It didn’t start big.
In fact, for Pastor Ted Pagel Jr., it started with something much quieter—a pull he couldn’t ignore. Originally from near Nashville, Tennessee, Pagel and his wife, Tonia, didn’t just stumble into the Mississippi Gulf Coast. They came with intention, bringing their family—six children and nine grandchildren—and a sense that Ocean Springs was where they were meant to be.
Center Pointe Church itself began simply, too. On January 16, 2011, a handful of people gathered for the very first service at the Ocean Springs Civic Center. About 85 people showed up that morning—an early glimpse of what could grow from something small and intentional.
From the beginning, the focus has been clear: building relationships and creating space for people to connect in meaningful ways. That’s where Connect Groups became a cornerstone—offering smaller, more personal settings where community could take root beyond Sunday mornings.
What followed wasn’t just the launch of a church. It was the slow, steady building of something rooted in people.
Pagel has always believed the local church can be a force for hope and restoration, but in those early days, that belief looked a lot like hard work—setting up chairs, finding space, building a team, solving problems as they came, and trusting the process even when the full picture wasn’t clear.
“There’s nothing quite like seeing someone walk through the doors and realize, ‘This is home,’” he shared.
That sense of home is what has shaped Center Pointe into what it is today—a growing, multi-generational church where connection comes first. On any given week, around 700 people gather, with nearly 1,000 members and partners overall. More than 200 volunteers help carry the day-to-day work, while children’s and student ministries continue to grow alongside them.
But numbers only tell part of the story.
Spend a little time there, and it becomes clear the real impact shows up in smaller, quieter ways—families finding their footing again, friendships forming across generations, people stepping into roles they may have never imagined for themselves.
Center Pointe has also woven itself into the broader Ocean Springs community, supporting outreach efforts locally while staying connected to mission work beyond the Coast. It’s a reflection of something Pagel believes deeply—that strong churches and strong communities go hand in hand.
That mindset carries into everything, from Sunday services to small groups to the way the team operates behind the scenes. Because while Pagel may be the one leading, he’s quick to point out this was never meant to be built around one person. It’s a shared effort, carried by people who believe in what they’re building together.
Beyond the church itself, Pagel is also a writer, using books and teaching to extend that same message of growth and purpose beyond the pulpit.
At the end of the day, Center Pointe doesn’t try to compete for attention in a town already known for its character and creativity. Instead, it fits right in—another place where people gather, where stories unfold, and where, over time, something lasting is being built
