CalvaryNEXT is our shared journey into the future—a story of trust, generosity, and community, as we step forward together in faith.

WHY CALVARYNEXT? // WHAT IS CALVARY30?‍ ‍ // TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP // FAQ’S

This isn’t just about buildings or property. It’s about people. It’s about creating space for more lives to be transformed by the gospel, for more disciples to be made, for more neighborhoods to encounter the love of Christ.

Since early 2024, our pastors, elders, and lay leaders have been prayerfully seeking God's guidance about the future of Calvary Church. Through months of prayer, consultation with church multiplication experts at The Unstuck Group, and careful planning, we've sensed clearly that God is leading us to establish a second campus with two driving convictions:

  • Gospel Saturation. We will share the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ with more people in Northwest Indiana and shepherd them to become lifelong disciples who love and worship Him.

  • DNA Replication. Led by the Holy Spirit, we will embed gospel-centered values, distinctives, and practices within new congregations, equipping them to serve God and love others.

This journey invites each of us to trust, pray, and partner together as we grow into the future He’s preparing.

WHY CALVARYNEXT MATTERS

The heart of CalvaryNEXT is simple: to make room for what God is doing next—in our church, our city, and our lives.

MEET CALVARY30

 

Our second campus—
one church family reaching new neighborhoods.

Calvary30 Leadership & Staff

Calvary30 will be Calvary Church’s second campus, strategically located just off US 30 in a rapidly growing area of Northwest Indiana. But here’s what matters most: this is not a branch. This is not a split.

This is one church family in multiple locations.

That’s why we chose the name Calvary30. We are one church—Calvary Church—sharing the same mission, the same leadership, and the same heart. We’ll simply refer to our campuses by their location: Calvary30 and CalvaryValpo.

About the Property

Our new location offers excellent visibility from US 30, easy access, and is in the heart of a rapidly growing area. Most importantly, after months of prayer and careful discernment, our pastors and elders have clearly sensed the Holy Spirit guiding us to this location.

The facility will include:

  • Sanctuary seating approximately 300, with room for worship, connection, and growth

  • Welcoming entrance and common space where people can connect and build relationships

  • Dedicated children's ministry spaces

  • Potential for future expansion as God grows this campus

Pastor Joe Wittmer has agreed to serve as Campus Pastor at Calvary30. Joe will lead and shepherd the people attending the campus while continuing to be part of Calvary's broader leadership and teaching teams. Please pray for Joe, his wife Ashley, and their family as they prepare for this new role.

Mindy Hall will coordinate children's ministry at Calvary30 while continuing her role on the broader children's ministry team.

Other key staff for administration and ministry coordination will be announced as we move closer to launch.

Calvary30 Ministries

In the first year, we'll focus on core ministries:

  • Sunday morning worship services with live worship and video teaching

  • Children's ministries (birth through 5th grade)

  • Small groups rooted in the same DNA as CalvaryValpo groups

  • Prayer ministries

  • Connection opportunities

Other ministries based out of CalvaryValpo—including care, students, and missions—will remain open to attendees at both campuses. As Calvary30 grows, we'll add additional ministries in phases.

✱ WHY VIDEO TEACHING?

We know some may wonder about streaming the sermon to Calvary30. Here's what we've learned from other multisite churches: this approach is highly effective. It ensures all Calvary locations receive the same biblical teaching, fostering unity and alignment across our church family.

One encouraging finding: multisite churches that stream their teaching often grow at rates up to twice as fast as those that don't. More importantly, it allows us to steward our pastoral resources wisely while maintaining doctrinal consistency.

(UPDATED OCTOBER 31, 2025)

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Every step has been marked by God’s provision and your faithfulness. Here’s where we’ve been and where we’re headed:

  • January 2025: The Search Begins

    Our leadership team begins prayerfully searching for a location for a new campus, consulting with The Unstuck Group and other multisite churches.

  • July 2025: Property Identified

    After months of searching, we identify the US 30 property and place an offer pending inspections and due diligence.

  • September 2025: Breakthrough Provision

    In an incredible display of God's faithfulness, the congregation responds to the call to pray and give, and we raise the funds needed to close on the property with no mortgage. We also receive favorable financing approval for renovations and form an Advisory Team of trusted leaders to guide key decisions.

  • October 2025: Property Closes & Renovation Planning

    The property officially becomes ours! Our architects finalize detailed renovation plans, and we continue meeting with ministry leaders to ensure the space will serve our mission well.

  • November 2025: Open House at Calvary30

    We meet as a church to explore the space, see the detailed plans, talk to the team, and celebrate what God is doing. For many, this is when Calvary30 first feels “real.”

  • December 2025

    Year-end giving opportunity for renovation funds

    Detailed renovation plans and cost estimates finalized with Hamstra Group

  • 2026: Renovations & Preparation

    Building renovations begin

    Staff selection and training continues

    Launch team formation

    Budget planning for financial self-sustainability

  • Late 2026-Early 2027: Target Launch Date!

    Calvary30 opens its doors for the first time! While renovations could potentially be completed by fall 2026, we're planning for a launch that may extend into early 2027. We'd rather launch well than rush.

THE FINANCES

One of the most encouraging parts of this journey has been watching God provide for CalvaryNEXT in real time.

THE INVESTMENT

Launching and sustaining Calvary30 requires funding in three main areas:

  1. Property acquisition: fully funded

  2. Renovations, equipment, and furnishings

  3. Ongoing operations: Working toward self-sustainability within three years

A Story of God’s Provision

After inviting the congregation to pray and give sacrificially, we were able to raise the full amount needed to purchase the property with no mortgage. We have also secured favorable financing for the renovation phase of the project.

This is an amazing testimony of God’s provision through His people! 

✱ OUR COMMITMENT TO DEBT REDUCTION

We remain absolutely committed to reducing our existing debt. The mortgage on our Valparaiso campus has decreased from over $5 million to less than $1.7 million in the past three years. We will continue focused efforts to eliminate this debt, and people are welcome to give toward paying it off as quickly as possible.

At the same time, we believe it is essential to boldly step out in faith when the Holy Spirit gives us a clear call. We're open to seeing how God will provide for our financial needs through the generosity of His people.

HOW FUNDS ARE USED

Every dollar given to CalvaryNEXT goes toward:

  • Purchasing the property

  • Renovating and expanding the sanctuary

  • Creating welcoming common spaces

  • Equipping children's ministry areas

  • Furnishing and outfitting the facility

  • Ensuring operational readiness for launch

  • Building margin for sustainable ministry growth

TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP

Wondering how you can you be part of the story?

PRAY

Please join us in prayer—personally, with your family, and in your small groups:

  • Pray for lives to be transformed by the gospel at Calvary30

  • Pray for wisdom as we make decisions about renovations, staffing, and launch plans

  • Pray for unity across both campuses as we remain one church family

  • Pray for generous hearts to meet the financial needs of the renovation

  • Pray for the launch team, that God would clearly call those who should go

  • Pray for Pastor Joe and his family as they prepare for this new role

  • Pray for our neighbors along the US 30 corridor who don't yet know Christ

If you have any questions, insights, or feel that the Holy Spirit is placing a word in your heart about this, we would love to hear from you and discuss it further.

GIVE

We invite you to prayerfully consider making a financial contribution toward Calvary30. This is not just a land purchase and renovation project—it's an investment in gospel saturation. Your generosity could significantly impact our ability to reach more people and see their lives transformed forever by Jesus.

HOW TO GIVE

ONLINE
Designate "CalvaryNEXT”

CHECK
Write "CalvaryNEXT" in the memo line

GO

If you live west of Valparaiso or sense God calling you to be part of the Calvary30 launch team, we want to talk with you.

Being on the launch team means:

  • Helping establish the culture and DNA of the new campus

  • Serving in key ministry areas from day one

  • Building relationships with new people God brings

  • Praying fervently for the campus

  • Inviting friends and neighbors to join you

This is an invitation, not pressure. No one should feel obligated to transfer to Calvary30. But if God is stirring your heart, please reach out to Pastor Joe or another member of our pastoral team. If your ready to make a commitment to Calvary30, click the button below to join the launch team.

I'M READY TO GO!

The Greatest Story Ever Told

CalvaryNEXT is about creating more space for people to connect, grow, serve, and be sent. It’s about transformed lives. It’s about gospel saturation in Northwest Indiana. It’s about seeing God do “above and beyond all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

And it begins with Calvary30.

Through prayer, generosity, and faith, we’re writing the next chapter of Calvary’s part in the gospel story. We invite you to be a part of it.

Here’s the bottom line: we’re not just buying property or renovating a building.

We’re joining as fellow workers in God’s kingdom.

GIVE TO CALVARYNEXT
CONTACT US

LED BY FAITH

Meet the team guiding this next chapter

JOSH REASONER
LEAD TEACHING PASTOR

MATT PARKER
LEAD PASTOR OF MINISTRIES

JOE WITTMER
CAMPUS PASTOR

KURT FELSMAN
PASTOR OF WORSHIP
& THE ARTS

NICK SMITH
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & CREATIVE ARTS

  • Our mission at Calvary is to see the gospel change people’s lives forever. We are called to be on mission (Matthew 28:19-20) and want to see the gospel saturate communities across Northwest Indiana. God has abundantly blessed us at Calvary, and this blessing was never intended to terminate on us! This is what drives us as we seek God’s guidance in cultivating a family of healthy, gospel-centered churches in this region.

  • Church planting typically involves launching a fully independent church. Campus multiplication means expanding as one church family in multiple locations—sharing the same vision, leadership, and resources. This allows us to reach more people with the gospel while staying united as one church family. 

  • God's timing. Our leadership has been praying about this since early 2024, and we've seen door after door open—the right property at the right time, favorable financing, overwhelming congregational support for the property purchase, and clear guidance from the Holy Spirit. When God makes the path this clear, we step forward in faith.

  • You’re right—this is a significant change! That’s why we’ve spent the past eighteen months praying about it. We’ve also consulted with other churches that have moved to multisite and partnered with The Unstuck Group—experienced consultants who have assisted hundreds of other churches through similar transitions.

    We’ve also formed an Advisory Team of respected local leaders (Pete VonTobel, Todd Mills, Dan Steiner, Greg Huette, and Tim Beuhler) to provide wisdom and guidance. We are confident we're receiving excellent counsel as we make this important decision.

Vision & Mission

  • Calvary30 will be situated just off US 30, between Shorewood and Merrillville. The location offers excellent visibility, easy access, existing infrastructure, and is in a rapidly growing area with strong potential for community impact.

    After months of prayer and careful discernment, our pastors and elders have clearly sensed the Holy Spirit guiding us to this specific location.

  • We're working with the Hamstra Group to transform the space into a welcoming home for worship and ministry:

    • Sanctuary seating approximately 300 people

    • Welcoming common spaces for connection and fellowship

    • Excellent children's ministry areas

    • Expanded parking

    • Flexibility for future growth

    We're taking a phased approach, prioritizing essentials for launch while planning for future expansion.

  • We're planning for a launch in late 2026 or early 2027. We'd rather take the time to do this well than rush the process. As renovation plans are finalized, we'll provide more specific timeline updates.

Property & Renovations

  • Three main areas will need funding: 

    1. Property acquisition

    2. Renovations, equipment, and furnishings

    3. Ongoing operations: Planned to be self-sustaining within three years

    We’re combining cash donations with strategic financing to complete the project well. Our finance team is developing a comprehensive budget with the goal of making Calvary30 self-sustaining within three years.

  • We remain committed to debt reduction! Our CalvaryValpo mortgage has decreased from over $5 million to less than $2 million in three years. We’ll continue reducing this debt while also stepping out in faith to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading for CalvaryNEXT.

  • Yes! When giving online, select the “CalvaryNEXT” fund. If giving by check, write “CalvaryNEXT” in the memo line. All gifts are tax-deductible and will appear on your year-end giving statement.

Finances

Getting Involved

  • Please join us in prayer, both personally and with your small groups:

    • Pray that people’s lives will be changed forever by the gospel at Calvary30

    • Pray for God’s wisdom as we continue to move forward, and that we will respond with bold faith when He calls us to step out and follow Him

    • Pray that people’s hearts would be stirred for this new campus and open to the Holy Spirit’s prompting about how they should get involved

    • Pray that God’s people will provide for the financial needs of Calvary30 and that all needed funds will be received

    If the Holy Spirit places a word or insight in your heart about CalvaryNEXT, we'd love to hear from you.

  • If you feel that God is calling you to “go” and be part of Calvary 30, please reach out to Pastor Joe or another pastor and share how you believe God is prompting you.

    We would also be grateful if you would prayerfully consider making a financial contribution toward this new campus. We see this not just as a land purchase and renovation project, but as a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel with those who desperately need to hear about Christ’s love. Your generosity could significantly impact our efforts to reach more people and see their lives transformed forever by Jesus.

  • Based on what we've learned from other multisite churches, a healthy first-year goal is approximately 300 weekly attendees, with about half transferring from CalvaryValpo. Within one or two years, we aim to increase weekly attendance to around 400 people.

    We’ll invite current Calvary attendees living near the US 30 corridor to prayerfully consider joining the launch team, but no one should feel pressured to transfer.

  • Absolutely not. While we're inviting people in the US 30 corridor area to prayerfully consider being part of the launch team, this is about following the Holy Spirit's leading—not geographic obligation. If you love your CalvaryValpo campus and the relationships you have there, please stay! Both campuses are your church home.

What if I have a question that’s not answered here? We want to hear from you! Contact any of our pastors or elders, or submit your question through [contact form?]. We’ll respond personally and may add your question to this FAQ to help others.