| Elmbrook Church | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Non-Denominational, Evangelical Christian |
| Website | elmbrook.org |
| Clergy | |
| Pastor(s) | Philip Griffin |
Elmbrook Church is a non-denominational, evangelical Christian megachurch located in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield, Wisconsin, in Waukesha County. Since the church's founding in 1958, it has become one of the largest churches in the United States. Weekly church attendance averages 7,000, making it the largest church in Wisconsin and one of the 100-largest churches in the United States.[1]
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The church was founded in 1958 as the First Baptist Church of Brookfield, when 30 Christians met at Leland Elementary School in Elm Grove. The next year, Elmbrook called its first salaried pastor, Ted Anderson. In 1963, Pastor Bob Hobson was called to lead the church and the name was changed to Elmbrook Baptist Church. The following year, the church moved into its first building on Calhoun Road, in Brookfield. In 1966 the church built a 450-seat sanctuary and attendance increased from 300 to 700 by 1970. In 1968, the pastoral staff grew to two persons, a second morning service and evening service were added, and the church dropped the Baptist affiliation and officially became Elmbrook Church.
In 1970, Evangelist Stuart Briscoe was called by the church leadership to be its new senior pastor, upon the resignation of Bob Hobson. Briscoe had been serving with Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers, in Carnforth, England and had originally come to Elmbrook to preach at a series of meetings. In 1972, rapid growth led to Elmbrook using the Ruby Isle Theater for its second service. In 1973, Elmbrook purchased 39 acres (160,000 m2) for $100,000 at 777 South Barker Road, in Brookfield, and began construction on a new facility. In 1975, the first service was held in a new 1,380-seat sanctuary, the pastoral staff grew to six, and a second Sunday morning service was added with a Saturday evening service beginning in 1977. A third Sunday service was added in 1979.
In 1982, the South Wing classrooms and staff offices were added and the sanctuary was expanded. In 1984, Stuart Briscoe's messages began to be telecast on Sundays on WISN-TV in Milwaukee. In 1988, the West Wing Activity Center, including the Gymnasium and classrooms, were added. With weekly church attendance exceeding 5,000, in 1992, construction began on a 3,400-seat Worship Center (completed in 1994) and educational wing. At the time, Elmbrook had 18 pastors, 3,200 members, and supported 150 missionaries. Several construction projects were completed in 1996: the 3rd floor education addition, Amphitheater and remodelled Chapel (the old sanctuary), Resource Library, Garden of Readin’ bookstore, Fellowship Hall and Kitchen, with 7,000 adults attending each week, 20 pastors on staff, and 3,600 members.
In 1998, Elmbrook celebrated its 40th Anniversary. The next year, a live, 10:45 am Sunday morning radio broadcast of worship services was added. In 2000, the church Plaza was completed, Dr. Stuart Briscoe retired as senior pastor, and his protegé, Dr. Mel Lawrenz, was installed as his successor. Stuart and Jill Briscoe were commissioned to be international Ministers-at-Large. In 2004, the International Center was established, a third Sunday service was added, and an 8:00 am live Sunday radio broadcast was added. In 2008, a grass activities area and the Mission Cafe coffee shop opened.
In addition, the church has planted nine churches in the Milwaukee area: Eastbrook Church (1979), Hmong Alliance Church (1982), Lao Christian Church (1982), Westbrook Church (1983), Northbrook Church (1985), Meadowbrook Church (1989), Southbrook Church (1997), Centrobrook Church (1998), and Metrobrook Church (2005). Elmbrook also has global church partnerships with: Glennabey Church (Northern Ireland), Iglesia de LaPuerta Abierta (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Nairobi Chapel (Nairobi, Kenya), Covenant Evangelical Free Church (Singapore) and Jerusalem Alliance Church (Jerusalem, Israel).
Currently, Elmbrook has 18 pastors on staff, more than 100 employees and supports over 100 missionaries all over the world, while averaging 7,000 people in attendance per week. The church celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008. In early 2010, Lawrenz resigned to become Elmbrook's third Minister-at-Large and former associate pastor, Scott Arbeiter, was appointed lead pastor while a search was underway for Lawrenz's successor.[2]
With more than a decade of stagnant growth since Briscoe's retirement and the existing leadership seemingly out of new ideas, Elmbrook began looking for an outsider to lead the church into a new direction. On October 10, 2010, the church announced that Philip Griffin had been selected as Elmbrook's fifth senior pastor after an international search that lasted more than 18 months. Griffin previously served as the senior pastor at First Wesleyan Church of Battle Creek, Michigan; where his innovative church growth methods led to tremendous numerical growth. Griffin's first year as Elmbrook's senior pastor saw massive changes in the organization and programming of Elmbrook, as he sought to bring new ideas into the church. A few months after Griffin's arrival, the church began growing past 7,000 weekly attendees for the first time in 15 years.[3]
Former pastor Dr. Stuart Briscoe was called as senior pastor of Elmbrook in 1970 after a banking career in England and an international preaching ministry under the auspices of the Torchbearers. During his pastorate Elmbrook grew tremendously and planted a number of churches in the local area while Briscoe continued his international teaching ministry. He has written more than 40 books and the media ministry, Telling the Truth, which he founded in 1971, continues to reach out daily around the world.
In 2000, after serving for 30 years as Elmbrook's senior pastor, Stuart and his wife Jill embarked on new ministries as Elmbrook's Ministers-at-Large, concentrating on reaching out to pastors, missionaries and church leaders all over the world, while maintaining close ties with Elmbrook, their home church. Dr. Briscoe is credited with transforming Elmbrook from a church of a few hundred people to one of the largest in the country.
Stuart Briscoe's protegé, Dr. Mel Lawrenz, was the senior pastor of Elmbrook from 2000-2010. He began serving at the church in 1980. Having grown up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Mel became senior pastor of Elmbrook in 2000 after serving under Stuart Briscoe's leadership for 20 years.
He received his B.A. in English from Carroll University (Carroll College then), his M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his Ph.D. in historical theology from Marquette University. He is the author of eight books.
On March 18, 2009, Lawrenz announced that he would be stepping down as senior pastor to serve as Elmbrook's third Minister-at-Large. He resigned in early 2010 and was commissioned as a Minister-at-Large and serves as a consultant to other churches.
The Ave is a ministry of Elmbrook Church, serving college students in the greater Milwaukee area for nearly 40 years. The Ave functions through a weekly large group worship and teaching service, as well as small groups, service projects and other events. The Ave also gives college students the opportunity to partner with missionaries world-wide to further the kingdom of God. In recent years it has been involved with water filtration work in the tribes of the Shipibo people of Peru.
Elmbrook is one of the hosting churches for the "No Regrets" Conference, a Wisconsin-statewide Christian men's conference.
Since 1988 and held every three years, Elmbrook has hosted Bethlehem Marketplace, believed to be one of the largest living nativity productions in the United States. An average of over 30,000 people attend the event per year, which transports guests back to a realistic 1st century Bethlehem village, during the time of Jesus Christ's birth. Using more than 200 actors and dozens of animals, the production runs for two weeks prior to Christmas, and is held inside the church's gym.[4][5][6]