When Chris Moore told me that over 500 people showed up to Valley Church’s very first Sunday service in Phoenix, Arizona, I had to know every detail. Church plants that launch big like that do not happen by accident. Chris had a plan, and he executed it with precision.
From Youth Pastor to Church Planter
Chris served as a youth pastor before feeling the call to plant. That transition is one of the hardest in ministry. You go from having a built-in congregation and a support system to starting from zero. Chris talked about the emotional weight of that shift and how his relationship with his sending pastor made all the difference. “Having a pastor who believed in me and sent me out with a blessing gave me the confidence to take the leap,” he said.
The Start-Up Party Model
The backbone of Chris’s pre-launch strategy was what he calls “start-up parties.” These are casual gatherings hosted in homes, restaurants, or community spaces where potential church members can meet the planter, hear the vision, and ask questions. Chris told me they hosted dozens of these before launch, and each one became a mini recruiting tool for the launch team.
What made them work was simplicity. No pressure. No long presentations. Just food, conversation, and an invitation to be part of something new. Chris even ran Facebook ads to promote the start-up parties, which brought in people who had no prior connection to the team.
Digital Follow-Up That Actually Works
After every start-up party and every ad response, Chris’s team followed up digitally. Texts, DMs, and emails went out within hours. He said, “Speed matters. If someone raises their hand and says they are interested, you have a small window to connect with them before life gets in the way.”
Best Performing Church Plant Ads
We talked specifically about which ad formats worked best for Valley Church. Chris found that video ads where he spoke directly to the camera outperformed everything else. People wanted to see the pastor, hear his voice, and get a sense of who they would be sitting under on Sundays. Authenticity beat polish every time.
Managing a Large Launch Team
Having a big launch team is great, but it comes with challenges. Chris talked about the systems he built to keep everyone organized:
- A private Facebook Group where he posted regular updates, prayer requests, and vision-casting content to keep the team engaged.Regular communication rhythms so launch team members always knew what was coming next and what was expected of them.Clear role assignments that gave every person a specific job on launch day, from greeting to kids ministry to tech.
Launch Sunday and Beyond
Launch day was everything they had prayed and planned for. Over 500 people walked through the doors. But Chris was quick to point out that week two mattered just as much. They planned baptisms for the second Sunday, which gave people a reason to come back immediately and created an emotional anchor for the new congregation.
Final Thought
Chris Moore’s story is proof that a well-executed plan, combined with genuine prayer and relentless follow-up, can produce incredible results. If you are preparing for a church launch and want to make sure your digital outreach is dialed in, schedule a call with our team. We have helped hundreds of church plants reach their communities through Facebook and Instagram ads.
Want to see all the ad types and strategies that work for church launches and growth? Read our complete guide to church ads.
If you want to learn all the strategies that go into growing a church like this, read our complete church marketing guide.
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