This Is Our Story
How a vision, a city, and a gospel that changes everything became Vertical Church.
Built for Phoenix. Built for People.
Vertical didn't start with a building. It started with a conviction — that the gospel is powerful enough to change anyone, and that Phoenix deserved a church that actually believed that.
In 2015, Pastor Marcus Reyes planted Vertical with a small group of people and a mission that was anything but small: help people take their next step with Jesus, no matter where they're starting. No prerequisites. No fine print. Just real faith for real people in a real city.
What started as a gathering has grown into one of Phoenix's most dynamic church communities — known for high-energy worship, preaching that hits different, and a room that somehow feels both massive and personal at the same time. People walk in skeptical and leave stunned. We've heard it more than once: "I can't believe that was a church service."
That's not an accident. Every element of what we do — the music, the message, the atmosphere — is built around one idea: that an encounter with Jesus should be the most compelling experience in your week.
Vertical is non-denominational, which means we're not beholden to tradition for tradition's sake. We're free to ask what actually works, what actually reaches people, and what actually reflects the Jesus we read about in Scripture. That freedom fuels everything.
We're still becoming. Still planting our feet deeper into this city. Still making room for anyone who walks through the door. Wherever you're coming from — faith background, no faith background, burned out, brand new — there's a next step here with your name on it.
What We're Built On
We exist to help people take their next step with Jesus — no matter where they're starting. These are the values that drive everything we do.
Scripture First
Everything we preach, teach, and build is rooted in the Word. We believe the Bible is alive, authoritative, and more relevant than anything else on your feed.
Next Step Faith
We're not interested in spectators. We believe every person has a next step with Jesus, and we're relentless about helping people find it and take it.
Bold Worship
We bring everything when we worship — energy, intention, and full surrender. Our services are designed to create space for real encounters with God.
Radical Welcome
There's no version of you that doesn't belong here. Vertical is built for people who are still figuring it out — because that's all of us.
Excellence Matters
We pursue excellence not to impress, but because the message deserves our best. Great production, dynamic preaching, and intentional environments reflect the weight of what we're doing.
Life Together
Church was never meant to be a Sunday event. We believe real transformation happens in community — in rooms smaller than the weekend, with people who actually know your name.
What We Believe
We believe in one God who exists as three distinct persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, and endlessly good. Everything begins and ends with Him.
We believe Jesus is fully God and fully human — that He lived a perfect life, died on the cross in our place, and rose from the dead three days later. His resurrection is the hinge point of all history, and it changes everything for everyone who believes.
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God — true, trustworthy, and alive. It's not a rulebook or a relic; it's the story of a God who relentlessly pursues people, and it speaks directly into where you are right now.
We believe salvation is a gift — not something you earn, perform, or maintain on your own. When you place your trust in Jesus, you are forgiven, restored, and made new. That's the gospel, and it never gets old.
We believe the Holy Spirit is fully God and actively present in the world today. He lives inside every believer, empowering them to grow, serve, and reflect Jesus in ways they never could on their own.
We believe the local church is the hope of the world — not a building, but a people. Vertical exists to be that people in Phoenix: united by the gospel, sent into the city, and fiercely committed to each other's growth.
We believe every person was made for more than this life. Those who trust in Jesus will spend eternity with God — fully known, fully loved, fully alive. That hope doesn't make the present less meaningful; it makes it more.
The People Behind Vertical
Lead Pastor
Marcus Reyes
Pastor Marcus planted Vertical in 2015 with a vision to reach the next generation with a gospel that changes everything.