What If?: My Story of Believing God for More... Always More (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781642960136)

The Church moved into a multi-million dollar complex in 1985, occupying 75 acres on Shadow Mountain. The first building completed was the 6,500-seat auditorium, one of the largest sanctuaries in America. In recent years, three additional buildings have been completed - administration, education, and gymnasium.

Phoenix First Assembly is noted nationwide for several outstanding assets introduced by Pastor Barnett: Spectacular events at Easter. Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. A great soulwinning Bus Ministry. gained soulwinners. Strong discipleship training. Hundreds of lay people overseeing the follow-up and care of attendees, visitors, and new converts.

These assets have contributed to the impressive growth of First Assembly under Pastor Barnett's leadership.

When the Church called him as pastor in December 1979, the average attendance was 250. Attendance continued to spiral upward, spurred by these major events. In 1981, and again in 1982, the magnificent Singing Christmas Tree services at Phoenix Symphony Hall brought turn-away crowds to the 3,000-seat Hall, In 1982, more than 18,000 attended Easter services and the giant Independence Day rally moved to a city stadium. The 1983 Easter services broke all records for the denomination, attracting 25,000; the Living Mag on July 4th filled the stadium with 15,000 spectators; and the Thanksgiving Dinner was the largest in the city, serving almost 12.000.

Breaking records again - Easter, 1989, saw crowds of 100.000 in one weekend. This included four Celebration of Easter musical drama productions at the new large church auditorium as well as the 14 outdoor children's rallies that were held all over the city. Celebration of Easter presentations are repeated 12 times throughout Easter Week. A total attendance of 150,000 people are now a part of that phenomenal week at Phoenix First Assembly. The Christmas production attracts over 100,000 in one week.

The Bus Ministry was born in 1980 with five buses. In 1981, a nationwide poll of all denominations named Phoenix First Assembly with the fastest growing Bus Ministry in America. Serving more than 4,000 riders a week in 1996, our fleet of buses includes nine wheelchair vehicles.