GREG GARRISON
NorthPark Baptist Church has moved into its $8 million addition on a 42-acre campus on Deerfoot Parkway, a facility that emphasizes the latest trends in youth ministry.
NorthPark started as a Birmingham neighborhood church called Roebuck Park Baptist in 1955, but since a relocation and name change has morphed into a suburban megachurch overlooking the Cahaba River in Trussville.
Worship attendance was about 625 when Sunday services moved from Roebuck to Trussville, then grew to 975 when the first phase opened.
The second phase included a 300-seat balcony to expand seating to about 1,300, plus a 200-space parking lot. There's also a coffee shop in the lobby, called Common Grounds, open on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights and for special events to encourage fellowship, [Pastor Bill] Wilks said.
"It's about building relationships," he said.
The church emphasizes casual dress, upbeat, celebration music and drama in the services.
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The new worship room for high school students seats 300, with specialized lighting, sound and flat screen for Wednesday night and special event programs. The teens also have a game room and their own coffee-cocoa bar. (Called Area 52 on the website.)
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