Together, we can make visible the Hope and heart of Christ — for generations to come.
At Christ Central, we are launching a capital campaign to purchase and renovate a historic building in the center of Durham as a long-term ministry home. This is an opportunity to invest in putting down roots to let the love of Christ shine—for the glory of God and the good of Durham.
Make Your Commitment
God has placed us in the fabric of the city.
Durham is a special city—and we’re so proud to call it home. In its beauty and brokenness, Durham is a vibrant tapestry woven with threads of pain, gain, and unfolding possibility. Its history of racial strife is as evident as the highway that still cuts the city in two. The skyline features symbols of industrial leadership from the past alongside centers for arts and education shaping the future. This city is a story still in the making.
And we get to be part of that story. The city has changed tremendously in 11 years, as has our church. And we long for God’s work of renewal to be at the center of both—for Christ Central to reflect the light of the gospel in the city we love.
The Opportunity
Our ability to serve this city has been CONSTRAINED by space.
Over 11 years, we have worshiped in two Durham locations. We’re grateful for each as a place for meaningful worship and ministry. But the impermanence of our location has posed difficulties. To not have access to space seven days a week limits ministry possibilities. And the work of finding and re-finding space every few years requires energy we’re eager to devote directly to mission.
We learned in 2023 from our current landlord that we would once again need to move—now for the third time. And so we have prayed and earnestly sought a location that might be for the long term. As a church with a call to serve the city, we long to serve with permanence.
What would it look like if we weren’t held back?
The building’s features:
50K square feet
May ’25 closing date
Welcome to 807 west chapel hill street
WE CAN purchase a permanent GOSPEL OUTPOSt–iN THE CENTER OF THE CITY.
There are few locations in Durham that could be more central than what God is making available to us at the crossroads of Highway 147 and West Chapel Hill Street.
For more than 100 years, a Baptist church worshiped in this building until it relocated to the suburbs. In 2003, Durham Charter School moved in; they are now selling it to open a new campus. And this gives Christ Central a beautiful opportunity to open doors—literally and metaphorically—to be a people and church where the beautiful renewal of Christ has a long-term home in the city.
Because we’ll own the building, we can do ministry and meet the needs of the city in expanded and innovative ways.
The Campaign
A vision for a permanent home in the center of Durham–to reflect the hope and heart of Christ for generations to come.
Together, through this building and our people, we long to:
Make Visible
The Community of god
The heart of church is its people, but our building can be a place that deepens and expands how people find community.
Make Visible
The presence of god
We long for this city to know God in personal ways. This historic building is a clarion call: God is present here.
Make Visible
The renewal of god
With the new space, we have a gospel opportunity to further invest in practices of renewal for our neighbors–in the city and beyond.
The Make Visible Capital Campaign will take a Significant investment.
Creating more space for ministry, fellowship, and all the dreams god is still giving us.
In Matthew 5, Jesus commissions his followers to let our light shine. He asks us to think of ourselves as a “city on a hill” and “a light on a stand” that can’t be hidden and that exist for the sake of others. The point isn’t to draw eyes to ourselves, but to live with a public faith that helps more people see the glory and goodness of God.
And this is precisely our dream for a new building home. Because the tactical and logistical needs for a long-term space are very real for Christ Central, but that a building can also stand for something. From the heart of downtown Durham, we want to make visible the hope and heart of Christ, for generations to come.
Church Entryway
This building has an expanded entryway that allows us to offer extravagant welcome and linger in connection.
Church Steeple
This building is in a prime location with a steeple that rises beside the Durham Freeway, which we pray can represent the hope of Christ and his Kingdom to all who drive by.
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Sanctuary
This sanctuary will need considerable repairs beyond cosmetics to make it a functional space for worship. Our hope is to begin worshiping here by spring 2028.
Building Exterior
Exterior and façade work will ensure the outside of our church reflects the welcoming and safe presence found in worship.
Building Interior
Millwork is needed to reconvert the building from a school to a church. It also needs new windows and lighting. Certain spaces have not been renovated or repaired in decades, leading to functional limitations and safety concerns.
Entryway
The entryway of our church is where we gather and can swing wide the door to offer welcome and hospitality. This building has an expanded entryway that allows us to offer a warm welcome—but will need repairs and improvements.
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$9.5 million: renovation Cost
This historic building holds possibilities—and needs repairs.
Built in 1957 and used as a school, this Colonial Revival-style building requires both repairs and renovations to be functional as a church, much less positioned for future ministry possibilities. Our hope is to begin worshiping here by spring of 2028. Prior to that, we’re aiming to invest financial resources and energy into repairs that include painting, millwork, and structural updates.
Additional $5 million: all potential renovations
Dreaming big to expand the sanctuary
This sanctuary will need considerable repairs beyond cosmetics to make it a functional space for worship. This alone would cost at least $1M.
But if we’re really dreaming big, we have an opportunity to repour the foundation to make the sanctuary bigger, allowing us to worship in two services rather than three. This would also expand the Fellowship Hall. Enlarging the sanctuary would cost $5M. The light of Christ will shine in either space. But, we will need to know if we have the capital to pursue the expanded sanctuary by Fall of 2025 when work will begin.
Sanctuary
This sanctuary holds 600 people, but we could quickly outgrow this space. If we’re able to extend our footprint, we can gather for worship in two services rather than three.
Sanctuary
Our hope is to begin worshiping here by March 2027. Prior to that, we’re aiming to invest financial resources and energy into repairs that include painting, millwork, and priority technological and structural updates to the sanctuary.
Sanctuary
Our hope is to begin worshiping here by March 2027. Prior to that, we’re aiming to invest financial resources and energy into repairs that include painting, millwork, and priority technological and structural updates to the sanctuary.
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Make your commitment
The make visible capital campaign will take a significant investment.
We are asking everyone who calls Christ Central home to invest toward our campaign goal. Every gift of every size matters.
Make Your Commitment
Our progress so far
$4.9M
Total funds received
$16.5M
Total Building Capital
$11M
Total pledged + additional giving
$3.5M
Total amount of loan secured
$6.5M
Total cost of purchasing new building
$22.5M
Total project cost and funding needed by November 2026
$3.5M loan secured + $2.5M Donor Advised Fund Loan
Indicates funds received
Indicates funds raised
$3.5M loan secured + $2M Donor Advised Fund Loan
Fulfill your commitment
Thank you for your commitment to helping accomplish the vision of Christ Central Durham through this campaign. Your support is vital in our ability to secure and renovate a historic building as a long-term home for gospel ministry in the heart of the city. By taking the first steps in fulfilling your commitment, we hope you will experience the joy of being a part of something that will impact lives for years.
Give Online Planning Center offers a secure way to give via your bank account or card with minimal processing fees. Give directly on Planning Center! Give In Person You are always welcome to give a check or cash during the offering time on Sunday mornings. Mail A Check You can mail a check to the church (1004 N Mangum St Durham, NC 27701) or drop it in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Please note Make Visible Campaign or Building Fund in the memo line (or on an envelope for cash). Donor-Advised Funds Donor-advised funds allow donors to give cash, stocks, and other assets to a charitable trust, immediately receive a tax deduction, allow those assets to grow, and then direct their funds to not-for-profits of their choosing. Donor-advised funds are available through a number of investment firms (Schwab, Fidelity, etc.) as well as through National Christian Foundation. If you're interested in setting up a donor-advised fund in order to give to the Make Visible Campaign, you can set up a fund and learn more at https://www.ncfgiving.com/. Please note that DAF gifts should be specifically marked for the Make Visible Campaign or Building Fund.
stock gifts Christ Central is able to accept transfers of publicly traded stock. If you're interested in giving stock, please email Timothy Price.
Crypto gifts Christ Central is able to accept gifts of cryptocurrency. If you're interested in giving cryptocurrency, please email Meredith Miller.
Other Non-Cash Assets If you have other non-cash assets (real estate, business interests, estate gifts, etc.) you're interested in giving, please email Timothy Price.
Not sure where to start?
View this resource to find where you are on the generosity journey and to plan your next step in giving to the Make Visible Campaign.
Thanks to you, we have made great progress in our fundraising and are now in the implementation phase of our new building project at 807 West Chapel Hill Street!
Maybe you have questions–check out our FAQs on the right and hopefully you'll find an answer. We’ll continue to update these FAQs as things progress.
What is the scope of the project? When we purchased the building, it had been occupied by a school for the last 20 years. The renovations will include turning some of the spaces that served the school well back into the building’s original intent: a church. There are also a number of capital improvements to be made to the building's structure and systems (electrical updates, new HVAC system, accessibility upgrades, audio/visual upgrades). We are continuing to explore funding opportunities both inside and outside the church and are waiting for more clarity on these to help determine the final scope of the project. How is the scope being determined? Our building committee – comprised of Todd Orr, Kasey Althoff, Jenifer Hofmann, Bernard Worthy, Tyler Tomasik, and Craig Ward, along with Pastors Daniel and Timothy – is working alongside the session and WLC to determine what we can afford in this phase of construction and what aspects of the project need to be put on hold till a later date. Who is going to do the renovation? After multiple rounds of interviews, the building committee selected Tise-Kiester Architects to be our architect and CT Wilson Construction Company to be our general contractor. We are really excited about these two companies being the anchor partners in this project! when will construction start? Preliminary drawings of the building have been completed, and construction drawings are underway. We are also currently in the second phase of the site plan/permitting process with the city of Durham. Once the construction documents are completed and the site plan is approved by the city, the hammers will start swinging. We anticipate this happening mid to late summer, barring any setbacks.
WHEN WILL THE BUILDING BE READY? Our hope is that the education wing will be ready in early spring of 2027, allowing us to move our offices and some of our programming into the building at that time. The sanctuary is scheduled for completion in the late spring of 2028, allowing us to begin worshiping in the new building in the spring of 2028.
How much will the building and renovation cost? We will share a full budget and scope of our project at our Informational Meeting on May 17th at 1004 N Mangum Street.
How can I ask questions and stay informed about the project? We'll continually update you on our website and in our weekly email. If you don't already receive our weekly email, sign up here. You are also welcome to email us here!
FAQ
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VISible
What do you want To make visible?
We know your dreams for this church are as big as your heart is for this city. We want to invite you into this process. Share your ideas here, and the Leadership Team will pray over them as we continue to plan how we will use this space.
Thank you for sharing your heart for this new space and the city!
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The Make Visible campaign will take a significant investment. We are asking everyone who calls Christ Central home to invest at some level beyond your normal giving toward our campaign goal.
Please indicate your commitment below:
Separate from and beyond your normal giving.
Thank you for helping make this vision possible.
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This commitment card is a statement of intent & is not a legally binding agreement.
CAMPAIGN UPDATEs
10.19.26
As construction continues at 807 West Chapel Hill Street, we wanted to share another update on the Make Visible Campaign and invite our church family to take the next step.
As you can see in the photos below and the video above, Phase 1 construction is well underway, and we plan to move our staff offices into the new building in March.We are grateful to see this work taking shape, and even more grateful for the generosity that has brought us this far.
Thank you, Christ Central! To date, we have raised approximately $17 million toward the purchase and renovation of our new church home. That is a remarkable testament to God’s provision and to the generosity of this congregation. Thank you for the ways you have prayed, given, and continued to trust the Lord throughout this process. We see your generosity as a testimony to what God is doing in and through Christ Central for the good of our city. Perhaps you are considering committing to Make Visible for the first time. Perhaps you committed before and are now wondering if the Lord is inviting you to increase it. Or perhaps you aren’t sure yet what you can give. We ask you to pray, open your hands, and ask God what faithful generosity might look like for you and your family. Where We Are Now As we’ve shared in recent weeks, we are working to raise an additional $5.5 million to close the remaining funding gap. These funds will help us move forward with the next major phase of construction, which includes rebuilding the sanctuary and fellowship hall—the large spaces at the heart of our life together as a church. To make wise decisions about the scope of this work, our Session and Women’s Leadership Council need a clear picture of the commitments available to us. An Invitation to Make a Commitment If Christ Central is your church home and you haven’t yet made a Make Visible pledge, would you prayerfully consider doing so? Or perhaps you’ve already made a commitment, but your circumstances have changed, or you sense the Lord inviting you to give more. We’re asking you to consider whether you can increase your pledge. The invitation is to pray, discern, and respond as the Lord leads. A pledge represents the total amount you intend to give toward Make Visible by December 2028, above and beyond your regular giving. If you are making a new pledge or increasing an existing one, please submit your commitment by Sunday, November 1st. You can complete your pledge online or pick up a physical pledge card at the Connect Table and place it in the offering basket. This deadline matters. Our Session and Women’s Leadership Council need to make final decisions about the scope of the renovation by December 1. Having your pledges in by November 1st will help them make wise, informed decisions about the road ahead. Thank you again, Christ Central, for your generosity, your prayers, and your faithfulness. We are excited to see what God will continue to do through this new church home—not simply as a building, but as a place for worship, community, and mission for generations to come. Together, let’s keep making the hope and heart of Christ visible.
View past updates
Our progress so far
$3.6M
Total received
$4.3M
Total pledged by May 2025
$8M
Total pledged
$4M
Needed by May 2025 to close on new building
$6.5M
Total cost of purchasing new building
$16M
Total goal of campaign which includes all renovations and building purchase
