For years, our Senior Pastor Larry Bazer and our church has had a burden for the people of Palm Bay. Through partnerships with other churches and our denominational institutions, we have been a part of several church starts in that area over the last 15 years. In the last few years, Larry and the staff began to feel a leading to look into a different model than the traditional church plant.
In 2007, God brought Jim Campbell to our staff as Minister to Young Adults. Jim had come from The Church on Rush Creek in Arlington, TX and had been a part of starting Rush Creek’s first satellite campus. As God began moving in the hearts of Larry and the staff, He began to confirm that a multi-site church was in store for FBC Melbourne. During the process, God moved the leadership to approach Jim about being the Campus Pastor and Primary Communicator at the Bay West Campus, and Jim, after a few weeks in prayer, accepted the invitation to change his role at FBC.
Bay West is in every sense a part of FBC. They share the same staff, and as they grow, we are all working out what it takes to be a body of believers that meets in two locations. For some of our people, Bay West is another type of worship service that meets at a different time and location from the Melbourne Campus and for others, it is the sum of their experience with FBC Melbourne. Those are all great. The intention of Bay West Church was to open the gospel and church to a new set of people, so that God’s kingdom would grow and be all that the King would have it be.
Here is an excerpt of the letter that our Senior Pastor, Larry Bazer, sent out to the
congregation of FBC at the inception of this direction.
“I believe that 2009 will prove to be one of the greatest years in the life of our church as we have made the decision to launch a satellite campus in southwest Palm Bay. A satellite campus is another worship location for FBC, Melbourne. It will have its own worship with a campus pastor but it is a part of FBC Melbourne in every way. The small group experience that we call Sunday School will be continued through home Bible studies called Life Groups."
