Grace Community Church building 43,000 square foot facility in Lakewood Ranch

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (WWSB) - Construction of a massive church is going on right now. This will be a big boost to the church community in Lakewood Ranch.

When all is said and done, the new Grace Community Church will be massive. The 43,000 square foot church is being built at the corner of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Communications Parkway, mainly because of all the explosive growth in the area.

The more than 10 million dollar project will feature a huge sanctuary, a large space for people to come together as well as offices and child care.

Currently Grace Community Church has a location on Bee Ridge Road in eastern Sarasota County and another in a rented space in Lakewood Ranch. The congregants from the Lakewood Ranch location will worship at the new church. The Bee Ridge church will stay.

Pastor Chip Bennett says they are one of the fastest growing churches in America.

“I would never imagine that I would be a pastor of a church this size," said Bennett. "I remember I came out a couple of Sundays ago with my dad and we were walking around the facility and my dad was like this is incredible and I’m like you know dad what’s awesome is that long after my lifetime there will be a church here in Lakewood Ranch in the corporate park and there’s just something about a legacy, so it really is an awesome feeling to be a part of this.”

Grace Community Church did purchase the six acres at this location from Lakewood Ranch back in 2018. The new church is expected to open this August.

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