Metropolitan Bible Church | |
---|---|
45°19′53″N75°42′9″W / 45.33139°N 75.70250°W | |
Location | Ottawa, Ontario |
Country | Canada |
Denomination | Associated Gospel Churches of Canada |
Weekly attendance | 2,700 [1] |
Website | metbiblechurch.ca |
History | |
Founded | 1931 |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | Ralph Vandenburgh, Parker Architects [2] |
Construction cost | $16.8 million (CAD) |
Specifications | |
Capacity | 1,850 [3] |
Clergy | |
Senior pastor(s) | Jonathan Griffiths, since 2016 |
The Metropolitan Bible Church, is an evangelical megachurch located in the Nepean neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, affiliated with Associated Gospel Churches of Canada.
The Metropolitan Bible Church originally started meeting in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Huckell's Hall in Higgerty's Shoe Store on Bank Street. That meeting turned into a first gathering of 80 people on September 13, 1931, at 453 Bank Street. [3] The Bank Street land was then purchased for $6,500. [4] The church building was built similarly to a movie theatre, so that it could be used as such if the church became unsuccessful. However, the church attendance rapidly grew, to the point that the building needed to expand. For this reason, the adjacent Esso was demolished and relocated to the other side of Bank Street, allowing the church to expand its size. The main and second floors of the new building included adult classes as well as the library, nursery and office rooms. The newly built basement included rooms for child and youth ministry, a gymnasium and a kitchen, as well as an elevator designed exclusively for accessibility purposes. In 1967, the church is renamed "Metropolitan Bible Church". [5]
By the new millennium, the church building was getting too small to accommodate its guests. For example, the Metropolitan Bible Church held services at Carleton University for additional guests. Additionally, the youth ministry's night services were relocated to nearby churches and/or schools because women were gathering at the Met during the same time. The need for additional space prompted the church to seek a new building that it would build debt-free, at a cost of $13.5 million, by using guests' general and earmarked donations, with 1,550 seats. [3] In June 2007, some volunteers started to help clear the eight-acre piece of land for the new location. The new location was to be at Prince of Wales Drive & West Hunt Club Road. Up until the new church was built, church attendance was of 1,800 guests meeting in various buildings. [3] The last service at the Bank Street location was on July 27, 2008. [4]
Pastor Rick Reed left the church in November 2012 after 14 years of service. The Phase IIA Building Project added a 300-seat chapel, additional Sunday school classrooms, an expanded library and additional washrooms at a debt-free budget of $3.3 million. [6] Future plans will increase the number of auditorium seats to 2,100, bringing its size to that of a small megachurch. The chapel's purpose is to provide overflow seating while also allowing smaller events to take place there. [2]
In 2017, the church has a regular attendance of 2,700. [1]
The following senior pastors have served at the Metropolitan Bible Church: [7]
A megachurch is a church with an unusually large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities, usually Protestant, including Evangelical. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant Christian church having 2,000 or more people in average weekend attendance. The megachurch is an organization type rather than a denomination.
Lakewood Church is a non-denominational evangelical Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is among the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 45,000 attendees per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church building, home to four English-language services and two Spanish-language services per week, is located at the former Compaq Center. Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church with his wife, Victoria, who serves as co-pastor.
Saddleback Church is an Evangelical Baptist multi-site megachurch, based in Lake Forest, California. It is the largest church in California, and one of the largest in the United States of America. The church has several campuses in California and around the world. Weekly church attendance was 23,500 people in 2020. The senior pastor is Andy Wood. It was part of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) from its founding until February 21, 2023, when the denomination's executive committee voted to disfellowship the church over its appointment of women with the title of pastor. On May 16, the Southern Baptist Convention announced that Saddleback was seeking an appeal to be reinstated in fellowship.
Angelus Temple is a Pentecostal megachurch in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded by Aimee Semple McPherson in 1923, it is affiliated with the Foursquare Church. The senior pastor is Matthew Barnett. In 2015, the weekly attendance is 8,975 persons.
McLean Bible Church is an evangelical, multi-site megachurch with several locations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Its largest campus is located in Tysons Corner, Virginia with other sites in Leesburg, Prince William County, Arlington, and Rockville, Maryland
North Point Community Church is a non-denominational, evangelical megachurch located in Alpharetta, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. North Point currently averages more than 38,589 people in attendance across eight locations in the north metro Atlanta area. The senior pastor Andy Stanley serves as the church's lead pastor and, in turn, leads the North Point Community Church staff.
Grace Church Houston is a non-denominational megachurch located in Houston, Texas.
Woodside Bible Church is a non-denominational Christian megachurch based in Troy, Michigan. It is a multi-site church with 15 locations in the Detroit Metro area, with a total weekly attendance of over 9,000. The church is led by Pastor Chris Brooks, who has served as the church's senior pastor since May 2019.
Elevation Church is a Baptist Evangelical multi-site megachurch pastored by Steven Furtick, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Weekly church attendance was 27,408 people in 2021. Elevation has 20 locations.
Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV) is a non-denominational Christian church megachurch located in Metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona. The church has several campuses in Arizona. Weekend church attendance was 32,000.
Skyline Church is an evangelical Christian megachurch located in La Mesa, California, a suburb of San Diego, affiliated with the Wesleyan Church denomination. The church currently averages 2,500 in attendance per week.
The Heritage College & Seminary is a Baptist theological institute in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. It is affiliated with the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada.
The Salem Baptist Church is a Baptist megachurch located at 752 E 114th Street in the Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The senior pastor is Charlie Dates.
Brooklyn Tabernacle is an evangelical non-denominational megachurch located at 17 Smith Street at the Fulton Mall in downtown Brooklyn, New York City. The senior pastor is Jim Cymbala.
Centre Street Church is an evangelical megachurch located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, affiliated with the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC). Founded in 1958, it has an average weekly attendance of 7,739 and is considered the largest megachurch in Canada. In addition to its Central Campus, it has four satellite locations in the Calgary Metropolitan Region. Its senior pastor is Dr. Henry Schorr.
Word of Life Bible Church (WLBC) is a Pentecostal Christian megachurch located in Warri, Delta, Nigeria. It is one of the largest congregations in Nigeria, averaging about 30,000 attendees per week. The church now has congregations in over 70 locations worldwide. The senior pastor is Ayo Oritsejafor with his wife, Helen, who serves as co-pastor.
Eagle Brook Church is a Baptist Evangelical multi-site megachurch based in Centerville, Minnesota. It is affiliated with Converge. Weekly church attendance was 25,340 people in 2022. The senior pastor is Jason Strand.
First Baptist Church of Glenarden International or FBCG is a Baptist Evangelical megachurch located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. It is affiliated with Converge. Weekly church attendance was 12,000 people in 2022. The senior pastor is John K. Jenkins Sr.. It is one of the largest, if not the largest church in the Washington DC metropolitan area.