Youth boom leads BVAG to build on

A growing youth population has led Brandon Valley Assembly of God to embark on a 6,000-square-foot expansion of its campus on Sioux Boulevard.

The church’s fifth addition in 25 years will add seven classrooms for Next Generation, its children’s ministry for kids in grades K-5. The new space will also double the size of the current gym, introduce a large commons area for children to play and gather before and after services and add a quad of offices for children’s and youth pastors. 

“There are just so many kids,” said Pastor Kirk Strand, who founded BVAG more than a quarter of a century ago. “This will make a bigger and better difference in the community for those kids – that’s the next generation.”

Kids in the Next Generation program will use the seven new classrooms on Wednesday nights, in addition to the eight classrooms they already fill.

“We’re the little boy that has outgrown his pants,” Pastor Strand said. “They still fit, but you can’t button them.”

Children’s pastor Valerie Cromer leads the next generation at BVAG.

“God has just blessed us,” she said. 

On Wednesday nights, the church sees an average of 100 kids or more in that kindergarten-to-fifth-grade group. Adult classes are also held wherever spots can be found.  

“We’re currently using all our available space on Wednesdays nights,” said Cromer, who also leads Kids Church on Sunday mornings in BVAG’s original, smaller sanctuary. The new sanctuary, which came a few years ago, has 500 seats and is often filled on Sunday mornings.

Pastor Strand’s daughter, Casey Antillon, grew up in the church. She’s now a pastor herself for BVAG’s older youth – kids in grades 6-12. 

Antillon said the church’s growth is due in part to her father’s dedication.

“I would attribute it to the consistency of the senior pastor and the passion of the senior pastor,” she said. “There is a consistency and passion for the community. You have to have that. On the daughter side, you can’t take him anywhere without people knowing who he is.”

Pastor Antillon’s youth group will take advantage of the new gym when construction is complete. BVAG associate pastor Dave Pendley, who is working closely with Gregg Baldwin Construction and contractors on the addition, expects construction to wrap up toward the end of winter or early spring – though by Christmas would be nice, he noted.

“We need it today,” Pastor Strand said. “We needed it yesterday.”

Funding for the addition is through a loan with BVAG’s mother company, the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Mo., Pendley said. 

Construction started this summer. The gym is now being framed out, and flooring will be poured in the next week or two. Grading on the ground is wrapping up, and asphalt will be in place this fall yet, Pendley said. Phase two of the addition, which will follow on the north side, is planned as a new youth center.

“It’s amazing that still, after 26 years, we still need more room,” Pastor Antillon said. “So, we must be doing something right.”