An Oasis in the Desert
We are stepping forward in faith to begin the next stage of our Strategic Master Plan, laying the groundwork for long-term growth and gospel impact at Desert Hills Bible Church.
Oasis in the Desert – Site Plan Next Steps
The Lord has been abundantly faithful to Desert Hills Bible Church (DHBC). After more than 50 years at our previous location, we made the significant move to our current campus in the summer of 2022. From the beginning, we knew our new home would require strategic and thoughtful development to serve our growing ministry and expanding congregation.
In 2023, we partnered with DeBartolo Architects to develop a long-range vision for our campus, which we refer to as our Strategic Master Plan or site plan. This comprehensive plan includes five strategic phases of growth and development, which were unveiled to the congregation in Fall 2023.
Each phase of this project is grounded in the five following guiding principles:
- Create an inviting place where people want to be
- Foster a place of education and training
- Create an integrated campus that feels like a whole
- Create a campus of excellence
- Grow in logical phases while the church operates
We now believe the time has come to begin bringing this vision to life as we move forward with Phases One and Two. The next step is not merely about buildings — it is about shaping an oasis in the desert where lives are continually transformed by the Word of God.
Current Phase: Phase 1.2
Goal – $2,000,000
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PHASE ONE
Preparing the Canvas
This foundational phase focuses on strengthening our campus infrastructure by renovating and preparing the parking lot for future construction and creating a vibrant central plaza that will serve as a beautiful focal point for our campus: a welcoming oasis in the life of our church.
PHASE TWO
A Place to Gather and Proclaim – New Worship Center
Phase Two marks a significant and exciting step forward: the development of a new worship center. This new space will be designed to accommodate our present and future growth, equipping us to continue being an
New Worship Center Features:
- Seating for 1,200 – 1,500 people in a beautiful, functional, and flexible space
- Interior Perimeter Walkway for better access and flow
- Spacious Commons/Lobby with a welcoming coffee area open throughout the week to foster connection and fellowship
- New Studio spaces for production of podcasts, music recordings, and other multimedia ministry.
- Target Completion Date – 2030
- Estimated Cost (Construction & other associated costs) – $17 million to $20 million
How Can I Participate?
- Pray – Ask the Lord to guide our leadership, unite our church family, and provide the necessary resources. Pray that every phase of this project would further our mission and glorify Christ.
- Give – Seek the Lord’s direction about how you might contribute financially—whether through a one-time gift or ongoing contributions. Every gift, large or small, plays a meaningful role in this effort.
- Stay Informed – Follow updates, attend informational meetings (if they arise), and ask questions as they arise. The more you understand the vision, the more deeply you’ll be able to engage with it.
- Share – Talk with others about what excites you most about this vision. Your enthusiasm and testimony can encourage others to pray, give, and get involved.
Questions You Might Be Asking
We have now been on our current campus for three years, during which our ministries and attendance have continued to grow. This growth has often required ‘creativity’ in finding available spaces and has at times resulted in tight fits in the worship center necessitating extra seating.
While adding a third service might seem like a quick solution, it presents several challenges (which we experienced at our previous campus) that we prefer to avoid. Our current 90-minute services allow unhurried time for worship, teaching, and prayer. Compressing these would require shortening important elements, which we are not willing to sacrifice.
The parking lot, particularly on the east side, is in urgent need of repair. Completing it now prevents costly rework later and prepares the site for future phases.
We did explore that option. However, since the current worship center was built in 1983, any significant renovation would require bringing the entire structure up to today’s building codes—an expensive and complex process. In addition, we would need to find a temporary location for the congregation to meet for a year or more during construction, which could be highly disruptive. After careful study, we concluded that building a new worship center offers a more strategic and cost-effective long-term solution.
In future phases, the current worship center will be thoughtfully transformed into a chapel designed for mid-sized gatherings such as weddings, memorials, and funerals. Additional portions of the building will be adapted to provide valuable space for smaller meetings, classes, and Bible studies.
Yes. While the long-term plan is to repurpose the space as a chapel, we are making strategic updates now to serve both its present function and its future use. These include enhancements to the overflow and surrounding areas to better support worship and ministry needs in the interim.
While it may appear that some spaces are lost, new parking areas will open in other parts of campus as part of Phase One. During certain construction phases, there may be temporary disruptions, but we will ensure parking remains accessible and manageable throughout.
We are committed to remaining debt-free. Target dates serve as helpful benchmarks, but they are not fixed deadlines. We will move forward with each phase only as funding is secured.
We encourage everyone to view the campaign as an opportunity for additional giving rather than a replacement for regular support. Your ongoing gifts to the General Fund are what sustain the ministry, staff, and day-to-day operations of Desert Hills. The “Oasis in the Desert” campaign is focused on our long-term campus development and is intended to be above and beyond regular giving.
In many churches, campaigns like this actually inspire greater overall generosity as people catch the vision for both present and future ministry. If you’re able, we ask that you continue your regular giving and prayerfully consider how you might also participate in this important next step of faith.
A Note from our Pastor-Teacher
Every Sunday, I encounter individuals who have come to Desert Hills seeking hope, truth, and transformation through an encounter with the risen Christ. They are eager for the Word of God and are weary pilgrims, thirsting for living water. Time and again, people have referred to Desert Hills as a spiritual oasis in the desert.
This is an apt illustration of our aspirations. Not only do we reside in a geographical desert in the Phoenix area, but we also live in a spiritual desert. Desert Hills strives to be relentlessly biblical in every aspect of our lives as the new covenant people of God. We aim to be a sanctuary where the weary can be rejuvenated, where those hungry for the truth of the Word can find nourishment, and where those thirsting after God like a deer panting for water can be satisfied. We desire to be a place where sinners hear the good news of the gospel and are rescued from eternal destruction, where they are then transformed into mature disciples, and where they use their gifts to be employed by God to extend His kingdom.
Over the past three years since our move to our new campus, God has graciously continued to grow Desert Hills significantly. Our Sunday morning services are at 90% capacity, our children’s ministry is at full capacity, and our student and young adult ministries fill every seat (and often require additional seating). We are also out of space for Bible studies, men’s and women’s events, and other gatherings on our campus.
One reason we bought our current property in 2022 was that it was spacious enough to allow us to expand without relocating. We believe it’s time to start that expansion project. With strong growth in attendance and giving, and the current and future need for more space, we’re ready to seek the Lord’s provision to implement our site plan. The site plan will enable us to accommodate more people, so others can experience the same refreshment, encouragement, and conviction we find during our regular worship, Bible study, service, and fellowship gatherings.
When we moved to our new campus, we made sure fundraising wasn’t the sole focus of our church life. We didn’t have a fundraising thermometer, hired no consultants or financial firms, and trusted the Lord to provide our needs without burdening our congregation with debt. Our commitment to the site plan remains the same: to prioritize Christ and His Word, and to trust the Lord to provide through the generous giving of His people, ensuring that He receives all the glory throughout this endeavor until its completion. We remain steadfast in our primary purpose as a church, to be the pillar and support of the truth for the glory of God.
We’re calling our site plan implementation Oasis in the Desert to reflect our desire to be a place where our community can come to deeply drink from the living water Jesus offers through His Word and the Spirit. This ambitious project will take years to complete, but we trust that the Lord will guide and provide for us as we seek to honor Him by remaining relentlessly biblical in our pursuit of loving God, serving one another, and reaching the world. Please join us in this endeavor as the Lord continues His miraculous and marvelous work of building His church at DHBC.
Dr. Robb Brunansky
Teaching Pastor
A Note from the Executive Pastor
As someone who first walked into Desert Hills as an eight-year-old boy, I’ve had the privilege of watching this church grow, change, and remain steadfast in its commitment to God’s Word.
The growth we’ve seen in recent years isn’t about numbers, but about lives changed by the gospel, families strengthened in faith, and hearts growing deeper in God’s truth and His Word. I witness it each week in our worship, classrooms, and conversations across campus.
It’s become clear that we are outgrowing our current spaces and need to make vital expansions and renovations. Our Oasis in the Desert campaign, approved by the elders, represents a bold yet necessary step of faith—an investment in the future of Desert Hills Bible Church. A transformed campus will enable us to welcome more people, deepen fellowship, and continue proclaiming God’s Word with clarity and conviction for years to come.
Whether you’ve been at Desert Hills for decades or just a few months, your participation matters. Pray with us. Give as the Lord leads. Be part of what He is doing here.
I am looking forward to taking this exciting step with you!
Support by Giving Today
We are stepping forward in faith to begin the next stage of our Strategic Master Plan, laying the groundwork for long-term growth and gospel impact at Desert Hills Bible Church.
