This page was last updated on April 1, 2006

Phase One Nearly Complete!
We are excited to announce that we are now less than 30 days away from being in our new building! Our ribbon cutting ceremony and first service will take place on April 2nd (Click here for more information.). With that in mind, final work throughout the building is taking place, and in every area, workers are working on finishing and cleaning up.

Click here to visit our newest galleries. We have updated our construction page with over 200 new photos showing the latest progress over the past few weeks! Also, be sure to show these photos to friends and acquaintances. You will want to make sure to invite them to attend a service in the new building. This could be just the opportunity that might interest someone in visiting.

A visit to the site reveals a completed wood floor in the multi-purpose gymnasium/sanctuary. This beautiful wood floor will host many exciting St. Paul's games in the years to come for children of all ages. The wood floor features a court for championship basketball games (college size court), two simultaneous basketball practice courts, and three simultaneous volleyball courts. Final finish-out work is also taking place on the stage. Just the other day, our new projection screens were installed, and other details are now emerging, showcasing this room, where God's Word will be preached and where, during the week, children will be educated, not only mentally and spiritually but also physically. For church services and school events (other than sports), special flooring will be rolled out to cover the wood floor, protecting it and keeping it in good condition for the generations to come.

Electrical work throughout the building is close to being completed, and the building will offer state-of-the-art wiring and facilities for every area of the ministry: church, television, and school. With a high-speed network and wireless technologies, the technology available to the students of St. Paul's will literally be at the next level. Soon after St. Paul's begins holding classes in the new building, there will be four new computer labs available to students.

Exciting progress is also taking place in clubRock on the third floor of the educational wing. The clubRock cafe is close to being completed, and now, it is possible to see what clubRock will look like on opening night (soon to be announced). clubRock will truly offer the young people of the church and the community an alternative for Friday evenings. Young people will have a place where they can not only hear God's Word, but where they can also meet other young people whose lives are dedicated to God. clubRock will be a place where teenagers can have fun in a safe, exciting, and dynamic environment. Featuring incredible lighting, pool tables, foosball tables, a plethora of Playstations, and a room the size of our old church sanctuary, clubRock truly will be an incredible place.

Work is also beginning to near completion in the church's new cafe and bookstore, which will be open on Sundays and during the week. Church members, students, employees, and visitors will be able to browse the latest products, while enjoying our cafe and the beautiful scenery and landscaping of our facility.

The pre-school playground was also recently installed, and an additional playground just for elementary-age students is now being planned. Soon after holding our first services, baseball, softball, and soccer fields will also be available for the students of St. Paul's.

Now is the time. Let the final countdown begin to the completion of Phase One!

Finish Out Nears Completion
Incredible progress has continued on Phase One. The ball fields and landscaping are really taking shape, and now we are also planning an additional playground for Phase One that will be just for elementary age students. Already, a special, secure playground is being installed immediately next to the Phase One building, so that pre-school students will have immediate, secure access to a playground designed just for them. As we near the end of the Phase One project, we are thrilled to report that every part of Phase One will be built. God has truly blessed us and His hand of favor has truly been on this project. And, as Pastor Lingerfelt mentioned in a recent Sunday morning message, we are already positioned to begin planning Phase Two. We are so incredibly thankful, and we give God all of the praise and glory!

Inside the building, the second floor of the educational wing is nearly done, and rapid finish out is continuing on floors one and three (clubRock). Tile work was recently finished in the Phase One cafe, and the tile work is also nearly done in the first floor main entrance and in the fellowship atrium. The elevator was also recently installed and finish out on the elevator will soon take place. The elevator will provide easy access to all three floors of the educational wing throughout the week, and throughout the weekend for various church services, classes, and events. On the third floor, rapid finish out is continuing for clubRock--the lights have been hung, tile work in the bathrooms has been finished, and the cafe area is now being installed. Amazingly the clubRock area will provide the youth of the church with as much room for worship and fellowship as our current sanctuary at I-30 and N. Fielder Rd. Phase One truly is a building for the children and youth of the ministry, and they will be blessed, indeed!

In the sanctuary, the sound installations and TV light installations have been finished, and this past Friday, about half of the wood floor had been laid. Once the wood floor in the multi-purpose sanctuary/gymnasium is finished, only the stage will need to be finished out. For church services and formal school events, the wood floor will be covered and all new church chairs will be placed out for seating.

Soon, we will be able to announce the date of the first church service and ribbon cutting and also the first day of school for St. Paul's Preparatory Academy in Phase One. As soon as that announcement is made, we will post the announcement here.

Finish Out Nears Completion
Each week of interior finish-out brings us closer and closer to our ultimate goal of moving into our brand-new Phase One facilities. Finish-out has taken a little bit longer than the building's contractor originally expected, but this is primarily due to the size of the building--72,000 sq. feet--and its multi-purpose infrastructure--for church, school, and youth. With each day and week, though, we are getting closer and closer to moving in and the excitement is building!

A visit to the site reveals exciting and tangible progress. The second floor of the educational wing is nearing completion, and it is now possible to get a glimpse of what the building will be like when it is officially finished sometime towards early to mid March. A walk through the second floor reveals multi-purpose classrooms; exciting educational spaces for teachers and students; an incredibly exciting library space; an exciting room for children's church activities on Sundays; new administrative offices; a state-of-the-art network room with the latest in high-speed networking equipment; world-class bathrooms with beautiful tile work; and an incredible number of lockers for St. Paul's Preparatory Academy.

Work is also continuing in clubRock on the third floor and the tile work in the third floor bathrooms is nearing completion. Elsewhere in the building, the following work is being done: light controls are being installed in all of the rooms; workers are finishing all electrical wiring; the sound system is being installed in the multi-purpose gymnasium and sanctuary; the church's television lights have been moved and are ready to be installed very soon; sound paneling and other materials are being fitted within the gymnasium; finish-out work on the Phase One auditorium stage is nearing completion; the wood has arrived for what will be a wood-class basketball court; and workers are finishing the floor in our cafe. The building's elevator was also recently installed, and the elevator will provide easy access to all three floors in the educational wing of the building. The building also features four extra wide stair cases, conveniently located at the four ends of the educational wing, in order to provide church members, visitors, students, parents, and employees with quick and easy access to any floor or room.

As finish-out nears completion, we are getting closer and closer to being able to announce the official date of our first service at the new church building, in addition to the date when the school will begin holding classes in the new building. As soon as we set this date, the church will send out an e-mail announcement and a postcard. Information will also be immediately posted on the web site. For our first service in the new building, we will begin with a motorcade from our present location at I-30 and N. Fielder Road. We will travel as a church to our new facilities and then we will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony. After the ceremony, tours will be conducted throughout Phase One, and then we will hold our first Sunday evening church service in our beautiful, new building. God truly is good and He has blessed us wonderfully!

Stay tuned for more information!

Finish-Out Begins to Near Completion
We are moving closer and closer towards moving into Phase One--for this we give God all of the priase and the glory! He truly has blessed us and has done great and marvelous things! More and more progress is being made with finish-out each week, and from this point forward, we will post progress photos on a weekly basis. Once the building is finished, we will also be sure to post in-depth photos of the entire facility in its finished state.

The building's heat was also turned on recently so that many surfaces could be finished out--flooring (for the gym), tile, and carpet. Walking through Phase One reveals the detail and quality that is being put into every part of the building.

One of the most beautiful features of Phase One will be the fellowship atrium--a wide, incredibly high, open space where visitors, students, and members of the congregation will be able to fellowship, view information about the latest events, visit the reception area, find easy access to the cafe, or go to the sanctuary/gymnasium. Visitors will also be able to look out over the atrium from the second floor, which provides an incredible view of a welcoming aesthetic feature that will eventually connect all three phases.

It is also now possible to see what the new classroom and office spaces will look like, and on average, the classrooms in phase one will be 25% bigger than our current classroom facilities in N. Arlington. Also, within a matter of days, a state-of-the art elevator will be installed, which will provide easy and quick access to all three floors of the educational wing of the building.

Phase One truly is a multi-purpose building, and it is one designed with the children and youth of the ministry in mind. This is just the beginning, though! At 72,000 square feet, Phase One triples the size of our current building, but Phases Two and Three will further extend our capacities to minister, while providing a first class campus for the church's families. In sum, Phase One signifies our first step towards the eventual completion of all three phases.

Interior Finish Out
As the weather grows colder in North Texas, more and more progress is being made on phase one of our new facilities at I-287 and Eden Road in South Arlington. Now, crews are primarily working on interior finish-out throughout the entire building. Walls are being prepped and primed and it is now possible to get a glimpse of what the final product will look like when the building reaches completion in early February.

One of the most beautiful features of phase one will be the fellowship atrium--a wide, incredibly high, open space where visitors, students, and members of the congregation will be able to fellowship, view information about the latest events, visit the reception area, find easy access to the cafe, or go to the sanctuary/gymnasium. Visitors will also be able to look out over the atrium from the second floor, which provides an incredible view of a welcoming aesthetic feature that will eventually connect all three phases.

It is also now possible to see what the new classroom and office spaces will look like, and on average, the classrooms in phase one will be 25% bigger than our current classroom facilities in N. Arlington. Also, within a matter of days, a state-of-the art elevator will be installed, which will provide easy and quick access to all three floors of the educational wing of the building.

Progress is also being made on the third floor, which will host the all-new facilities of clubRock, the ministry's outreach for church teenagers and teenagers in the local community. With a hip, deco-art interior and a blacked out ceiling, clubRock features a wide, open space, where young people will be able to hear God's Word, enjoy Christian music played on a state of the art sound system, and enjoy all of the other activities that will be available on the third floor--a cafe just for clubRock, pool, foosball, a plethora of games on Playstations, and many other activities. In all, clubRock will offer teenagers a safe but fun place to hear the Word of God and to have an awesome time on Friday nights.

The Exterior Nears Completion
Progress continues at an incredible pace. The exterior of the building is nearly complete and it's almost possible to see how the building will look when it is completed. The current target date for completion is early December. Driving by Phase One and our property, you can see the quality that this building will represent with brick and stone, the highest level of workmanship, and an interior finish out that is truly first class.

Within the past few days, the building's exterior cross was raised, signifying to all that this truly is a building for God's kingdom. And, it is a building that represents God's desire that all His children experience His best in every area of their lives. Progress in the interior is continuing and it is now possible to walk through all three floors, and discern the size of each room. For instance, the seating capacity for clubRock (on the third floor) is nearly that of our current sanctuary in North Arlington. Classrooms have also been significantly expanded and each classroom reflects the room's intended purpose, whether during the week for school or on weekends for church use.

Phase One truly is a multi-purpose building, and it is one designed with the children and youth of the ministry in mind. This is just the beginning, though! At 72,000 square feet, Phase One triples the size of our current building, but Phases Two and Three will further extend our capacities to minister, while providing a first class campus for the church's families. In sum, Phase One signifies our first step towards the eventual completion of all three phases.

Be sure to view the newest photos, which have just been posted!

More Concrete Is Poured and the Exterior Takes Shape
Each day on the construction site, there is more and more activity as both the exterior and the interior of phase one take dramatic shape. Now those who drive by on Highway 287 can see how large phase one will truly be. As a multi-purpose facility for both the school and church, phase one will impact the lives of every single age group.

Recently, the concrete was poured for each of the floors in the educational wing of phase one, and it is truly a marvelous sight to stand on the third floor and to look out over the entire phase one construction site.

The various floors of the educational wing will be used for St. Paul's classrooms, Sunday School classrooms, banquets, nursery and pre-school activities, meetings, training, office space, and clubRock.

Between the multi-purpose sanctuary and the educational wing of the building--including a third floor just for clubRock, two floors of classrooms, a library, and a cafe--there is a fellowship atrium that will eventually extend between all three phases, offering visitors and church members a wide, expansive, and beautiful space for fellowship, large activities, and movement between phases.

Like any modern coffee shop, our new cafe will feature both indoor and outdoor seating, in addition to the opportunity to buy quality coffee drinks, eat superb snacks, and even buy life-changing products. The cafe will also feature two wide-screen flat panels, so customers can stay up-to-date with the latest information about our ministries, while also viewing exciting, dynamic videos about the ministry's current outreaches.

This is just the beginning!

May 6, 2005
After weeks of erecting steel, the masonry crew began forming the front of the building. Running concurrent are efforts to complete the remainder of the parking lot.

As the stone masons begin to shape the front of the sanctuary, work on the interior walls is also underway. Rapid progress is also being made on the structural steel behind the sanctuary, which includes two stories of classrooms and a third story for clubRock.

The First Steel is Raised (03/24/05)

After a period of rain delays, the first steel for phase one was raised on March 24, 2005, just one day before Good Friday.

On the construction site, the steel may appear randomly placed, but each piece has been carefully placed near its ultimate destination. Before every piece of steel is raised, a steel worker first welds a grip bar onto the column, so that crane can carefully maneuver the piece into position. The crane operator then delicately lifts the heavy steel, while dragging the base plate toward the bolts. The steel workers then proceed to measure the vertical alignment and secure the bolts. And, after all this preparatory work is finished, each individual piece of steel is then raised.

Today, the first steel columns stand in the air as we continue to build God’s Kingdom.

Foundation Laid (01/15/05)

Ezra 3:11b says, “And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid" (NIV).

A recent visit to the construction site stirred up memories of an epic movie trailer. The scene unfolds with the camera panning the 83 acres as the announcer’s voice reverberates, “Years in the making and a cast of thousands!”

The three-phase expansion plan at Overcoming Faith Christian Center stretches over multiple years and the scale rivals those of any film epic. For example, preparation of the underground infrastructure for drainage, water, electric, and gas required months of work to move thousands of tons of soil. Despite one of the wettest Fall and Winter seasons, road and foundation work continued. By the end of 2004, the construction team had poured over 85,000 square feet of pavement and 12,500 square feet of slab. Additionally, the workers poured 800 linear feet of grade-beam foundation and 4,000 linear feet of curbing. With dryer weather at the beginning of  2005, the expansion efforts have accelerated and another 12,500 square feet of slab was poured. Recently the construction team began preparation to erect the steel girders and beams. Thousands of people have helped to make our dream a reality, further emphasizing the scale of this endeavor.

To watch this rapid progress, please return to this page for frequent updates.