Q. When did Willow Creek Community Church begin?

A. The church was started in 1975 in the Willow Creek Movie Theater in Palatine, Illinois (currently the site of a banquet hall). The first Sunday, attendance was approximately 125 people. Since 1981, the church has been located at the corner of Algonquin Road (Route 62) and Barrington Road in South Barrington, Illinois.

Q. What is the current attendance?

A. The current attendance for our four weekend services, plus our Saturday night service for Generation X, is between 16,000 and 17,000 people, including about 3,000 children. The current attendance at our two midweek services (Wednesday and Thursday nights) is between 6,000 and 7,000 adults.

Q. How big is Willow Creek?

A. The campus covers 155 acres. Seating capacity in the main auditorium is 4,500 people. When it was built in 1981, it sat 1,600 people. The auditorium (which includes the main floor, two main-floor risers, and three balconies) plus the main lobby is 78,000 square feet. The entire building is 352,000 square feet. The chapel, which was opened in 1988, is used primarily for funerals and weddings; its capacity is 500 people. The activity center opened in 1991 as part of a 200,000-square-foot expansion. The atrium also opened in 1991 and has a seating capacity of 750.

Q. How big is Willow Creek going to get?

A. Why doesn't the church spin off satellite churches instead of continuing to expand? We have seen benefits to having a large church. Because of our size, we are able to provide wide-ranging ministries to help people at any stage of their spiritual journey. Our size also allows us to make a significant impact for Christ in our local community. At the same time, our network of small groups ensures that people can experience community at a personal level if they desire. We work through the Willow Creek Association to encourage church leaders around the world who have been led by God to start new churches or overhaul stagnant ones. We've seen many churches started and rejuvenated as a result of our church leadership conferences and other resources we've made available.

Q. How large will Willow Creek grow?

A. We don't know the answer. There are 1.5 million people living within a 20-minute drive of our church. There's definitely potential for growth.