There’s something about walking into church on a Sunday morning – something sacred, something familiar. You can feel it before the first song is sung or the first word is preached. The atmosphere is thick with expectation, even before a single seat is filled.
There’s one word that rings true:
Sanctuary.
It’s hard to explain with precision – what a sanctuary feels like. But if you’ve felt it, you know. It’s not about design trends or production value. It’s something deeper. A sanctuary is a place set apart. It’s where God dwells. It’s where hearts awaken. It’s where lives change.
And yet the vision we’re carrying now isn’t just about a room.
A Sanctuary in the City
A few months ago, an architect sketched a plan for our campus and said something profound: “I think this space should feel like a sanctuary.” She isn’t a churchgoer, but she perceived something deeply spiritual – something we had been sensing too.
From that moment, our language began to shift. We weren’t just dreaming about expanding parking or building new rooms. We were building a sanctuary in the city – a place not just for services but for soul-deep transformation. A space not just for gatherings but for the glory of God to dwell.
Because our city is changing. It’s not a sleepy town anymore. It’s growing – quickly. The North Coast is becoming a hub, and we believe God’s vision is not to protect smallness but to steward greatness. Not for our fame, but for His name.
We Shape the Space – Then It Shapes Us
Winston Churchill once said, “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” Take Dubai, for instance. It went from desert to global icon because someone dreamed of building something that could shape a narrative. The Burj Khalifa wasn’t just a skyscraper – it was a statement: This is who we’re becoming.
That’s what we’re doing here.
We are building a sanctuary that shapes people – so they can shape the world.
This campus is not just a functional place where church happens. It’s a spiritual landscape where destinies are discovered, families are strengthened, leaders are formed, and cities are impacted.
So what is a sanctuary?
Here are three thoughts:
1. A Sanctuary is a Home
Exodus 25:8 says, “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.”
First and foremost, the sanctuary is home. It’s where God dwells, and it’s where His people feel they belong. That’s why our spaces are being designed with warmth and welcome in mind. We’re not aiming for polished perfection; we’re aiming for presence.
It’s why we’re shifting parking. Yes, it may mean walking a little further, but that’s by design. We want people to journey – slow down, breathe deep, take in the space, see the people. This isn’t a shopping mall or train station. It’s not about function. It’s about family.
We want our sanctuary to feel like the house your friends never wanted to leave growing up. Full of laughter, conversation, and life. It’s a home – and people linger in homes.
2. A Sanctuary is the High Ground
Psalm 73:17 says, “Then I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.”
The sanctuary isn’t just comforting – it’s clarifying. It lifts our eyes. It raises our perspective. It reorients our hearts toward heaven.
That’s why we’re so intentional about the atmosphere of this campus. From the architecture to the pathways, from the language on the walls to the songs in the air – everything is designed to lift people higher.
When someone steps onto this land, we want them to know they’ve entered something different. A high ground. A holy space. A place that pulls them out of the noise of the world and into the clarity of God’s presence.
We’re not replicating what works in boardrooms or business parks. We’re reimagining what happens when faith builds the future.
3. A Sanctuary is a Holy Place
Psalm 96:6 says, “Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.”
Sanctuary means set apart. That’s what holiness is. Not perfection, but purpose.
Every beam, every brick, every bench on this campus is being designed not just to function – but to form us. To remind us of something greater. To whisper of God’s majesty. To stir awe. To inspire excellence.
Excellence doesn’t mean flawless. It means intentional. Purposeful. Inspired.
We’re not building quickly. We’re building carefully. Prayerfully. Because this sanctuary is not just for us. It’s for the generations to come.
So What Are We Doing?
We’re shaping a sanctuary.
A place that feels like home.
A place that lifts your eyes.
A place set apart for beauty, presence, and purpose.
We’re not rushing. We’re not just raising walls – we’re raising worship. We’re not just paving paths – we’re preparing people. And every person who lays a brick or moves a spade, every conversation about design, every moment of planning is soaked in prayer.
Because we believe this: We build what we wish to become.
And we long to become a sanctuary people – formed by His presence, shaped by His Spirit, and sent out to shape the city.
Let’s build something holy. Together.
Let’s create a space that generations will look back on and say: That was home. That was holy ground. That was the place I met God.
So when someone asks what we’re doing with all this construction and planning, just smile and say:
“We’re building a sanctuary in the city.”
And that changes everything.
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THE LINC COLLECTIVE 
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