The Beginning

One Sunday evening in 1970, Rev. Ray Rewerts, pastor of Fifth Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, preached a sermon in which he challenged the congregation to begin an outreach ministry in our community. Members of the congregation picked up his enthusiasm and got together for a brainstorming session.

A task force was formed. Several ideas were considered, but the group kept coming back to the concept of a drive-in church. When this idea was presented to the congregation, it was accepted immediately. Many were eager to join in this new venture.

The objective of this ministry was not simply to develop another church in the Grand Rapids area, but to have a permanent outreach ministry—a place where those who did not feel comfortable in an organized church could worship and praise God, a place where the slogan would truly be practiced, “Come as you are.”

The next question was location. A drive-in theater seemed to be the logical place to hold such a service. The task force surveyed the south side of Grand Rapids and decided on the Woodland Drive-In Theater, owned by Jack Loeks. When the idea was presented to Mr. Loeks, not only was he willing to give permission, but he was also enthusiastic about the project. In the nineteen years that Woodland Drive-In Church worshiped at that theater, the owner never accepted any rent for the use of his property. Our only cost was paying for the utilities during the months that the theater was closed.

The next problem was that of set-up. As far as its first platform was concerned, the task force was able to purchase an old hay wagon for $25.00. On June 25, 1970, the Woodland Drive-In Church held its first service. About forty cars attended. The format of that service was similar to the current one, although a few changes had to be made. It only took a couple of Sundays to realize, for example, that congregational singing was out. Collecting offering envelopes and registration cards from car to car was replaced with people voluntarily turning these in to greeters at the end of the service as they left.

The sound system left something to be desired in the early days. A work crew had to set up early Sunday morning by hanging a cable that stretched from the platform to the concession stand, so that people could listen to the services through the drive-in theater speakers. Poles were placed every forty feet to support the cable. One Sunday morning the service had to be delayed because those setting up the cable had not figured on the height of a pick-up truck with a camper on it.