Exit Church has been making arrangements to close on the purchase of the Walnut Creek Outdoors building in the next two months after its largest attendance this year held 540 people and reached into the rented building’s lobby.
Once they possess the vacant store building, they will begin renovating it and officially make the transition from their current location by fall of 2025, Tyler Shirley, co-pastor of Exit Church, said.
Exit will be doing a small capital campaign within the church, Forrest Brown, co-pastor of Exit Church, said. They hope to raise $120,000 to help with cash flow in the time between selling their current building and finishing remodeling Walnut Creek. $80,000 will be used to support the new property, while the remaining money will go towards global missions that the church supports, he said.
“It's going to be a seismic shift in location for us,” Shirley said. “Yet, to know the Lord is behind it is totally worth it.”
Brown said he and Shirley had been looking for a new space that could hold approximately 600 people.
“If you were to go look at what professionals say in this arena, they would say if you're 80% full, you are 100% full,” Brown said. “Because at 80%, when a new person comes in…they don't feel like there's a place for them.”
Kim Cartwright, administrative assistant and bookkeeper for Exit, has been attending the church for eight years and referenced the recent space issue.
As a mother of two kids under 6 years old, Cartwright recounted how it is a struggle to arrive on time to church just to squeeze through the sanctuary and lobby area and drop her kids off at their small classroom.
“I know for other parents that—let's say they come in late—they get their kids checked into the children's ministry, and sometimes it can be hard for them to find a seat after that, given that everybody's already got their seats,” Cartwright said.
Before Exit acquires the property, the church leaders need to finish their drawings for how they want to remodel the inside space and have the plans affirmed by an engineer to ensure the building follows code regulations, Brown said.
After getting approval, the renovation plans will be taken to builders to get a price quote. Exit Church will be able to present the quote to its lender to guarantee sufficient financing, Brown said.
As the building has the design of an old Kmart, Shirley said it will need to undergo some plumbing and electrical renovations. The total cost of all the changes is estimated to be around $700,000.
Beyond the storefront area, which will become the foyer and sanctuary, there is a large room with 12-foot ceilings. This room housed an indoor archery range. Shirley said this portion of the building will be used for the children’s area and youth zone and will be the most extensive portion of remodeling.
Shirley recalled the moment he walked through the building with Darren Campbell, the founder of Exit and co-founder of Slingshot Books. Shirley was unsure about using the building due to similar opportunities that had been presented and did not work out.
During their walk, Campbell told Shirley he was willing to rent space in the Walnut Creek building that Exit would not be able to use. Campbell agreed to sign a year-long lease and use the extra space as a warehouse for Slingshot Books.
With the cost of the Walnut Creek Building being listed at three million, Shirley said a church the size of Exit would not be able to afford it. He said even with only a 20% down payment, the church would struggle with cash flow.
“It would be irresponsible for us, and it would be responsible for a lender,” he said.
Shortly afterwards, Exit Church’s leadership team talked to a donor who previously offered to contribute money for a building project they had considered. The donor responded by proposing to contribute $1.5 million the purchase of the Walnut Creek Building.
The ambient atmosphere of Exit Church’s current building will be missed, Brown said.
Shirley said there is a big difference between the small area the church now gathers in and the new Walnut Creek Outdoors property. It will be important for the church to maintain a welcoming stance and split into more small groups intentionally to invite newcomers in, he said.
“We're looking forward to the opportunity and just what it might mean for us to be able to grow and expand and then, hopefully, in a few years, be in a better financial space to support missionaries from here,” Cartwright said.
