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Find more information about what we believe, our core doctrine, and our denomination, the EFCA (Evangelical Free Church of America) HERE.
You may have noticed that we are a multi-site church here in the western suburbs of Chicago. For us, this means that when you step into any of our campuses or worship with us online, we have the same teaching by our Senior Pastor, Jeff Griffin, whether live or via video. Our planning, worship, operations, and communications are aligned and centralized, but each of our locations have a dedicated team, including a Campus Pastor, Worship Leader, and various ministry leaders, to help serve the needs of that community.
We are lovers and believers of Jesus and think that life is at its best when we are in relationship with Him. Our church exists to be the hands and feet of Jesus and carry out His work in the world. We devote time, prayer, and resources to serving others here, near, and far. We partner with reputable organizations around the world, across our nation, and in our local communities.
Since 1952, God has been at work in the lives of ordinary men and women to do some extraordinary things in Jesus' name.
1952 marks the year that the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church began a journey. Beginning by meeting in the home of Carl & Val Gundersen and growing rapidly over the course of the next several months, the young congregation began fundraising efforts to build a church. With those efforts and a loan from the bank, ground was broken (with Billy Graham present at the cornerstone ceremony) and in 1954 this young congregation moved in to their location on Roosevelt Road.
Within a year, there were 600 people attending and it was time to think about additional worship services.
In 1957, two gentlemen from this congregation felt a burden to start a church in Naperville. Mel Larson and Bill Frickman felt called to reach this community for Jesus - to see Christ's transforming power. So, on August 11, 1957, with just seventeen people (who were from Wheaton Evangelical Free Church), the Evangelical Free Church of Naperville met in the auditorium of the Bank of Naperville, gathered to discuss the possibilities. That small group held frequent prayer meetings in the weeks to come and a church family started to take shape.
"We were invited to the newly forming EFCN in 1957 by a knock on the door of our home. We had visited many churches, but found that this one honored God's Word. We have stayed here for 52 years because it still honors His Word, preaching the gospel to those here, near and far. Three of our sons are serving as missionaries in Africa because of this church!" - Fred and Shirley Carpenter, charter members
The next several decades meant moves to four new locations for the Naperville church and six new Senior Pastors.
"Done by ordinary people of faith, trust, and vision. No one person, no millionaires, just many faithful committed trusting believers." -Spence Sawyer, early member in 1966
In 1983, land was purchased at Hobson and College Roads and plans were drawn up for a new facility. The vision for the new site was outward – to win more people for Jesus. Money was tight and the move took a lot of prayer and faith; but in 1984, ground was broken and services began at this location in October 1985.
In 2009, we changed our name to The Compass Church, to better reflect the diverse residential backgrounds of our congregation, as well as to reflect the multi-site vision from our elders while maintaining the Free Church denomination.
In October 2010, we held our first official multi-site services at Crone Middle School on 111th Street – with 111 families in attendance. That campus has since moved to 103rd Street in Naperville, IL and has changed names to the South Naperville Campus.
In May of 2014, after a year-long search, Jeff Griffin became our new Senior Pastor. Jeff, his wife Jen, and their three children moved to Naperville to lead The Compass Church into the next phase of our journey.
July 2014 began a 10 month process of seeking God’s will in a potential reunification with Wheaton Evangelical Free Church – yes, back where it all began! In April of 2015 there was an overwhelmingly positive vote from both congregations to become one church again and the Wheaton Campus of The Compass Church was official.
In May 2016 God presented another reunification opportunity with New Song Church in Bolingbrook that was a church plant out of Compass 25 years ago! The congregation voted as part of our annual meeting in September for the reunification to happen and that resulted in our fourth Campus.
In August 2022, God led us to one last reunification opportunity with Three Rivers Church in Plainfield. After a vote by both churches, Three Rivers became our fifth Campus.
Today, about 4,000 adults and children join us in-person each weekend during one of our several worship services. Additionally, we have online worship services as well as church services held at Sheridan Prison. Click HERE for more information on each of our locations and their service times.
Over the history of our church, we have moved, expanded, added locations, and evolved. We have sought to remain flexible so we may be responsive to God's calling on this church - all the while refusing to compromise about the truth found in the Bible. God has been faithful and is at work in the lives of ordinary men and women who are doing some extraordinary things in Jesus' name here at The Compass Church.
We'd love to join you in your faith journey and help you grow in Helping People Find & Follow God as our mission states.