Former Retail Space to Become Place of Worship

Former Best Buy to become place of worship

Best Buy recently relocated their Snellville store on Scenic Highway to a newly constructed location in Scenic Promenade a few hundred feet away. Fortunately, their old space will not sit empty for long! Their 46,000 square foot former store will soon become the permanent home of 12Stone's Snellville campus.  

12Stone, a Wesleyan megachurch, was founded by senior pastor Kevin Myers in 1987 as Crossroads Community Church.   

In 2007, the church changed its name to 12Stone.

According to the 12Stone website, the church gets its name from "the story of Joshua, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land. Before they could reach the Promised Land, they would have to cross the Jordan River which was at flood stage. G0d told Joshua to have the priests, who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant, step into the water. When they did, the waters were cut off, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry land. Once they were on the other side of the river, 12 stones (one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel) were taken from the river and set up as a monument so that future generations would know the power of G0d."

Today, 12Stone has a total of nine campuses including a temporary Snellville location and four other temporary campuses.   The existing campuses include Lawrenceville (central campus) Hamilton Mill, Flowery Branch and Sugarloaf.  Temporary locations include Buford, Bethlehem, Braselton, Grayson and Snellville.  All of the temporary campuses except for Grayson are housed in public school facilities.  

This is at least the third time a former retail space has been re-concepted as a place of worship.  Passion City Church, a similar megachurch opened on Garson Drive near the Lindbergh MARTA station in a building previously home to Sam's Club, then Home Depot EXPO, and most recently PGA TOUR Superstore.  A former Harris Teeter on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs functioned as a temporary home for megachurch Buckhead Church (part of North Point Community Church) in 2003, before the church moved to its newly constructed permanent home in the heart of Buckhead in 2007.  

What are your thoughts on this retailer repurpose?  Have you been to 12Stone?  What are your feelings about megachurches?  

Please share your thoughts below.