Mission
Real and compelling community that pursues, proclaims, and demonstrates Christ
Vision
Faith found, faith deepened, and faith lived for God’s glory and our neighbors’ good in the Twin Cities
Values
Centrality of Scripture
Empowered Mosaic of Co-Creators
Gracious Hospitality
Gospel Generosity
Empowered Mosaic of Co-Creators
Gracious Hospitality
Gospel Generosity
Our Story
Catalyst began as a prayer. Jeff Olson, our founding pastor, was living 1500 miles away. While church planting was something on his heart, he thought it would be out East. God, however, had other plans. During a vacation in Minnesota Jeff and a longtime friend had a conversation about faith that changed everything. His friend found new life in Christ while they sat together drinking their coffee. God’s Spirit began to move. Jeff and his wife Lisa sensed that God could be up to something in Minnesota, where they least expected it.
After this encounter, the Olsons began to pray. After prayer, the Covenant denomination assessed their vision and the viability of their plan, and once approved to plant a church with the Covenant denomination, they received guidance and support from the denomination to proceed. Throughout this process, the Olsons continued to believe that the church God was calling them to plant would be in Minnesota.
So began the process of planting a church 1500 miles from where they lived. God was faithful. A small launch team of close to forty people formed, twenty-eight of whom had no prior church home. People prayed, gave their time and resources, and joined in making this brand new Covenant Church plant a reality. It was good and hard and beautiful.
In the spring of 2014, Jeff, a pregnant Lisa, and their sons, Jonas and August, moved to Minnesota to begin this new work. The church began meeting in their still-under-construction living room. The team began to explore larger spaces, which brought them to Luther Seminary. The church began in the coffee shop at Luther, and after a couple years of growth moved to Wilshire Park Elementary School in St. Anthony.
As many churches were navigating new realities of ministry post-COVID, some interesting conversations started happening with Pastor Alex Blackwell of Hope Grove Church in Roseville, a church plant that started in 2005 as part of the Converge denomination. The churches had similar values and approaches to ministry and complementary skills on their staff teams, and after many months of prayer, discussion, and evaluation, the congregations voted to merge. In September 2022, Catalyst Church began meeting at Concordia Academy in Roseville, MN. The story of the merge is much longer and full of examples of God’s provision, so we encourage you to take the time to hear it in the near future.
In our church work we have found that for many in our community, faith is something they grew up with but, over time, abandoned. Many of the people we minister to are interested in the gospel, but bring questions as well. We believe Christ longs to meet us in those questions and give meaning and purpose to life. Christianity has robust answers for our largest doubts and questions.
We want our faith to be a part of who we are; when people see us, they see Christ. We long to have our faith made real by words and deeds that glorify God. Simply put, Jesus changes everything. We’d love to have you join us in the process of exploring what it means to follow Jesus more and more deeply.
After this encounter, the Olsons began to pray. After prayer, the Covenant denomination assessed their vision and the viability of their plan, and once approved to plant a church with the Covenant denomination, they received guidance and support from the denomination to proceed. Throughout this process, the Olsons continued to believe that the church God was calling them to plant would be in Minnesota.
So began the process of planting a church 1500 miles from where they lived. God was faithful. A small launch team of close to forty people formed, twenty-eight of whom had no prior church home. People prayed, gave their time and resources, and joined in making this brand new Covenant Church plant a reality. It was good and hard and beautiful.
In the spring of 2014, Jeff, a pregnant Lisa, and their sons, Jonas and August, moved to Minnesota to begin this new work. The church began meeting in their still-under-construction living room. The team began to explore larger spaces, which brought them to Luther Seminary. The church began in the coffee shop at Luther, and after a couple years of growth moved to Wilshire Park Elementary School in St. Anthony.
As many churches were navigating new realities of ministry post-COVID, some interesting conversations started happening with Pastor Alex Blackwell of Hope Grove Church in Roseville, a church plant that started in 2005 as part of the Converge denomination. The churches had similar values and approaches to ministry and complementary skills on their staff teams, and after many months of prayer, discussion, and evaluation, the congregations voted to merge. In September 2022, Catalyst Church began meeting at Concordia Academy in Roseville, MN. The story of the merge is much longer and full of examples of God’s provision, so we encourage you to take the time to hear it in the near future.
In our church work we have found that for many in our community, faith is something they grew up with but, over time, abandoned. Many of the people we minister to are interested in the gospel, but bring questions as well. We believe Christ longs to meet us in those questions and give meaning and purpose to life. Christianity has robust answers for our largest doubts and questions.
We want our faith to be a part of who we are; when people see us, they see Christ. We long to have our faith made real by words and deeds that glorify God. Simply put, Jesus changes everything. We’d love to have you join us in the process of exploring what it means to follow Jesus more and more deeply.
Multiplying
An integral part of our story is that we love to start new things. Our collective efforts as a church have enthusiastically initiated and participated in the launch of Renovation Church in Blaine (2009), Ignite Church in Oakdale (2012), Hope Bridge Church in Plymouth (2012), Revision Church in Des Moines, IA (2015), and Catalyst White Bear in White Bear Lake, MN (2021). These churches have since multiplied into even more church plants! We've also commissioned an area developer for Young Life in the greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.
We are always actively preparing for our next church plant and are looking forward to how God will lead us in these efforts.
We are always actively preparing for our next church plant and are looking forward to how God will lead us in these efforts.