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UNITED Church | Dover, DE

2 min read By January 22, 2025No Comments

In 2015, Kenneth and Sherry Wagner stepped out in faith to launch UNITED Church in Dover, Delaware. But the story didn’t start there. It began years earlier in a college dorm room with a simple but powerful question: What if we could start a church that answered the questions people were actually asking?

That question, paired with a quote from Pastor Craig Groeschel—”To reach people nobody’s reaching, we have to do things nobody’s doing”—set Kenneth and Sherry on a path of preparation, waiting, and faithfulness. For nearly a decade, they served in student ministry, trusting God’s timing until the moment was right. And then, in 2013, God made it clear: Love Delaware until their hearts beat like Mine.

The journey wasn’t always easy. Attendance dropped after launch—as it often does in church planting—but the mission never wavered. Growth came steadily, and on their first anniversary, United Church moved into Dover High School. Over 1,100 people showed up that day. Today, nearly 10 years later, United Church continues to meet at Dover High School, welcoming close to 3,000 people each week.

Reflecting on the journey, Kenneth sums it up simply: Church planting is the best, hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Through every high and low, God has been faithful. UNITED Church has seen lives changed, families restored, and a community transformed. And through it all, ARC (the Association of Related Churches) has played a pivotal role, providing relationships, mentorship, and support. As Kenneth puts it, “Without ARC, there probably is no UNITED Church as we know it now.”

Every number represents a name. Every name has a story. And every story matters to God.

This is just a glimpse of what God has done through UNITED Church. Watch the full story and be inspired by the power of faith, perseverance, and God’s unrelenting kindness.

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