In February 2005, leaders from Fountain of Life Church in Lombard, Illinois shared their heart – to see the generation of young people that have been leaving churches around the nation in droves return again. As a result of this, a group of ten friends responded. They spent the next few months meeting together, praying, and asking God what He wanted and how they could help. They listened, and God answered. A vision of God’s heart was laid out that conveyed the purpose of this ministry, its calling, and its name. It would be The Edge.

Why “The Edge,” you might ask? We asked the same question. We thought, of the millions of different names that could be given to a ministry or group of people, this certainly wasn’t anything new or creative. It wasn’t witty or unique like we had imagined. And yet somehow we couldn’t seem to escape this name. Then God hit us with it: this wasn’t a name designed for simply attracting the masses; this was a name that spoke of our purpose, our calling, and our destiny.

The edge of something is often scary, unknown, and uncertain. There is danger in the end of a blade or standing on the edge of a cliff. As people, we stand on the edge – in places of change and uncertainty that are often difficult and intimidating. We’re bombarded w/questions and decisions: whether or not to go college or into the workforce, graduating from college and getting a “real” job, figuring out what to do with the “rest of our lives”, getting married, buying a home, staring a family, becoming empty-nesters, or losing people we love, etc. The only certainty in this life that God gives us is that change will happen. To go through this life alone, trying to figure it all out is not only overwhelming and exhausting, but impossible. We believe that we weren’t made to go through this life alone – but that God created us to live life together.

Spiritually, the edge is also a place where God calls us as believers to stand in. It’s the place where we are growing, changing, and becoming something we’ve never been before…transformed into someone more like Jesus. This is the place where we aren’t just satisfied or complacent, but where we strive to pursue God and His will, purpose and plan for us. It’s the end of ourselves, where we fall into the arms of a loving Father and depend upon Him to lead and direct every aspect of our lives. The edge is a place where faith lives, hope endures, and love conquers.

We believe that God is raising up and inspiring a generation of people who truly desire Him; not just the things of God or His hands, but His face. We’re people who are less interested in an organization of religion and rules, and are captivated by a real relationship with God and with one another. We are convinced that God has a call and a purpose for everyone, and it is our desire to see that lived out. We believe that our greatest discovery is to find that this full life we all run after is only truly found in Jesus.

In June 2005, The Edge began, hosting a monthly Saturday night worship service for people from every walk of life. The ministry from its inception has focused on: living prayer, encountering God in His word, passionate worship, radical generosity, missional living, real relationships, responding to the Holy Spirit and a love for the Church at large.

In 2009, leaders from The Edge and Fountain of Life Church began working together on a plan to plant The Edge as a new church in the Aurora area. A church-planting “launch” team of people was created and developed whose mission was to go, serve and help bring this new church to life. Additionally, as part of this process, The Edge joined together with the Association of Related Churches (ARC), a national church-planting organization, who helps to provide training, resources and support.

In September 19, 2010 The Edge was officially launched as a new church.  We know that this doesn't mean that we have "arrived", this isn’t the capstone or culmination of who we are.  Our story here at The Edge is still being written, and we are excited to see what is yet to come. We welcome you to come and join us on this adventure – and be a part of this incredible story that God is writing.