
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