Castleton Community Church History

In 2014, College Park launched a church planting strategy in order to mobilize our people to reach our next-door neighbors and beyond with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Part of this Next Door Mission includes seeking to revitalize gospel-proclaiming congregations in the Indy metro area through church adoption.

In fall of 2016, Pastor Randy Worland of The Chapel, a congregation of believers who worshiped the Lord faithfully since 1971, asked College Park to prayerfully consider adopting The Chapel. The College Park Elders saw the faithful gospel ministry and location of The Chapel as a perfect fit for the Next Door Mission. On December 4, 2016, the members of The Chapel and College Park Church voted in favor of the adoption.  

After months of prayer and planning, God began forming a new congregation called College Park Castleton. Then on March 12, 2017, the congregation began the Incubator phase. During this time, the congregation met for worship at the College Park Ministry Center. God used this time to unite the Castleton congregation together as it committed to the preaching of God’s Word and prayer. In less than six months, we saw six people baptized and welcomed many more new members., Our church was then commissioned by College Park North Indy to fulfill the call to reach the Castleton community with the gospel.

On September 3, 2017, we officially launched worship services in the refurbished Castleton building. As part of our first service, Current Pastor Tommy Johnston preached his first sermon as the candidate for the position of Castleton Lead Pastor. In the Lord’s kindness, Tommy was overwhelmingly affirmed by the congregations for the position.

In the following years, the Lord developed a community of believers that loved singing and hearing the Word of God, caring for one another and always eager to welcome all with the hope of the gospel. As elders were raised up and the congregation matured, God made it clear that it was time for our congregation to enter the final stages of the church planting process.

In November 2019, the congregation voted unanimously to become a self-governing church on April 1, 2020, the beginning of a new fiscal year. As a final step toward self-governance, the members of College Park Castleton approved the taking on of a new name, Castleton Community Church which took effect on June 14, 2020.

Since the launch of our congregation, we have seen the Lord’s faithfulness again and again. He continues to form this gospel community as we proclaim of His Word and live out godly love for one another. As He establishes His work at Castleton Community Church, we strive to continually reinforce the purpose and the mission for which we were planted: to lead people to know and trust Jesus.