People's Church plans new Edmond satellite, receives gift from Life.Church neighbors

A metro area church is expanding into the far northwest Oklahoma City/Edmond area, with plans to purchase property not far from one of its early gathering spots at a local movie theater.

The Rev. Herbert Cooper, leader of People's Church, said the house of worship has a contract to purchase 23 acres at 525 NW 164. Cooper said church leaders expect to close on the property in late January.

"We have decided we are putting permanent roots in Edmond," he said. "The Lord has opened some doors on a piece of property."

Cooper and his wife Tiffany serve as founders and senior pastors of People's Church, with a main location at 800 E Britton Road. He said groundbreaking for a freestanding satellite church building will be in 2023 at the property on NW 164.

People's Church has several other satellites, including one at 8512 Northwest Expressway, and a Midwest City location at 351 N Depot. Other satellites are at the Mabel Bassett Correctional Facility in McLoud, and in Indianapolis, Indiana. The church also has an online component called Church Online.

Cooper said People's Church has come a long way since it began with 65 individuals meeting in his home almost two decades ago.

For many years, it was best known as the church that held worship services at Quail Springs AMC Theater in Quail Springs Mall, 2501 W Memorial Road. The new satellite will not be far from that previous location, with the targeted property less than 4 miles north of the mall.

Cooper said the location for the Edmond area satellite was chosen for several reasons.

He said the Edmond area is growing, with more and more people putting down roots there. On that note, the minister said about 800 People's Church families live in the Edmond/northwest Oklahoma City area. A core group of these families will help set up the new Edmond satellite congregation at a temporary site in August. A campus pastor and some other staff members have already been selected for the new satellite.

This congregation will move into the free-standing satellite building once it is completed.

Cooper, 44, said statistically, many people want to drive no more than 15 minutes from their home to attend church. With this in mind, he thinks the new satellite will be a welcome addition for many of the Edmond area families already attending People's Church.

The site was also chosen because it is considered a diverse, high-traffic area.

"There are a lot of neighborhoods there. Edmond Santa Fe (High School) is right down the road," Cooper said.

There are also other churches nearby, including Life.Church Oklahoma City at 2001 NW 178.

In a manner of speaking, Life.Church has already rolled out the welcome mat for the Coopers and People's Church.

Neighborly friends and mentors

Cooper said he received a pleasant surprise not long after telling his congregations that plans for the new satellite had been solidified in fall 2021. He said the original plan was discussed in 2019 and there were hopes that the church would break ground on the new satellite sometime in 2020 but those plans were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By fall 2021, his People's Church congregation was excited to hear that the Edmond area satellite was finally moving forward. Several homebuilders in the congregation recommended that the church begin seriously exploring property options.

When the property was chosen, "there was a lot of excitement," Cooper said. Many members of the congregation attended a prayer service on the property where they prayed together about future ministry opportunities on the land.

Not long afterward, Cooper got a message from his longtime friend, Life.Church founder and senior pastor Craig Groeshel. Cooper said Groeschel asked if they could drop something off and he told him he could pick up the item instead.

The two men have been friends for many years and Cooper had already described the property in detail to his pal.

"He's been encouraging me to come to Edmond for some time," Cooper said.

Still, he said he was surprised and then happy when Groeschel gave him an unexpected gift.

"I come to his office and he hands me a check for $25,000," Cooper said. "He said 'Life.Church wants to be a part of what God is going to do for People's Church in Edmond so we want to help you get that piece of property.'"

Cooper described Groeschel and his wife Amy as "first class, top notch people."

"They have been mentors and friends since day one and still are today, which is kind of unique to be really, really close friends in the same city."

For his part, Groeschel said his church was excited to learn that People Church was moving forward with Edmond satellite plans.

"Pastors Herbert and Tiffany Cooper are generous, passionate leaders who are making a real difference in this community," Groeschel said in a statement. "When we learned about their plans for a new location, we were excited to support them because we know we can accomplish infinitely more together than we can apart.”

A milestone year

Cooper said the coming purchase of property for the new satellite helps kick off an important year for People's Church. In May, the church will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

The Coopers launched the church on Mother's Day 2002.

"This is a big, big year actually," Herbert Cooper said, laughing. "I give God the glory."

He described People's Church as unique because it has been multicultural and multigenerational house of worship — "with a life giving and spirit-filled environment and I think that is appealing to a lot of people."

"It's a place where the holy spirit is moving and lives are being changed," Cooper said. "We're not trying to have religion but a real relationship with Jesus and seeing him transform people's lives."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: People's Church plans Edmond satellite, receives gift from Life.Church