Friday, November 28, 2025

From its start in 1995, CedarCreek has always embraced one truth: we’ll use anything short of sin to introduce people to Jesus. And often, that has meant stepping boldly into new technology.

What began with an AOL email address and a rented conference room has grown into a church with seven campuses, a global online community, livestreaming capabilities, an online devotional platform, and an app that personalizes every next step for each user.

Here is a flashback at how some of this innovation took place.

The Early Days: Email, Handouts, and VHS Tapes

In the mid-90s to the early 2000s, technology at CedarCreek was… let’s call it scrappy. But – it was the 90s, so not a whole lot was available!

Staff and volunteers communicated through AOL email, and the message and lyrics slides were created in Microsoft PowerPoint. Weekend services were recorded on tape, and early resources like LivingItOut were printed on paper after being written, edited, and stapled by hand.

But the mission was big, and the willingness to try new things was even bigger.

The Multisite Leap: DVDs, Livestreaming, and Campus Systems

As the church grew, so did the need for technology.

2006 → Whitehouse Campus:
CedarCreek launched its first multisite, and technology became essential. The message from Saturday night was burned to DVD and physically delivered on Sunday morning. Volunteers rolled in trailers and transformed a high school into a church within hours.

2008 → West Toledo:
Easter marked CedarCreek’s first livestreamed service—a massive leap at the time. There were hiccups (of course), but it became the model for how every campus would eventually receive real-time teaching.

2011 → Internet Campus and Streaming:
Long before online church was normal, CedarCreek launched the iCampus—broadcasting services around the world. More than 1,200 people joined the first weekend from 27 states and 8 countries, including soldiers overseas.

Staff members joked that before the official launch, the test version was basically “Pirolli’s Couch Campus”—a nod to the dedication of Brent Pirolli, now the Senior Director of IT, who made it possible.

The LivingItOut: From Paper to a Digital Daily Rhythm

While campuses were expanding physically, discipleship tools were expanding digitally.

The LivingItOut, which began as a printed Bible study in the mid-2000s, quickly moved online with early versions of a “Bible Study” landing page in 2006 and then a dedicated website (LivingItOut.tv) in 2008.

As CedarCreek’s systems evolved, the devotional moved from WordPress → Mailchimp → Rock RMS → and now lives inside The Daily on the CedarCreek App.

Modern Day: An App Built for Connection

The CedarCreek App and campus systems today allow people to:

✅ Watch services
✅ Practice Gratitude, Pray, and Study the Bible
✅ Sign up for Groups, get updates on events, and outreach/serving opportunities
✅ Get campus-specific updates
✅ Access messages, Next Steps, and personalized recommendations

Everything is built around one purpose: helping people take a next step in their life-changing adventure with Jesus.

Innovation for One Reason

From AOL inboxes to livestreamed worship…
From DVD-delivered sermons to global online baptisms…
From paper devotionals to personalized spiritual tools on your phone…

The technology changed. The strategy evolved. But the heart? That stayed the same.

For 30 years, CedarCreek has leveraged every tool available to help the spiritually restless find hope, take next steps, and discover their God-given purpose.

And the best part? We’re just getting started.

History provided in part by Brent Pirolli. Brent is a founding member of CedarCreek Church and has been on staff for nearly 25 years. He currently serves as the Senior Director of I.T.

Sources:
CedarCreek readies to open fourth church – Toledo Blade, Nov 2011: Link ↩
CedarCreek Church opens its online virtual campus – Sentinel-Tribune, Mar 2011: Link ↩
CedarCreek Church expanding to Findlay – WTOL, Sept 2014: Link ↩
Religion Offerings: CedarCreek adds campus in Oregon – Toledo Blade, Aug 2017: Link ↩