I once heard a man describe “church for the unchurched;” church created for folks who wanted to explore a relationship with God but who probably wouldn't attend a traditional church. I never got away from that phrase. Seven years later Brazos Pointe Fellowship was born.
In the spring of 2001, BPF was commissioned by First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson to reach the unchurched of Southern Brazoria County. A group of 30 singles, couples and families eager to try a new way of doing church hit the ground running with our own version of a “church for the unchurched.” Our first services were in the cafeteria of Lake Jackson Intermediate School. Early every Sunday morning a crew calling themselves the Road Dawgs set up all the furnishings and equipment; and then loaded it all back up in trucks and trailers at noon. We were a church-in-a-box.
In four months we added a second service. After outgrowing the cafeteria we moved to the Girl's Gym. Over the next three years BPF became a growing presence in the community, drawing people from diverse backgrounds in a 30-mile radius. We kept our strategy simple to help people become fully devoted followers of Christ: worship together on the weekends, meet in Small Groups during the week for Bible study, and find a place to serve. Early on opportunities came to reach beyond our own community. A GlobaLocal ministry was begun to help start other churches and send BPF teams on mission trips around the world.
In 2004 BPF purchased 48 acres of land for a future home along Hwy 332 on the west side of Lake Jackson. We paid off the note on that land during the summer of 2007. In July of 2005, we left the school, moved into a shopping center and unloaded the trucks and trailers for good. Now, in our seventh year, a thousand people gather each week to worship at 1027 Dixie Drive in Clute. This will be our semi-permanent address until we relocate to our future home on Hwy 332 by the end of the decade. Our vision to be a church for the unchurched continues as we guide people to take their next step with God.
Greg Pickering, Founding Pastor
You can learn more about the BPF Story at Discovering Brazos Pointe.