Join us in expanding our College Ministry by purchasing a third ministry home, remodeling our two existing homes (known as A2 houses) and hiring a new staff member — all to invest in the next generation of disciple-makers.
Hear the heart behind our Right Next Door Capital Campaign.
Campaign Progress
April 2026 Update
Thank you for the incredible generosity you’ve shown through the Right Next Door Capital Campaign. Together, our church donated over $750,000—far surpassing our original $500,000 goal.
Our contractor is in place and renovation plans are set. Once students move out of the houses in early May, demolition and renovations will begin shortly after. At the same time, we are looking to hire a third Campus Focus staff member before the Fall semester and the search is actively moving forward. We also continue to pray for an opportunity to secure a third house.
Join us in prayer as we seek God’s guidance for the new staff member and the third house!
What is Campus Focus?
Be encouraged at what God is doing in the lives of students through our College Ministry, Campus Focus.
To put it simply, Campus Focus is the College Ministry of The Chapel.
Campus Focus has a simple heartbeat: connect people to God. Whatever their background, worldview or experience, our desire is that college age students would find Campus Focus to be a safe, welcoming place where they can ask difficult questions about life and faith and, ultimately, come to know Jesus and know Him more.
What are the A2 Houses?
The A2 Houses take their name from Acts 2, where the early church lived together in deep, missional, Christian community. Located right next to the University of Akron, these two student homes have become a key ministry hub for the ongoing work of our College Ministry.
Since being gifted to The Chapel in 2017, the A2 houses have provided a space for:
Connections for evangelism
Small group meetings & discipleship training
Students living together and being discipled within a close-knit Christian community (residents pay a modest rent)
Outdoor activities & fellowship
The A2 Houses aren’t just places to live — they’re tools for ministry.
Why are the A2 Houses Important?
Being steps away from campus is more than a convenience — it’s a strategic advantage for reaching students at a pivotal stage of life. College is a season of searching: for identity, belonging, purpose, and truth.
Having homes that are visibly rooted in Christian community, located right next to where students live and learn, becomes a powerful and consistent witness. It communicates to students who might never step into a church building, “You are welcome here. God is near. Life is different in this place. Here you can discover a better way to live.”
It’s hospitality as evangelism. It’s presence as ministry. And when students see Christian community lived out — daily, authentically, and right next door — it makes the message of Jesus impossible to ignore.
See the impact of how God is moving through the A2 houses by hearing Alanna and Israel’s story.
A Rare and God-given
Opportunity
To steward the growth God is bringing to our College Ministry, we are prayerfully moving forward with three goals.
Purchase a Third A2 House
We are prayerfully looking to purchase a third house to expand our ministry to students. The new space comes with a new opportunity.
We believe God is leading us into a season of growth with the prospect of acquiring a house nearby. This will expand the number of students who can participate in the discipleship and evangelism initiatives of the house, as well as create additional flexible space for:
Bible studies
Worship and prayer nights
Leadership training
Fellowship and evangelistic outreach
Renovate Existing A2 Houses
After years of regular use, our A2 houses are in urgent need of updating so we can expand their impact for the next generation of students. Below are our renovation goals:
Women’s House
These students have a heart for hospitality, but the house can’t currently accommodate it. Our vision is to open up the downstairs to create a more inviting space for hosting, gathering, and mentoring.
Expand and modernize the kitchen to better support shared meals and group events
Remove several load bearing walls to create a more open indoor hosting space
Renovate two bathrooms to ensure comfort, safety, and functionality for the women who live there
New flooring, fresh paint, and updates throughout to create a warm, welcoming environment
Men’s House
The men’s house was previously updated to accommodate the ministry’s needs and plays a key role in day-to-day, life-on-life discipleship.
New flooring upstairs to replace worn-out areas
Fresh paint and updates throughout to brighten and refresh the entire house
Address a basement water issue to protect the structural integrity of the house
Outdoor Space
These houses will share a combined outdoor area that has already become a favorite gathering place for students.
Pave the driveway and improve accessibility
Redesign the outdoor space to better accommodate worship nights, cookouts, deep conversations around the fire, and outreach events
Current A2 Spaces
Our Vision for the A2 Spaces
Hire a Third Staff Member
Invest in three years of salary, benefits, and ministry support for another full-time staff position to expand this life-changing ministry of over 250 college students.
Adding an additional staff member will increase our capacity to support those living in the houses and expand our outreach and evangelism at the residences and on-campus ministry to non-believers.
Got Questions?
For more information, or to discuss your commitment, please contact rightnextdoor@thechapel.life.
Thank you for prayerfully considering this opportunity! We look forward to your response.