Here at The Ridge, our mission has never been to fill seats. It’s to do whatever it takes to reach our community for Christ. And if we’re serious about that, we have to keep looking for the gaps. That means noticing the empty chairs and realizing there are names we don’t know yet.

There are people in our community who want to come to church… they just can’t make Sunday work.

Some work weekends.
Some travel constantly for their kids’ sports.
Some are navigating shared custody.
Some are in healthcare, manufacturing, or retail.
Some are just trying to survive a busy season, and Sunday mornings feel impossible.

And some? They’re curious about Jesus but not quite ready to walk into a packed Sunday service.

So we started asking, "What if we made more room?"

Not metaphorically. Literally.

That’s why we’re launching a Thursday evening service.
Not because Sunday is broken. We are actually engaging a lot of folks.
Not because we’re bored. Believe me, we aren't.
Not because adding another service is easy. It’s not, turns out.

We’re doing it because there are people who aren’t in the room yet.

A Thursday service creates space, both on Sunday and in a new service on Thursday. It relieves pressure on Sunday mornings so when guests walk in, there’s room for them. Room in the seats. Room in Ridge Kids. Room in conversations. Room in the parking lot. Room to breathe.

And if we really believe Jesus changes lives, then making room for one more story matters.

What will Thursday look like? It will have the same message and worship as Sunday, with live teaching and the same worship experience. We'll have full programming for our Little Ridge Kids and Ridge Kids, and the same warm, relational environment that helps people connect and not feel like a number.

As we have been working and praying about this service, I keep picturing a name. A face. A real family I know who hasn’t walked through our doors yet. Maybe Thursday is the thing that makes it possible. Maybe it’s the moment where “someday” becomes “I’ll try it.” If we’re going to be a church that does whatever it takes, sometimes that means adjusting our schedules so someone else can find hope.

So let me ask it again.

Who isn’t in the room yet? And what would it look like for us to make space for them?

If you want the details about the Thursday service, you can find them here.

Let’s keep joining God as he is reaching more. Let’s keep making room. Let’s keep doing whatever it takes.