When I sat down with Pastor Andy Bernard of Thrive Church in Vacaville, CA, I knew this was going to be a good conversation. Andy and his wife planted Thrive Church in their 40s, and they made one of the boldest moves I have ever heard from a church planter: they sold their building and started completely over.
That decision eventually led them to partner with ChurchCandy. And within one year, Thrive Church grew by 70%.
How Thrive Church Got Started
Andy told me that in the early days, Thrive was a typical church plant with a small group of people meeting in a building they owned. After a tough season, he felt God telling them to let go of the building. So they sold it. “We realized the church is the people, not the property,” Andy explained.
They joined a church planting network and relaunched Thrive Church with about 30 people. On their first Sunday back, 270 people showed up. That kind of response told Andy they were on to something real.
From that point on, the team focused on creating a simple, fun and real environment where people could encounter Jesus. Andy told me this phrase is the heartbeat of everything they do at Thrive.
Planting in Northern California Is Different
One thing Andy was honest about is how different Northern California is from the South or the Midwest when it comes to church culture. “In California, people are skeptical of church and don’t just show up because you put a sign out,” he told me.
That meant they needed a different approach. Traditional outreach was not cutting it. They needed a way to reach people who were not already looking for a church, and that is what brought them to digital marketing.
Why They Chose ChurchCandy
“We were doing all we could,” Andy said, “but we needed help to reach more people.” His team had tried other forms of marketing before, but they were starting to see those methods lose effectiveness. That is when they found ChurchCandy.
Through Facebook and Instagram ads, ChurchCandy helped Thrive tell its story and invite people into community. The philosophy was straightforward: use Meta ads to start conversations and then build relationships. The ads highlighted Thrive’s culture and invited people to plan their visit.
Andy took the proceeds from selling the building and invested them into digital outreach and follow-up systems. That is a move that takes real faith, and it paid off.
Pastor Bryan Larson made a similar bet when he relaunched New Life Church in Texas. Bryan used ChurchCandy ads to reach people outside his existing network, and 300 showed up on launch day. It is the same principle Andy discovered: when you pair a clear vision with consistent digital outreach, people respond.
The Story That Sticks With Me
One of my favorite moments from our conversation was when Andy shared about a young single mom who kept seeing Thrive’s ad on Facebook. She clicked it, checked out the church, and eventually attended a service. She went through their Next Steps class and is now part of the team helping other people take their first step at Thrive.
Stories like hers remind me why we do what we do. Behind every click is a real person looking for hope and community.
I heard a similar story from Pastor Sherman Dumas, who told me about a woman named Tracy. She kept seeing church ads online, felt prompted to attend, and is now a leader in their outreach team. These are not just numbers. These are lives being changed.
Systems and Follow-Up Are What Keep People
Andy was very clear about this: paid ads can get people through the door, but systems are what keep them. Thrive built a process to follow up with every guest, invite them to groups, and help them get plugged in to serve.
“People make a connection with a person long before they make a connection with the principle,” Andy told me. His team prioritizes meeting new people, remembering names, and celebrating each small step someone takes.
They also launched what they call Thrive Groups to build community and create space for real discipleship. It is not just about Sunday mornings. It is about building a life together throughout the week.
70% Growth in One Year
The results were hard to argue with. Within one year of partnering with ChurchCandy, Thrive Church grew by 70%. On some Sundays, they saw attendance jump from around 160 to over 300 through consistent follow-up and a relentless focus on relationships.
Andy laughs when he talks about those early days. “Don’t just grow. Impact people,” he says. “You can pack a room, but the real win is when people find freedom and purpose.”
That kind of heart-first growth is exactly what Pastor Robert White at Freedom Church experienced too. Robert took his church from 160 to over 1,300 in under two years. His secret was the same as Andy’s: real systems, real relationships, and consistent digital outreach.
Mistakes Andy Says Pastors Should Avoid
Andy is honest about the things he would do differently. He shared a few warnings that I think every pastor and church planter should hear.
First, he says do not copy someone else’s model. “Know who you are and stop trying to be another church,” he told me. Every church has its own personality, and leaning into that is what makes people connect.
Second, do not neglect systems. “You can pray for growth all day, but if you don’t have a way to capture information and follow up, you’ll lose people.” That is a lesson I hear from almost every pastor I work with.
Third, embrace digital outreach. “We live in a social world,” Andy said. “If you’re not telling your story online, someone else will.” Newer church plants are proving this every day. Pastor Josh Koskinen launched Story Hill Church with 710 people on day one by combining strong planning with personal outreach and targeted Facebook ads.
Andy’s Advice for Pastors Considering Meta Ads
For pastors wondering if Facebook and Instagram ads can actually work in their context, Andy’s story is a strong proof point. Here is what he told me other pastors should keep in mind:
Stay true to your vision. Your church has a unique voice. Do not dilute it by copying whatever is trending online. People are drawn to authenticity, not imitation.
Invest in systems. Make sure you can follow up with every guest, invite them to groups, and help them take next steps. Ads bring people in, but your process is what keeps them.
Be consistent. Digital ads work over time. Thrive committed to running simple ads every week and saw compounding results. It is not a one-time campaign. It is a long-term strategy.
Prioritize relationships over numbers. Growth is not about vanity metrics. It is about real people finding freedom and purpose. Andy reminds me of this every time we talk.
Do not be afraid to start over. Selling a building or changing a strategy can feel risky, but sometimes letting go is what opens the door to something bigger than you imagined.
Pastor Brandon Holmes in Waco took a simple approach by running “Coffee With a Pastor” ads and used those personal conversations to build trust before ever inviting people to a Sunday service. It is a reminder that effective digital outreach does not have to be complicated.
What Is Next for Thrive Church
Thrive Church is still moving forward. The 70% growth has brought a new challenge: space. They are praying about a larger facility and continuing to invest in both outreach and discipleship.
Andy believes the future of church growth in California depends on being both relational and digital. “There are millions of people in our state who don’t know Jesus,” he told me. “Our job is to go where they are, online and in person, and invite them in.”
Final Thoughts
Do Meta ads work for churches in California? Thrive Church is living proof that they do, when combined with a clear vision, simple systems, and a genuine heart for people.
If you are a pastor or church planter looking to reach more people without gimmicks, Andy’s story shows what is possible. To learn more about how digital marketing can help your church grow, watch the full conversation in the video above and schedule a discovery call with the ChurchCandy team.
About The Author
