A Heritage of Church Planting

graph of The Chapel's history since the 1930s and the churches they planted

The Chapel was planted in Akron in 1934. Carl Burnham, our founding pastor, envisioned an independent church “in the heart of the city for the hearts of the city.” By the grace of God, making disciples and planting churches have been hallmarks of our identity from the start.

Over the years, our church helped to plant other independent churches in Marlboro, Hudson, North Canton, Sandusky, and Kent. By adding Chapel campuses in Green and Wadsworth, we helped two more local congregations take root.  

In 2016, The Chapel, a multi-site church with three regional campuses, embarked on a concentrated church-planting effort known as the Saturate Movement. Through Saturate, four more Chapel campuses were planted in Kenmore, Cuyahoga Falls, Nordonia and Medina. The movement enabled our global outreach partners to plant new churches in Yucatan, Mozambique, India and Vietnam.

The year 2023 was pivotal for us as The Chapel’s seven campuses have become independent, elder-led churches. With that change, our church planting model returned to its roots of establishing local, autonomous churches to preach the gospel in their communities. This is multiplication for the sake of the Kingdom, and it is this legacy that inspires our vision for the future.

Saturate Giving Campaign

2019-2021
Goal: $5 Million
Total Pledged: $6,472,286
Total Given: $6,571,777
Individual Donors: 2,450

How God moved through Saturate

Our Local Church Plants

Learn more about our local church plants!

Established 2016 as The Chapel in Kenmore

Set to launch as Streetlight Community Church, an independent church: July 2023

Kenmore

Unlike many church plants, Streetlight Community Church (formerly The Chapel in Kenmore) was launched in a tougher area of Akron. Here, the church partners with a network of businesses like Just A Dad From Akron and Kenmore Neighborhood Alliance. Those in the community who have been hurt by the church are discovering a vibrant, revitalized faith again. Streetlight Community Church continues to be on mission to a unique neighborhood and continues to be a church that makes disciples who make disciples.

“We wanted to see a church where discipleship and really high commitment for Jesus was the norm.”

Pastor Ben White and his family. Ben was named Kenmore Campus Pastor in September 2019.

woman singing on stage into a microphone with guitarist and drummer in background
man speaking from a flat platform in front of a group of people
group of people sitting and listening to an orator
group of people standing and sitting in chairs outside in a community garden with green plants
Four men praying around a table with heads bowed
empty Kenmore street in the daytime lined with buildings streetlights and a tall and large clock
Woman and two little girls playing with kitchen toys
closeup of First Glance storefront during the day

Cuyahoga Falls

Established 2018 as The Chapel in Cuyahoga Falls

Became independent and launched as Falls Community Chapel: April 2023

While the city of Cuyahoga Falls has a lot of churches, many don't believe the Bible or that Jesus is the only way. The church was planted as a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church to combat false teaching and show the real message of the gospel. Falls Community Chapel (formerly The Chapel in Cuyahoga Falls) has grown into a family, taking care of other’s needs and walking beside each other. With 51% of the city claiming no religious affiliation, the church’s goal is to bring that number to zero, with the tagline “fifty-one to none.”

“When we launched Cuyahoga Falls, we had a saying, and that's 'Fifty-one to None.”'

Pastor Stephen Neumeyer and his family. The Neumeyer family planted the Cuyahoga Falls campus in April 2018.

two men a woman and a child having a conversation during church
close up of three men on stage one playing guitar and singing one playing guitar and one playing keyboard
a smiling man holding a Bible talking to a man with his back to the camera
large group of people holding hands in prayer
a women smiling and talking to another women with her back to the camera
closeup of woman with people behind her all sitting and listening intently to someone off camera
six children playing a game in a well lit hallway
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy building

Nordonia

Established 2020 as The Chapel in Nordonia

Launched as The Corners Chapel, an independent church: August 2023

With so many churches not representative of their community, The Corners Chapel (Formerly The Chapel Nordonia) is on a mission to become a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, gospel-centered church. Serving a city that was named from Acts 16:10, the church has adopted the verse as a calling to do the verse same –preach the gospel. Despite a delayed launch caused by the pandemic, the people of The Chapel Nordonia remain committed to serving and sharing the hope of Jesus.

“The Lord began to lay that on my heart to have a gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, multi-generational church.”

Pastor Chase Jones and his family. The Jones family planted the Nordonia Campus in August 2020.

six people holding signs welcoming people to the building
a man in a green shirt welcoming a couple to the service and handing them a piece of paper
a man and a women with with big smiles shaking someone's hand off camera
close up on the male keyboard player with a microphone with someone playing a hand drum in the background
a woman singing into a microphone next to two men playing a drum and keyboard on stage
wide shot of a dark room with a band at the front leading the congregation in worship
Chase Jones preaching from the front of a gym
blue sign the reads thechapel.life | Nordonia

Medina

Established 2021 as The Chapel in Medina

Became independent and launched as The Chapel Medina: May 2023

After a survey of surrounding towns, we found that the number of people in Medina involved in church, and believing God satisfies, was less than 5%. In response to a glaring need to reach people through the gospel, The Chapel Medina was planted. Through steps of faith, God has shown His faithfulness with various meeting locations and a team ready to serve the church’s mission. Now, the people of The Chapel Medina have a home where they can worship God, be discipled and continue to share their hope with the city.

“It's just been story after story about the way God has opened doors and provided, but not before we took a step of faith.”

Pastor Alan Bowdler and his family. The Bowdler family planted the Medina Campus in January 2021.

pastor praying over a family of four during a church service
closeup of three blonde individuals smiling at someone off camera
a group of people listening intently to someone off camera
Pastor Allen Bowdler outside on a sunny day smiling at someone off camera
man playing guitar surrounded by two backup vocalists and a keyboard player
church congregation with their backs facing the camera looking toward the band at the front
a group of people at a table smiling at the camera during a meal
the building where The Chapel Medina meets with blue skies in the background

Camp Carl

Saturate funds have enabled Camp Carl to create a new treehouse, new cabins, a ninja obstacle course, enhanced programming, and so much more for campers! As the facilities continue to grow, our camp staff has more tools to relentlessly pursue a generation desperate for the hope that can only be found in Jesus.

a treehouse surrounded by trees beginning to change color
girl leaping across an obstacle course at Camp Carl outside on a sunny day
close up of various obstacles in the obstacle course at Camp Carl
two covered wagons outside on a cloudy day
a porch with chairs and an outdoor heater outside surrounded by green trees
smiling young woman climbing rope ladder to get to giant hammock at Camp Carl
a group of campers and their leaders posing for a photo outside their cabin at Camp Carl
newly added wooded structure with chairs outside of Carl's Kitchen at Camp Carl
two cabins with red roofs at Camp Carl
Camp Carl auditorium with string lights tables and a stage
bunk beds inside a covered wagon at Camp Carl
close up on several fishing rods lined up against the wall

Learn more about Camp Carl HERE!

Global Outreach

Learn more about our outreach partners across the globe! Through our Saturate Campaign, communities in Mozambique, Cambodia, India, Yucatan and Vietnam are hearing the gospel.

Mozambique

In the last few years, the ministry in Mozambique established two church buildings in the villages of Macalawane and Mukhotwene. We have also partnered to supply resources for a youth multi-purpose building next to the Macalawane Church and training for church leaders.

small group of adults and children sitting on the floor outside of a small building
women sitting and standing under a tree on a cloudy day and one woman is hiding a book
men with hard hats digging a hole with a metal and wood structure set in the hole
group of men wearing masks standing on dirt with wood planks laying around

Local Church in Macalawane singing a worship song.

Thanks to the Saturate Campaign, three young men from our orphan home partners Asia's Hope can follow God’s calling to go to Bible school and connect with local church ministries to spread the gospel and make disciples.

Cambodia

a large group of people in Cambodia in chairs holding books
a dirt road leading to a building with a red roof with blue skies behind
two men in Cambodia holding a case of bottles at the end of a long table with many other people
closeup of Kakrona speaking from a podium

Kakrona has graduated from Bible school! He is serving in his local church and hopes to plant another church one day.

Yucatán, Mexico

Saturate has helped the church in Yucatan build a palapa (small hut), a covered activity center next to the church, a well, and other needed resources for the church in the village of San Marcos. We have also purchased a property in Chikindzonot for the building of a church, a large sports complex, and other resources for outreach to Yucatan
village communities.

a large group of people sitting in an open air shelter
a large group outside of a hut with a microphone beside a table
a ditch in the ground that makes a square with rocks piled in the middle and posts on the far corners
close up of two smiling young girls

One of the new covered activity centers!

The Saturate Campaign helped fund the building of multiple home ministry structures and equipped leaders to do the work of discipleship. Over the last seven years, we have helped establish 12 home ministries that have matured to seven congregations and one official congregation.

Vietnam

people lining a table taking food from the center
a man on a motorcycle and a little boy standing beside him with mountains in the background
four men on top of a wooden structure looking out toward the distance
A small building and a dirt road with mountains in the background

Remodeled home now better equipped to host home ministries.

India

Saturate has enabled the outreach in India to build two gathering spaces and to provide ministry resources for large outreach events.

stone foundation beside a green hill on a cloudy day
group of women in chairs facing the camera reading
a priest and five others praying over a family of four
group of women in colorful dress smiling toward someone taking a photo of them

Community gathering for a local ministry festival.

Saturate Testimonies

Dan and Tiffany

"One day, Tiffany and I had been fighting a lot. Having been addicted to all sorts of drugs and spending time in jail, I was feeling hopeless. I remember driving around and crying out to God, needing to know if I’m forgiven. I called Pastor Ben, who said yes, absolutely. It was hard for me to believe, considering all the damage that I've done. Once it sank in that Jesus is real and truly forgives me, I rushed to share it with Tiffany. That night, through tears, she sat across the table and forgave me for everything. Jesus took all the weight off my shoulders and gave our marriage a fresh start. Even through all the depression, anxiety and hopelessness, I was never too far from God’s love for me."

Carmen

"During my youth, I was struggling with who I was and even from a young age had same sex attraction. As I grew older and acted on my feelings, I searched for my identity and purpose in tarot cards, incense, anything that would explain who I was. In the stillness of the pandemic shutdown, a friend shared a video about Scripture speaking to homosexuality. It was there that my search ended and my life truly began. I’m blown away that as a sinner, I still had a chance at freedom from all of that. Through the discipleship of members of the Nordonia Campus, Pastor Chase, my brother, family and the support of others, I came to be baptized this past July, a year and a day after I gave my life to the Lord."

The Barnes Family

"We attended church before, but it felt more like a chore. After some struggles, we were all searching for something better. Once we started attending the Medina Campus, we noticed all five of us left each week with something that had a positive impact on us. It has truly been a blessing from God to find this church with great people surrounding us. We’d later decide to be baptized as a family and were welcomed into the church with open arms. All five of us look forward to coming to church every Sunday. We have found a home."

Sydney

"When me and my siblings were all living with my mom and stepdad, there wasn’t a lot of food for us to eat. Because of the neglect, we were removed from our mother’s home. I went to church once with my first foster placement, but just didn't care. When I was at my second foster placement, my current family, we went to church regularly. After talking to a mentor about the bridge analogy, I told her I’d like to walk across and accepted Christ that day. I started to listen on Sundays and was encouraged by other stories at school similar to mine. Through God’s grace and forgiveness, I know He has always been there for me."

Rick Kostelnick

"In retirement it's easy to think that your career is over, you're done and you're just going to fade away, but getting plugged into your church gives you many opportunities to grow in your faith."