Our Story
Where It All Began
3 Degrees began in 1989 under its former name, The New Union, and was an outreach of Living Word Christian Center. The purpose was two-fold: to present the Gospel in a relevant and accessible way for people who wouldn’t necessarily step foot inside a church and to provide a safe and entertaining place for Christians of all denominations to come together.
Pastors Steve and Nancy Aleksuk met at The New Union as volunteers when the ministry was just starting. After getting married in 1990, they were given the reins of the ministry in early 1992. Originally housed in the old Union Bar and Grille in Northeast Minneapolis, the ministry purchased and renovated the Falldin American Legion building in January 1994.
Shortly after that move, the passion to reach the city for Christ became the driving force in relocating to the heart of the entertainment district downtown. 3 Degrees wanted to be in the optimum location for reaching people outside the walls of the church. From that point, preparations and prayer were focused on getting the ministry more centrally located and in a larger facility to accommodate growth. The New Union also began holding church services in 1998, one of the first to do so in a “night-club” setting.
In October 2003, with an extraordinary volunteer effort, 3 Degrees relocated to the Warehouse District in downtown Minneapolis under its current name. The move garnered an enormous amount of media attention from a feature in Newsweek and Rolling Stone magazines to national and international TV news and radio coverage, as well as all local media outlets. 3 Degrees was built with state-of-the-art sound and lighting and, at the time, was the largest nightclub in the Twin Cities. Most importantly, however, was the amount of people reached with the Gospel on a regular basis. In 2008 alone, close to 800 people prayed the prayer of salvation for the first time through the concert ministry and church services at 3 Degrees.
Still pastored by Steve and Nancy, 3 Degrees launched out on its own in January of 2008. By the end of 2008, the ministry had scaled back on concerts and adapted to a schedule more appropriate for a smaller church and congregation to manage. At the same time 3 Degrees shifted its focus to include a broader range of community outreaches as well as adding Bible studies and small groups to enhance the spiritual growth of its congregation.
In March 2011, 3 Degrees moved once again, this time across the street. Initially the ministry was blessed with the use of two facilities; holding Sunday services, limited events and concerts at Epic Event Center while all other church activities including Wednesday night service were being held one building over. In January of 2014 all church services and activities were combined in our current location.
We love the Warehouse District and look forward to continuing to reach those around us with the love of God.
Where did the name 3° come from?
The name 3°
was given to one of our leaders during a time of prayer as we were preparing to move downtown. Shortly after that, Pastor Steve was lead to Exodus when Moses asked God to show him His Glory. 3 Degrees then became, for us, 3 Degrees of God’s glory. With the following scriptures, our mandate as a ministry from God was solidified. These 3 things represent what we want people to experience when they come through our doors.
3 Degrees
His Presence
Exodus 33:15-16
Who are we? The people of God
What are we? A work of God
Where are we? A place of God
His Goodness
Exodus 33:18-19
Grace: James 4:6
Mercy: Psalm 107:1
Repentance: Romans 2:4
His Spirit
Exodus 33:7-10
Natural Realm in signs and wonders: Mark 16:20
Soulish Realm in intellectual revelation: 3 John 2
Spiritual Realm in the gifts of the Spirit: 1 Cor. 12:7
Everything we do as a ministry is founded on scripture and birthed in prayer. The number 3 is God’s number of completion and He is faithful to complete the work He has started in us!