Our vision
is to see cities transformed by equiping people to know Christ, experience Community, and influence Culture.
MEET OUR tEAM
stephen & karen blandino
Lead Pastors
Stephen Blandino is the Lead Pastor at 7 City Church. He holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Regent University and a Bachelor of Science in Church Ministries from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Prior to 7 City Church, Stephen served as an executive pastor and vice-president of a leadership development organization.
Stephen is experienced in local church ministry, non-profit leadership, coaching, and organizational development. He's also the host of the Leader Fluent Podcast, and he's the author of several books including Insanely Practical Leadership, Stop Chasing Easy, and Do Good Works, and co-author with Karen Blandino of Unexpected: What to Do When Life Disrupts Your Plans.
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Karen holds a Master’s in Counseling from TCU and a Bachelor of Arts in History from UTA. Karen is a Licensed Profssional Counselor with a private counseling practice in Fort Worth. Prior to launching her own practice, Karen served twenty years in public education as a teacher and school counselor.
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Stephen and Karen planted 7 City Church in 2012 with a vision to see cities transformed by equipping people to know Christ, experience community, and influence culture.
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Stephen was born in Lakenheath, England, lived in Florida and Alaska, and grew up in Texas (His parents were in the Air Force). Karen was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. Stephen and Karen have one daughter, Ashley, son-in-law, Dylan, and two grandsons, Elijah and Wyatt. Stephen & Karen enjoy reading, movies, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
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Website: www.stephenblandino.com
Website: www.karenblandino.com
Aaron Brown
Worship & Media Pastor
Aaron has been serving at 7 City since 2023 as the Worship & Media Pastor. He is passionate about reaching people with the good news of the Gospel through all forms of media and helping them connect with the life-changing presence of Jesus through worship. Aaron enjoys listening to a good history podcast, working in his yard, and spending time with his wife and four kids—especially at Six Flags Over Texas. He is excited to see Fort Worth transformed as people come to know Christ, experience community at 7 City, and influence the areas of culture they are connected to.
braden abrams
Next-Gen & Young Adults Pastor
Braden has been serving at 7 City since 2023 as the Next-Gen Pastor. He is passionate about leading the next generation and helping them know Christ, experience community, and influence culture. Braden loves spending time with his wife, playing basketball, and dominating as a legendary Putt-Putt champion. He is excited to see how the 7 City community will continue shaping the next generation in Fort Worth for Christ.
Amanda Nagasaka
Connections & Media Director
Amanda has been serving at 7 City since 2023 as the Connections and Media Director. She is passionate about helping people get connected, find their community, and discover their place by using their passions and talents to serve on City Teams. Amanda loves spending time with her husband and two boys, buying more books than she can read, and engaging in creative pursuits. She is excited to see how God continues to make 7 City a place where people can grow in faith and community.
brooke richardson
Administrative Assistant
Brooke has been serving at 7 City since 2022 as our Administrative Assistant. She is passionate about supporting the lead pastor and staff, as well as serving the church. Brooke loves exploring new coffee shops, reading, building her ever-growing to-be-read library, and being outdoors. She finds joy in supporting people and teams in reaching their ministry goals by resourcing, assisting, and championing them. Brooke is excited to see how God continues to move in Fort Worth through 7 City.
Our dream
We dream of a church that transforms cities. We envision a church that shapes the future of societies locally and globally. We envision a church that equips people to know Christ personally and be transformed by the power of His Spirit and His Word. We dream of a church committed to authentic, biblical, Christ-centered community with other followers of Christ. We envision a church that awakens people to their God-given purpose and unleashes them to grow to their full capacity. We see a church that mentors and mobilizes emerging generations to create the future. We envision a church that positively influences culture. We dream of a church that is outrageously generous and is committed to seeing people redeemed to Christ and societies restored to their God-intended design. We envision a church that changes the future.
OUR STORY
In January of 2012, after years of prayer and reflection, Stephen and Karen Blandino made a decision to start a church in the West 7th area of Fort Worth, Texas.
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Cities are cultural hubs in our world, and cities are commonly shaped by various channels of culture: business, government, education, arts/entertainment/media, healthcare, the social sector, the church, and the family. As one man said, “Christians are called to redeem entire cultures, not just individuals,” and that’s the heart of 7 City’s vision.
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In May of 2012, a building was secured at 2900 W. Lancaster near the West 7th and cultural arts area. Plans were developed and teams were formed, and on Sunday, September 16, 2012, 7 City opened its doors.
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Over the years, 7 City has reached people with the Gospel, served the city of Fort Worth, helped plant churches in other culturally influential cities, and supported missions work around the world. In 2019, 7 City completed a major renovation to enlarge our auditorium, kids space, lobby, and offices to reach more people with the hope of the Gospel.
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Today, 7 City Church is passionate about pursuing its vision to see cities transformed by equipping people to know Christ, experience community, and influence culture. We invite you to join us in this journey.
CORE VALUES
SCRIPTURAL TRUTH
We value Scripture as the ultimate authoritative, original truth.
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BOLD PRAYERS
We value dreaming big and praying bigger.
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AWAKENING PURPOSE
We value unleashing people to fulfill their God-given purpose.
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BIBLICAL COMMUNITY
We value Christ-centered relational community.
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PERSONAL GROWTH
We value personalized and unrelenting lifelong learning.
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CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
We value the redemption of people & the restoration of societies.
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NEXT GENERATION
We value the mentorship and mobilization of emerging generations.
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EXPONENTIAL LEADERSHIP
We value the replication of culture-shaping leaders & churches.
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INTEGRITY + INNOVATION
We value firm integrity coupled with flexible innovation.
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OUTRAGEOUS GENEROSITY
We value unconventional generosity that advances good.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
GOD
God is the Creator of all that exists, both seen and unseen. God is eternal and completely good, knowing all things and having all power. God exists as the Trinity, in three persons, yet one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God passionately desires relationship with us and invites us into a personal relationship with Him. (Genesis 1:1; John 14:6-9, 15-17 and John 16:7-15; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 John 4:9-10)
JESUS
God expressed himself in human form through His son Jesus Christ. He was born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18-23), lived a sinless life (Hebrew 7:26 & I Peter 2:22 & I John 3:4,5), was crucified for the sins of all (2 Corinthians 5:21 & 1 Peter 2:24 & 1 Corinthians 15:4), was buried, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9,11 & Philippians 2:9-11). Forgiveness of our sins and right relationship with God, are found through Him alone (Rom. 10:9-10, Acts 4:12).
THE HOLY SPIRIT
God the Holy Spirit, convicts the world of sin and draws us to the Father (John 16:8); He baptizes us into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13); He leads us to truth (John 16:13); He counsels us (John 14:16); He teaches us (John 14:26); He empowers us (Acts 1:8); He continually fills us (Acts 4:31, Gal. 5:16-25, Eph. 5:18); He distributes gifts to every follower of Christ (1 Cor. 12:4-11). The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are the by-product of a Spirit-filled life and evidence of spiritual maturity.
THE BIBLE
The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs about living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without error. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13 & 2 Peter 1:20-21).
HUMAN BEINGS
People are created in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character (Genesis 2:26). Although every person has the potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called “sin.” By a voluntary act of the will, Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). That first sin had several repercussions. Adam and Eve were excommunicated from the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23), a curse was pronounced (Genesis 3:14-19), the process of physical death began (Genesis 2:17), and man died spiritually (Romans 5:12-19). Sin separated humankind from God (Ephesians 2:11-18) and left man in a fallen or sinful condition (Romans 3:23), thus separating man from God.
SALVATION
Salvation is God's free gift available to anyone willing to accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty (Acts 4:12 & John 14:6). Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins (1 Peter 2:24). He offers each of us a pardon for our sins (Hebrews 9:26) and wants us to become children of God (John 1:12). When we put our faith in Christ, it triggers a spiritual chain reaction. We become the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 3:5). We become citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20-21). We are given eternal life (John 3:16). We are adopted and become children of God (Galatians 4:4-7). Our sins are forgiven and forgotten (Hebrews 8:12). We are credited with the righteousness of Christ (Romans 4:4-5). We are born-again (John 3:3). God takes ownership of us (1 Corinthians 6:20). We receive an eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14 & 1 Peter 1:3-5). We become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
THE CHURCH
The Church is the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) committed to worship God (1 Cor. 12:13), share the redeeming hope of Christ with the world (Acts 1:8 & Mark 16:15-16), and to equip the community of faith to serve others and bring about transformation in society (Ephesians 4:11-16 & 1 Cor. 12:28, 14:12).
WATER BAPTISM
The Scripture teaches that all who repent and believe in Christ are to be baptized (Matthew 28:19). Baptism is a public profession of faith in Christ. It is symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It is a declaration to all that we have died to sin and have been raised to walk in new life in Christ (Romans 6:4).
COMMUNION
Communion consists of two elements: the bread and the cup. Those elements are symbolic of the body and blood of Christ. Communion is a memorial of Christ's sufferings on the cross and a celebration of our salvation (1 Cor. 11:17-34).
MARRIAGE
We believe marriage is defined in the Bible as a covenant, a sacred bond between one man and one woman instituted by and publicly entered into before God
(Matthew 19:4-6).