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Horizon Community Church
Testimonials
A child inspired faith
“Giving was built into the DNA of this church,” explains Pastor Steve Lehman of
Horizon Community Church (HCC), Oklahoma City, OK. And yet, the congregation
“would still be raising the money and wouldn’t have the facility” if not for
the BICF loan fund. “Borrowing funds was a bold step for our congregation,” says
Lehman, explaining that under a previous leadership team the congregation had
committed to remaining debt-free.
Nonetheless, with a sanctuary front that would accommodate no more than a
one-man worship team, not to mention the rapidly expanding weekday ministry,
Horizon Christian Childcare, the church needed space. So in 1997 “[The
leadership team] did the number crunching” and through a loan “the day care was
able to double in size,” Lehman explains.
Originally implemented to serve the community’s needs and supplement the
congregation’s budget, the childcare program stands as a testimony to wise
planning. HCC’s treasurer, and a relative newcomer to the congregation, Doug
Evans can attest to that. Like many young families the Evans enjoyed “the
non-corporate feel” of Horizon Christian Childcare. Evans and other members of
the HCC leadership team finds that “a lot of [people] are searching for
identity, not wanting the corporate-type feel to their day care,” he
explains—many of these individuals are not churched. Today the childcare program
enrolls approximately 60 children and sustains the church as a non-profit
organization.
 Before
his experience with HCC, an unhealthy church experience growing up had left
Evans cynical toward the Church. “I was done with religion and didn’t want
anything to do with it again,” shares Evans. However, during the time he was
dropping off and picking up his child Evans found Pastor Steve “to be a real
person and lived a Christian life without pushing it down your throat.” After
committing his life to Christ, Evans found HCC to be a natural place of worship.
For young families entering the church, attending a worship service at HCC today
feels much different since the new additions have been built. Due to a large
stage that accommodates a vibrant new worship team, the services are able to
accommodate not only new people (from 90 seats to 250) but a larger worship
experience. “I don’t know how to describe without pictures what the facility
looked like before, to have a guy playing the guitar and someone playing the
keyboard fill up the front of the church,” says Lehman.
“The loan fund is an excellent resource for our congregation,” Lehman states.
When looking to borrow, the BICF was the congregation’s natural choice given its
belief in the Foundation’s commitment to grow churches and disciples rather than
gain profit.
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