Exodus Church seeks to be a redeemed people who worship and serve God in the world. We make this statement each time we gather on Sunday mornings – and we believe that you will see our ministries fulfilling this ambition as you read the reports that we have gathered here to describe what the Lord has accomplished through the people of Exodus so far in 2025.

May Jesus get all the glory!

Holy Week

The week leading up to Easter Sunday was full of meaningful and memorable moments. On Palm Sunday, Exodus Kids brought joy by waving palm branches during worship, celebrating our coming King with bright smiles.

Throughout the week, we shared daily scripture on social media, inviting our community to slow down, reflect, and look to easteratexodus.com for resources to walk through the journey toward the cross and the empty tomb. It was great to see comments, shares, and reflections online throughout the week.

Good Friday

On Good Friday, 291 people gathered to pause, remember, and reflect on the depth of Jesus’ love shown at the cross. Through scripture readings and songs, we walked together through the final moments of Jesus’ life.

He was betrayed, abandoned, mocked, beaten, and crucified, yet He chose the cross for us. A song highlight was “The Power of the Cross,” a reminder that, on the cross, Jesus Christ took our blame and the wrath of God on our behalf. Pastor Brian led us in looking ahead, not just to the sorrow of the tomb, but to the hope of resurrection that was coming.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday was a wonderful celebration! 1,048 people joined us in person to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus. Through scripture, song, preaching, and communion, we lifted high the name of Jesus and proclaimed the good news that He is risen!

The photo booth was a fun and perfect opportunity for families and friends to snap a picture and remember that the tomb is empty and hope is in full bloom. It was a day full of smiles, worship, and the kind of joy that only resurrection Sunday can bring.

Parent-Child Dedication

On March 8, we had our first Parent-Child Dedication of the year. We had eight families with a total of nine children who were dedicated. This was a special time as the parents were able to publicly dedicate themselves to training up their children in the hope that they will grow to know Christ and follow Him. 

Family Fun Day

On April 5, we had our first Spring Family Fun Day! Families came to The Mill to enjoy games, food, and inflatables. We were thankful for the wonderful weather and a fun time with memories made for kids and parents.

Holy Week

On April 6, our K-5 graders were able to participate in an activity based on the book The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross. Kids read the story and then were able to help paint and decorate a curtain that we hung up for Easter Sunday to be reminded that Jesus’ death and resurrection now allows us to have access to Him.

On Palm Sunday, kids walked through the Worship Space waving palm branches as scripture was read about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This was a powerful and special time to witness and for kids to participate in. Throughout the month of April, kids were able to learn and be reminded through activities and crafts the most important thing about Easter: Jesus is alive!

We are so excited for Exodus Kids Extreme this year and our theme, Truth Trail! During this week, kids will be reminded that Jesus is our one true guide and His way is the best for us. Our theme verse is John 14::6: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Join us in praying now for Exodus Kids Extreme and all the ways that God will move in the lives of kids and their families.

180 Weekend

We kicked off the month of February with 180 Weekend, an event that gathers middle and high school students from churches across Gaston County to worship Jesus and grow in their faith alongside each other. This year, students had the opportunity to be a blessing in our community. Small groups were each given $50 and 90 minutes to go bless people around us in their own creative ways. One group prayed for and helped families pay for groceries at Walmart. Another group bought flowers, attached handwritten Bible verses to each stem, and handed them out in Stowe Park. Following this exercise in generosity, the recurring question was, “When can we do this again?!”

Thanks to our volunteer leaders, hosts, and drivers, 180 Weekend was an impactful time for more than 50 students at Exodus!

Fourth Friday

In March, 40 students gathered at The Mill for a blacklight NERF battle. Using leftover pieces of last year’s Exodus Kids Extreme castle set, the 103 Space was transformed into a battlefield for the night. Students played a variety of games and had a blast beating up on their leaders.

Exodus Students (50 students and 16 leaders) will be heading to FUGE at Ridgecrest this June for Summer Camp. We ask that you join us in praying for a week where students can get away from distractions in a community where they can grow in their faith.

Later this summer, Exodus Students will be serving in three different locations as a part of their Summer Tour. A group of high school students will serve alongside Strong Tower Church, one of our church partners located in Montgomery, Alabama. Another group of high school students will be partnering with Experience Mission in Western Carolina to aid in Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Lastly, a group of middle and high school students will work with our local partners here in Gaston County to learn about these partnerships and help meet their needs. Our students are looking forward to spending a week of their summer serving those in need.

Introducing Exodus College

Dylan Harris is serving as the Deacon of College Connection at Exodus, partnering with his wife, Lauren, along with Nathan and Christy Wells, to provide intentional care and support for our college-aged group. Exodus College is part of our broader Family Ministries but will function differently from Exodus Students or Exodus Kids. Its focus is on helping college-aged adults build meaningful relationships within the church and with one another.

For those who live locally, our aim is to connect them with an adult mentor and help them find both a place to belong, through a Community Group, and a part to play by serving within the church. For students who attend college away from our area, we want to ensure they feel supported while on campus and stay connected to Exodus when they return home.

We will have summer hangout nights starting May 19. Please join us. Contact dylan.harris@theexoduschurch.org for more information.

We would love to have everyone who is part of Exodus College join us by serving in Exodus Kids Extreme from July 14-17.

Titus Talks

On a Saturday morning in January, more than 70 women gathered at Exodus for a time of fellowship over breakfast and coffee. They enjoyed engaging TED-style presentations on both spiritual and practical subjects, including meal planning, vacation planning, and biblical hospitality. In addition, the women also participated in breakout groups featuring hands-on experiences with relevant household topics. It was a delightful morning filled with learning, laughter, and meaningful connections for Exodus Women.

Women’s Spring Bible Study

In April, Exodus Women completed a powerful eight-week Bible study titled Above All: A Study of Colossians. As they explored the falsehoods and challenges faced by the believers in Colossae – and compared them to those present in our culture today – this study of Colossians both encouraged and empowered Exodus Women to seek Jesus above all. It challenged them to place Him, above all, at the center of their hearts, homes, and world. 

Pie Night

In April, at the conclusion of the Spring Bible study, Exodus Women gathered for a joyful celebration, honoring volunteers, participants, and sisters in Christ. They shared delicious pies and other desserts while listening to and sharing heartfelt testimonies about how this study impacted their lives. Fun was had by all as they took part in a few get-to-know-you games. Pie Night is always a sweet celebration that marks the end of the Bible study each Spring and Fall, welcoming both those who have participated and those who simply wish to join in the fellowship.

Exodus Women’s 3rd Annual Overboard! is coming up in June. Join in on the evening of Thursday, June 19, for this fun-filled pool party where they’ll enjoy fellowship, great food, swimming, and some hilarious pool games. Whether you’re ready to dive in or just want to relax and watch the fun, there is a place for you! You can register now.

The Great Opportunity

Exodus Men kicked off the year on April 3 with a powerful event featuring guest speaker Tom Parnelle. Sixty men gathered to hear a challenging message on God’s command to make disciples. The evening focused on practical, biblical strategies for mentorship, spiritual leadership, and fostering a “village” mentality in our homes and churches. A full dinner and dessert were provided, and the night sparked meaningful conversations and renewed purpose.

Mill Work Day

Exodus Men partnered with the Mill Work Day for a hands-on opportunity to serve. From 8:30-2:30, men and teens helped with the new Flex Space and main entrance with tasks available for all skill levels, including kids ages 10–13 working alongside a parent. After a morning of work, lunch was served, followed by yard games and time for fellowship and connection.

Exodus Men’s biggest event of the year is coming this fall: Rooted, a men’s prayer retreat set in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Ridgecrest, NC. Over three days, they’ll step away from the distractions of everyday life to go deeper in their faith, build meaningful friendships, and root themselves more firmly in God’s Word and purpose. The retreat will include large group worship, small group discussions, teaching sessions, and plenty of time for prayer, reflection, and fellowship in a scenic mountain setting.

Baptism

We have already had the honor of baptizing nine people so far this year. Every one of these baptisms represents a life changed by God’s grace.

Membership

So far this year we have commissioned 23 new members. These individuals have walked through the Next Steps process and are committed to fulfilling all of their membership responsibilities, including attending a Community Group, serving in Exodus in a way that brings glory to God, giving joyfully and sacrificially, and more.

Community Group Spring/Easter Parties

Many groups gathered together to celebrate Spring and Easter with fun and creative activities. Some hosted festive Easter egg hunts for their group or neighborhood, others came together to share a full Easter meal, and two groups enjoyed the outdoors with a joint celebration at a local park. It’s been a season full of connection and laughter.

Equip Nights

We had another successful round of Equip Nights with over 100 adults participating in classes. Many classes were offered for practical and theological training, including parenting, finances, apologetics, elder development, and a women’s Bible study of Colossians.

Instead of our typical 8-week Equip classes, we will offer a 2-night marriage conference this Fall. Marriage Reimagined: Building Your Next Chapter Together will be September 18 and 19. This event costs $59 per couple; however, if you register between now and May 31, you can get our special early bird pricing of only $45! This will be an excellent time to grow and strengthen your marriage, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Find Your Place to Belong – Community Groups

We want everyone who calls Exodus home to find their place to belong. You can find that in a Community Group. Our groups meet in homes throughout the area on various nights of the week. You can use this map to locate the groups that are nearest to you on a night that is convenient, or fill out this form and someone will contact you with recommendations for groups that fit your needs.

Next Steps

Have you wondered about what it would look like to get more involved at Exodus or step into membership? We will be holding a Next Steps Class on Sunday, August 24th, at The Mill from 5-7pm. Our Next Steps class is for those who are interested in learning more about who we are as a church and how to become a member of our congregation. Childcare is provided with registration, and you can register by clicking here.

Baptism

Our next baptism celebration will be on August 3rd. If you have an interest in discussing baptism with one of our elders, please email baptism@theexoduschurch.org.

Community Group Summer Slow Down

Summer looks different for each of our Community Groups. With kids out of school for the summer and many of our people enjoying vacations, our groups have a Summer Slow Down. While our groups will continue to meet and remain connected throughout the summer, what that looks like might be a little different than it does the rest of the year with less frequent meetings and more social gatherings. The summer is still a great time to get involved with a group; just be sure to contact the leader to verify meeting times.

Interest Meeting for Potential Community Group Leaders

Have you ever considered leading a group of people to love one another and grow in their walk with Christ? If so, we would love for you to attend our interest meeting for potential Community Group Leaders, June 22nd at 12:30pm. As God continues to bring growth, we have a constant need for healthy and God-honoring leaders. If you are interested in learning more about leading a group, talk to your Community Group leader or email groups@theexoduschurch.org.

Foster Families Support Night

Twice a year, Exodus supports foster families by providing childcare for foster and biological children of foster families and sends the caregivers out to dinner. This March, Exodus hosted our sixth Foster Families Support Night. We served 35 families and 70 children. Caregivers were given a gift card to enjoy a meal at a local restaurant.  Over 60 volunteers were so gracious and kind as they shared the love of Jesus by giving the caregivers a wonderful night out and the children a super fun night at Exodus. The night was filled with fun, food, music, interactive games, and many smiles and laughs.

We continue to offer our Playbook for Foster Families Support Night so that other churches can bless foster families. If you know of a church or pastor who would be interested in this type of ministry opportunity, please share the Playbook with them! 

Stuart Cramer High School

We began a new partnership with Stuart Cramer High School. In January and May,  we were able to serve the Staff at Stuart Cramer High School and provide a breakfast and a lunch. Volunteers took time to thank teachers and encourage them as they made their plates.It has been such a blessing to to connect with teachers and staff and provide a meal to say thank you for all the do each day.

North Belmont Elementary

Over a couple of weeks in May, we will once again have the priviledge to serve the students at North Belmont Elementary in our Notes of Encouragement. Our church will take time to write notes to the students to congratulate them on completing another year of school. 

Opportunity to Serve

This spring and summer, Exodus will have more opportunities to serve our community. In May and June, we will work with the Crisis Pregnancy Center to fill baby bottles for their fundraising event. We began filling each bottle up with loose change on Mother’s Day and will bring them back on Father’s Day and donate all proceeds to the Crisis Pregnancy Center. 

Closer to the end of the summer, there will be three student mission trips. These trips will lay a foundation for our students as we serve together and seek to be people who worship and serve God in the world. Some of our middle and high schoolers will be participating in a local missions week. They will spend this week learning about our local partners and have specific mission projects they will focus on throughout the day. 

The Facilities Team has been hard at work this spring, and we’re excited to share how we’ve seen God’s provision in so many ways.

First, we’re currently walking through the deacon process with a candidate who will come alongside our Facilities Director. This individual will help plan and coordinate work projects as we continue making progress on the renovations at the Exodus Mill.

We’re also in the planning and design phase for two significant future projects: expanded space for Exodus Kids and new staff offices. These additions will help us grow our capacity and prepare The Mill for future expansion as our church family continues to grow.

One of the most exciting developments this spring has been starting a major construction project—about 7,000 square feet of new space! This will directly benefit Exodus Students, Exodus Kids, and the broader Exodus Church. The upgrades include new bathrooms, a dedicated student entrance, a student lobby and hangout space, and refreshed hallways in the back of the building. Once completed, this project will more than double our capacity for Exodus Students on Wednesday nights and create much-needed room for 2nd–5th grade Exodus Kids on Sunday mornings. And we’ll even be able to use the space for Equip nights and other ministry events!

We’ve seen God’s hand clearly at work, bringing new families and opportunities our way. As we continue these renovations and look ahead to what’s next, we’re reminded again of how God shapes His church to be a beacon of hope to the community we serve.

Staff Summer Party

In May we celebrated all He has done through our staff with a summer party for them and their families which is planned and prepared for by a group of wonderful volunteers. The event was held at Kevin Loftin Park in Belmont and was a wonderful time of laughter, fellowship, and some friendly competition.

Staff Changes

Early this year, Abigail Harris was added to the Exodus staff as the Worship Ministry Assistant to assist our Worship Pastor Brandon and the Worship Team. 

Andrea Noles is now our Connections Coordiator helping people connect to Exodus and helping Exodus connect with our community. 

Both Abby and Andrea have enhanced the team’s gifts and are such a blessing to Exodus!

Anniversaries

We celebrated several staff anniversaries: Damon Murray and Brandon Lovelace – 1 year, Kevin Weisman – 2 years, Abby Perdew – 3 years, Rebecca Adams – 5 years, and Kirk Brown – 9 years. We are blessed to have a gifted staff of servants who love Jesus and His church.

Anniversaries

This coming spring and summer, we will celebrate these staff members: 

Jocelyn Jones, Jada Runkle, Andrea Noles, and Cassie Taylor – 1 year,  Brittany Kahler – 2 years, Lauren Harris – 3 years, Josh Grotke and Tyler Boyette – 4 years, Scott Harris – 5 years, and Brian Lowe – 17 years.

Interns

Throughout the spring and summer months, both Exodus Students and Exodus Kids leadership will work alongside and equip two interns who will be a huge asset serving within our existing teams for events such as summer mission trips and Exodus Kids Extreme

The Orchard Initiative

We are excited to introduce Justin Oates as our newest Pastoral Resident with The Orchard Initiative. Justin, his wife Cara, and their daughter Kennedy, have been a part of Exodus since 2022. In that time, they have served in a variety of ways, including with Exodus Kids, Exodus Students, and as interim Community Group Leaders. Justin has expressed a call to vocational ministry and is excited for all the opportunities to grow and serve over the next couple of years. For a reminder about the goals and vision for The Orchard Initiative, read more here.