Building For Discipleship: How Trinity Lutheran Church Found Its Home

berga47
Jul 8
3 min read

Just as a home reflects the personality of its residents, church buildings have the power to reflect a congregation’s mission and values. Trinity Lutheran Church in Gothenburg, Nebraska, experienced this firsthand as it set out to build its first permanent home in 2014.

Outside shot of Trinity Lutheran Church in Gothenburg, NE. — Trinity Lutheran Church | Gothenburg, NE

A New Beginning

Founded in 2011 after a church split in their small town, Trinity Lutheran began with about 140 members, meeting in a rented space provided by the local Seventh-day Adventist Church. For nearly four years, the congregation worshipped there while healing from their split and growing together as a new church family.

Despite being a “new church” in a small community, the congregation remained committed and even grew in numbers. By 2013, church leadership knew it was time to take a bold step toward building their own facility.

Partnering for Ministry

As they began their search for partners to help with the project, Trinity Lutheran’s leadership appreciated the unique approach of Brown Church Development Group. Brown’s integrated services—from consulting and design to construction—were a perfect fit. Plus, their ministry-first mindset aligned well with the church’s vision.

A generous opportunity soon followed: Trinity Lutheran was able to purchase five acres of land from a church member at a significantly reduced price—one of many examples of the congregation’s commitment and faithfulness in action.

The Discovery Process

Close up shot of Trinity Lutheran Church in Gothenburg, NE.

With land secured, the church and Brown Church Development Group began a collaborative journey, starting with a Growth Positioning Study and a Discovery Process to discern their needs versus wants. With a limited budget, these conversations were crucial.

“About 80 people from the congregation participated in shaping the ultimate solution,” said Todd Brown, Founder of Brown Church Development Group. “The process was critical to figuring out what they could afford while still designing a facility that reflected who they were.”

Pastor Jeff Cottingham agreed. “We had to balance our budget with our ideals and looked at a lot of options,” he said.

Ultimately, the congregation was unified around a shared vision. In spring 2014, they voted unanimously to move forward with the project.

A Home for Ministry

Construction began in fall 2014 and, despite the Nebraska winter, wrapped up in time for the congregation’s first worship service in their new facility on Easter Sunday 2015.

The result? A beautiful, 8,000-square-foot church that perfectly fits its small-town setting—complete with white siding, stonework, a steeple, and a lighted cross.

“This is our base of operations,” Cottingham explained. “From here, we move outward and carry on as disciples.”

Designed for Discipleship

Every space in Trinity Lutheran’s new building is intentionally designed to support the church’s mission of discipleship. The church’s six habits of a life of discipleship—Daily Prayer, Weekly Worship, Reading the Bible, Relating to One Another, Sharing the Gospel, and Being Generous—shaped the design.

The layout includes:

A spacious lobby and commons area that also serves as a fellowship space, replacing the need for a separate fellowship hall.
A kitchen adjacent to the commons area for community gatherings.
A traditional sanctuary that doubles as a multi-purpose space.
Four classrooms and a large multi-purpose room for children’s ministries and other groups.
Minimal office space, with a focus on maximizing areas for teaching and discipleship.

“Everything was designed and built with the notion of how to live as a disciple of Jesus,” Cottingham said. “Each space has a purpose and a focus according to these habits.”

A Lasting Impact

Since moving into their new facility, Trinity Lutheran has continued to grow, now serving around 185 people. More importantly, their church home has become a vital hub for ministry, outreach, and disciple-making in Gothenburg and beyond.

“This project changed the DNA of our church overnight,” Cottingham reflected.

Through intentional design, collaborative planning, and faithful stewardship, Trinity Lutheran Church has built more than just a building—they’ve built a lasting foundation for ministry.