More Than a Building: Saddleback Lake Forest Set to Reopen Worship Center

In the fall of 1994, construction crews broke ground at the Saddleback Lake Forest campus and began building the church’s first permanent Worship Center. Plans for the building included motorized retractable bleachers, a flat floor for multipurpose use, large side windows to bring in natural light, and a patio for ministries and members to gather. The vision for the new building, however, was much deeper.

Ellie and Randy Edwards became Saddleback members in 1986. They began attending the church well before Saddleback had secured any permanent facilities. During their early years at the church, the couple, as well as the rest of the congregation, bounced around to various schools and other buildings for weekend services.

“We were at 57 different buildings, so just the idea that we were going to have a permanent building was very exciting,” Ellie said. “While this building was being built, I was dreaming of all the opportunities people would have, not only to grow in Christ, but to serve Christ.”

Ellie was not the only person dreaming of a Worship Center where people could grow in spiritual maturity and serve God — that was the vision Pastor Rick had been given for the new facility. That vision soon became a reality after the Worship Center opened on September 15, 1995. People from all over Southern California flocked to Saddleback Lake Forest and had their lives transformed.

“We soon outgrew this building and had to add seats outside and add more services,” Ellie said. “What we saw were not the buildings, it was the people coming, hearing the message, and taking it to heart.”

Two of those people are Allen and Verlie Neeley. They began attending Saddleback about 12 years ago after the young married couple moved to Orange County. 

“I was familiar with Saddleback because of The Purpose Driven Life book,” Valerie said. “We moved into the area and as [Allen] was driving, we saw Purpose Drive.”

Allen said that at first he was overwhelmed by the size of the church, but soon felt a sense of comfort as he realized he could envision Saddleback being their permanent church home. As years passed,  Allen and Valerie became active members of the church and watched their kids grow in spiritual maturity as they attended events together as a family at the Worship Center.

“[One] of my favorite memories here was at Night of Worship,” Allen said. “I see my son standing on the chair, raising his hands up, and just singing his heart out.”

It was at that moment the Neeleys decided Saddleback was the place where they wanted their family to grow up. They are just one of thousands upon thousands of families who have walked through the doors of the Saddleback Lake Forest Worship Center and experienced God’s love and life-changing power. 

In more recent months, the Saddleback Church family has continued to hear the Word of God, spread his love, and serve others just like in years past; but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lake Forest campus has had to meet outdoors. During this time, the Worship Center has been under construction and closed for renovations. 

Construction crews have once again been hard at work transforming the building into an indoor-outdoor venue, and literally knocked down the side walls of the church. Taking out the walls of the Worship Center not only creates a modern aesthetic, it also symbolizes that Saddleback is open to anyone and everyone. It is a safe place for people to come be a part of a community where lives are changed every day.  

After shutting down in March 2020 and undergoing months of renovations, the Saddleback Lake Forest Worship Center is finally set to open again on November 13, 2021.

“I think the message for this building is really love,” Ellie said. “I think [there will be] more opportunities for more people to come and hear the message and have changed lives and to see the improvements. It’s very warm and inviting, so it’s going to be exciting to see people come.”

While Saddleback’s leaders are praying that those who are new to Saddleback will be blessed by the updated facilities, they are also praying that longtime members will once again feel a sense of belonging as they walk through the doors of the Worship Center again, just like the Neeleys experienced when they got a sneak peak of the renovations.

“It’s been a while since we’ve pulled up to the Worship Center,” Valerie said, “and I looked at Allen and I was like, ‘it feels like home; we’re back home.’”