Building the Bridge: Launching Heartland's East Madison Campus

Prayer turns an idea into a calling. Forty days of focused seeking shifts expansion from “a nice, practical idea” into obedience, the sense that “to not move forward would feel like disobedience.” Build the Bridge takes concrete shape with two pillars. Extend Beyond serves Sun Prairie by adding parking and tackling debt so more dollars drive ministry. Follow the Call sends Heartland into East Madison as one church in two locations, a Sunday video venue with live worship, kids, hospitality, and streamed teaching so more people can be awakened to Jesus.

Generosity becomes the down payment on faith. Land behind the current building is purchased free and clear, planning begins, and a real location with a real team and a real launch date comes into view. Yet the story remains open-handed; God rarely writes the whole story in the first chapter, so the church keeps trusting, praying, and giving.

Luke 15 names the reason. Jesus never looked at a crowd and saw a crowd; he saw faces, stories, names. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine for the one, not because the one is a project, but because the one is loved. Love moves toward people. Love makes room. Love builds bridges.

This is the invitation: two hundred sent, not as spectators but as builders. Two hundred carries culture from day one, shares the load across kids, production, hospitality, setup and teardown, creates momentum that feels alive, and even frees seats back in Sun Prairie for those not yet here. The ask is not to leave Heartland, but to be Heartland somewhere else, to put the serving towel over an arm, to welcome those risking a first step, to carry the heart of Jesus into a new neighborhood.

Acts 1:8 frames the map. Mission starts at home but rarely stays there: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. East Madison may not know Heartland exists yet, but it is about to. Vision never moves without people saying yes.

Leadership matters, so a campus pastor is named. God has already provided a culture carrier in Brent Decker, whose own complicated church past was softened by welcome, who found himself inviting before he even realized it, and who now invites others to come be part of someone else’s story. A Madison Kids Director, Terren Malmstadt, steps in to plant a kids ministry with the same heart. A December first-Sunday public launch is targeted, with interest meetings and preview services ahead. The word for the year stays the posture for the move: prayer. Hands stay open as God sends some to cross the bridge and others to hold it strong.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Prayer turns ideas into callings Prayer does more than bless plans; it clarifies obedience. When God presses a direction into a community, hesitation starts to feel like disobedience, not caution. Calling then carries the risk and the pace, because trust has replaced guesswork. [32:35]
• 2. Jesus pursues the one Luke 15 locates Jesus’ joy in the one who is carried home, not in the safety of the ninety-nine. The point is not labeling people as lost; the point is naming God’s love as personal and persistent. Jesus sees faces, not crowds, and love moves toward those faces. [41:26]
• 3. Love builds bridges, not walls Real love makes room. It crosses the street, opens a seat, and refuses to let comfort harden into an insider club. Building a new campus is not empire-building; it is relational hospitality scaled to a city Jesus already loves. [44:25]
• 4. Sent people make churches live A campus becomes a church when people show up to serve, carry culture, and welcome names at the door. Two hundred is not hype; it is health, load-sharing, and day-one momentum that signals “there’s room for you.” Builders, not spectators, create that feel. [47:41]
• 5. Mission starts at home, moves outward Acts 1:8 sets a widening circle that refuses to stall at “home base.” Jerusalem matters, but so do Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Faithfulness honors the starting point and follows the Spirit’s nudge to the next neighborhood. [53:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [32:04] - From idea to calling
• [33:25] - Build the Bridge overview
• [34:21] - Why East Madison campus
• [35:20] - One church in two locations
• [36:48] - Green light: land and launch
• [39:28] - All about the one
• [41:26] - The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine
• [44:38] - The ask: 200 sent
• [45:12] - Why two hundred matters
• [46:44] - Be Heartland somewhere else
• [53:05] - Jerusalem to the ends of earth
• [56:22] - Campus pastor announcement
• [63:22] - Launch timeline and next steps
• [65:26] - Open-handed prayer for sending

1. In Luke 15:3-7, what does the shepherd do when he realizes one sheep is missing, and how does this reflect God’s heart for individuals?
2. According to Acts 1:8, how does Jesus describe the geographic progression of the disciples’ mission? What does this imply about the scope of the church’s calling?
3. The sermon mentions that “200 people create momentum” for a new church campus. What specific roles or environments are highlighted as essential for this effort? [46:02]

1. Why does Jesus emphasize joy over one repentant person in Luke 15:7, even when many others are already “safe”? How does this challenge common assumptions about spiritual priorities?
2. Acts 1:8 moves from “Jerusalem” to “the ends of the earth.” How might this progression apply to a local church’s strategy for reaching its city and beyond?
3. The sermon states, “Love builds bridges, not walls.” How does the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15 illustrate this idea of proactive love? [44:25]

1. What practical step could you take this week to intentionally “move toward” someone who feels spiritually disconnected or unseen, reflecting the shepherd’s heart in Luke 15?
2. If the mission starts at home but expands outward (Acts 1:8), how are you currently investing in your local community? What might it look like to say “yes” to a next step in serving or welcoming others? [54:46]
3. The sermon challenges believers to be “builders, not spectators.” In what area of your life (work, family, church) could you shift from observing to actively creating spaces where others feel valued? [47:41]
4. How can you cultivate an “open-handed” posture in prayer, finances, or relationships to align with God’s unfolding story, even when the outcome is uncertain? [38:12]
5. Reflect on a time when someone’s hospitality or invitation impacted your faith journey. How might you replicate that same intentionality for others in your current circles?