Hope Community Church | Minneapolis, MN

• Steve Treichler
• Mar 4, 2010
• Series: Church Profiles
• Categories: Church Planting Articles

Briefly describe your story of your call to plant a church 

I came to Christ in college and have had a passion to reach other college students since my conversion. In 1992, I took a class on church planting here in Minneapolis and I had caught the bug. I could do no other! I recruited 13 other people and these awesome people helped launch Hope Community Church in October of 1996 - amazingly the exact same day Mars Hill was launched. We have never had explosive growth, but have steadily grown to about 800 currently and have had the opportunity to plant 5 churches stateside and have sent 3 teams to very hard areas of the world for church planting/missions work.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in planting your church (and/or currently facing)? 

Starting a college church with 14 people out of my living room and not breaking the 100 barrier for about 18 months...we were seriously hurting for cash! But, we had a ton of passion and vision, and we made it!

What advice do you have for men who are wrestling with the decision to plant? 

If you can do anything else, do it. Planting will be the hardest thing on you and your family you have ever done. If God is not in it, please don't do it.

How did you become involved with Acts 29? What have been the biggest benefits of being in the network? 

In November of 2004 a team from our church came out to Seattle to be part of the Reformission conference. We fell in love with A29 not only for the great theology but also for the radical way they engaged culture. We wanted to network with them to plant more churches in the Minneapolis area and Upper Midwest. Became a full member in 2007.

How do you pastor your family? 

I love my family. What my family wants from me is simply this:

1. My time

2. My love

3. My leadership

4. My involvement in their lives

5. My relationship with Christ to become shown off in real tangible ways, both formally and informally.

Pastoring my family is harder than my church, since I am always "on" with them, and they see me also at my worst. However, it is in some ways easier since I am living in the context of community in the deepest sense with them, and I truly do love them, and want them to grow in Jesus.

Outside of the Bible, what is the most helpful book you have read for church planting?

Church Planting: Laying Foundations by Stuart Murray

Church Profile: Hope Community Church
Launch Date: October, 1996
Location: Minneapolis, MN 

Mission, Vision, Values of Church 

The vision of Hope Community Church is to honor God by helping as many people as possible become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

What is your biblical perspective on authentic community, and evangelism? How is this practically seen in your church? 

Community happens by intentionally loving, encouraging, teaching, hanging, rebuking, caring, and living out loud in front of others.

What are some examples of God's grace that you have seen in your life and/or the life of your church? 

Lives being changed from darkness to light.

Healing of marriages, broken relationships and physical healings (cancer, brain injuries)

The Lord gave us a 2+ million dollar building in June of 2003!

We have had the opportunity to run a Leadership Development Institute for the last 9 years and have had many interns come through our system - many of which are in full time ministry today

Please add any additional information that you would like to communicate to those that would be reading this on the Acts 29 website.

If anyone is interested in church planting here in Minnesota, I will personally take you out for dinner and you can order anything you want off the dollar menu! Please do not hesitate to contact me - steve at hopecc.com.