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Pastor Scott McKinney poses for a portrait at the newly built Centerpoint Church on Monday, March 14, 2016 in Orem. McKinney has been working on his church for 10 years. http://bit.ly/1UemR9s

Dominic Valente

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Family pastor Jon Fox (right) and worship pastor Chris Allen work on moving chairs and setting up for a service at the newly built Centerpoint Church on Monday, March 14, 2016 in Orem. Pastor Scott McKinney, one of the leaders of the church, has been working on his church for 10 years. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald

Dominic Valente

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Pastor Scott McKinney poses for a portrait at the newly built Centerpoint Church on Monday, March 14, 2016 in Orem. McKinney has been working on his church for 10 years. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald

Dominic Valente

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Family pastor Jon Fox works on moving chairs and setting up for a service at the newly built Centerpoint Church on Monday, March 14, 2016 in Orem. Pastor Scott McKinney, one of the leaders of the church, has been working on his church for 10 years. DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald

Dominic Valente

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It hasn’t been quite as long as the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness, but for the past 10 years or so Scott McKinney, Lead Pastor at the Centerpoint Church in Orem, has been on his own journey – to build a place for families to call home.

On Sunday, McKinney and his congregation will not only celebrate Palm Sunday, but the official opening of Centerpoint’s new home, a 26,700-square-foot church.

“We’ve gone from where we’re hard to find, to where you can’t miss us,” McKinney said. “It’s been incredibly hard and discouraging at times, but the Lord has kept us going.”

The new church is located at 1550 S. Sandhill Road, just south and west of Walmart in Orem. The church abuts Interstate 15 where there large logo can be seen by passersby.

McKinney isn’t shepherding by himself. He has a staff of three pastors to help him out including brothers Nate and Jon Fox, and Chris Allen. Nate Fox serves as the associate pastor. Jon Fox is the student pastor and works with teens and the kids’ ministry. Allen is the worship pastor.

Centerpoint Church is a non-denominational Christian church for Utah County according to McKinney’s description. Its national association is with the Evangelical Free Church of America.

“I’m an evangelical in a reformation sense,” McKinney said. “It’s Christ alone, one God, one faith, one book – the Bible. We belong to Christ by grace and through faith alone.”

Like the verse in Jeremiah in the Old Testament, McKinney says he prays for the peace of the city where he has been taken.

“The makeup of the church is people that feel they don’t belong,” McKinney said. “Our hardest job is creating community out of people with nothing in commonality. When you come here, you know we’re Jesus people.”

McKinney has seen miracles happen not only with this new church building, but also as he has worshiped in various schools and meeting places over the years. One of his greatest blessings has been to see the growth in his congregation. Sunday attendance is averaging around 725 with some special meetings hitting around 1,000 faithful.

“We wanted God to be the only explanation for this,” Mckinney said. “There has been a lot of sacrifice from our people.”

On the walls of the new building visitors will find the Centerpoint mission statement, “To make Jesus the Centerpoint of our lives, and to make Him known from the Centerpoint of Utah Valley.”

Services are not over-the-top, but Allen does use high tech audio visual tools to help spread the “Good News.” The front of the chapel area has a big screen and enclosed drum set.

Music is not stoic, neither is it a rock show, but it is considered contemporary Christian worship music. The music is an important part of the services and often old familiar hymns will be heard in a more contemporary upbeat style.

“We try to create a touch point every service,” McKinney said. “People in Utah County aren’t demonstrative.”

Because of the substantial growth of the congregation, Sunday will be the first time two services will be offered. Members of the congregation and visitors are welcome to come to either the 9:30 or 11 a.m. worship services. Special services for children are also held at these hours. The student ministry for junior high and high school students also meets on Monday evenings each week in addition to the Sunday services.

As part of the opening celebration week, the church will hold an open house Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. that will include a food truck rally. Good Friday services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday with Easter Sunday services at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. The public is welcome to any or all of these events and to worship each Sunday at Centerpoint.