The Awaken Story
Pastor Brandon Bowers dreamed of planting a life-giving church in Charleston, SC with a simple and clear vision: so that people far from God will be awakened to life in Christ.
It was in the humble setting of a school cafeteria that Awaken Church began in 2013. There were 115 people who showed up that day and what has followed is nothing short of a move of God. That year we celebrated over 100 baptisms, launched multiple new small groups and served through various non-profits in our city. As the church continued to grow, God provided a permanent home right off I-526 in the heart of the Charleston Metro which opened the door for us to have a regional reach and growth. This led to multiple services, dozens of new groups and a growing demand to expand with another location. In 2022, we launched our Summerville campus which carries the same heartbeat and passion that is engrained in our DNA. We are truly one church; in two locations.
Today, several thousand people call Awaken Church home. God has used us to extend His reach far beyond our region by planting life-giving churches in influential cities across the country — including Las Vegas, New York, Miami, Denver, and more.
The heartbeat of Awaken is...
- To create environments and experiences that welcome and engage people from all walks of life. Our goal is for you to know that you belong here, and we want to be a place you can call home. To help make that possible, we've created “small churches” known as small groups — spaces where real relationships can form and where you can grow in your relationship with Jesus.
- To create opportunities to support our local, national, and global mission partners.
- Locally, we partner with 20+ non-profits to send an army of volunteers to serve and infuse their
good mission with the hope of the Gospel to those in our own community.
- Nationally, we partner with the Strategic Launch Network to plant churches because we believe
the local church is the hope of the world and is the best way to make substantial and sustained
impact in a city and community.
- Globally, we partner with Food for the Hungry and the International Mission Board to support
3500+ missionaries in 150 different countries around the world.
- To disciple, develop and deploy leaders who engage in the work of ministry with the purpose of making an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God by saying yes to the opportunities God puts before them, in and through our church.
We believe that Awaken is a movement for all people to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover their Purpose, and Make a Difference. With two locations and a vision to launch more, there's something for everyone and we have a place for you. We're so glad you're here!