A NEW ERA — Bobby Hart, president of WatersEdge Ministry Services, takes a moment to chat with Frank Cox, senior pastor of North Metro Baptist Church, during the groundbreaking service. North Metro’s newbuilding is a monumental achievement — for both the church and WatersEdge.

The organization made history of its own when it financed $26 million for North Metro. The loan represents the largest in WatersEdge history. Bobby Hart, president of WatersEdge Ministry Services, met with the church staff and attended the groundbreaking service, which offered a clear picture of just how far the WatersEdge team has come.

“More than anything, this loan is a testament to God’s provision,” Hart says. “Yes, we’re blessed to be in this position, where we can provide loans to churches in a way that furthers the Kingdom. But the significance isn’t ultimately about the number — it’s about seeing God moving in this congregation and in others like it across the country.”

God has indeed been moving at North Metro, providing clear direction even through uncertain economic times. When a party first approached the church and offered to buy its current property, North Metro’s leadership hadn’t even considered moving to a new space. Even when they made the difficult decision to transplant their congregation to a new property, the global COVID pandemic stretched the process over several years and presented disheartening disruptions. The pathway to groundbreaking wasn’t linear; there were stops and starts, times of discouragement and seasons of doubt. But through it all, the Lord was there, opening doors.

For Frank Cox, North Metro’s senior pastor for over four decades, that example of God’s steadfastness is what’s worth celebrating.

“Over these 43 years, I’ve seen a church emerge that’s willing to dream a God-sized dream and trust Him each step of the way. And God has always been faithful to us,” he says. “That includes what’s happening now; we’re building in probably one of the worst times to build, economically speaking. But even through this, God is proving Himself to us. We’re excited to see what happens.”

Before they connected with WatersEdge, North Metro had conversations with numerous lenders, but struggled to find financing options that fit the church’s needs.

“They asked questions we just didn’t feel were relevant for us, but we understood they were relevant for the banking business,” Cox says.

Out of the blue, a North Metro staff member learned about WatersEdge at a 2022 conference. After an initial project meeting between church leaders and WatersEdge experts, things seemed to click. For Cox, it wasn’t the financial expertise or the low interest rates that stood out; it was that WatersEdge understood churches and ministry finances.

“We were finally sitting down with somebody who had knowledge of the church world, how churches operate and the faith part of it,” he says.

The loan was closed in early 2023, and groundbreaking for the new campus took place April 30. Since then, construction — projected to last 12-18 months — has been proceeding well. Signs indicate everything is on track for the new campus to open in 2024.

In the meantime, North Metro is able to remain in its current facility, yet another sign of the Lord’s provision.

FUTURE HOME — Construction on the new campus is progressing, and North Metro hopes to move to its new home in late 2024.