About SOJO

A community
with a cause

And the cause is people.

Know · Grow · GoSeven years, five rooms, a staff, and a move — all of it exists so people can know Life and have it abundantly, grow in peace, and go in purpose.

Who we are

A community
with a cause

That is our vision in five words. The cause is people — and the mission is to help them know life, grow in peace, and go in purpose.

Life is not an achievement you unlock; it is a Person you meet. Peace is not the absence of trouble; it is wholeness that holds when trouble comes. Purpose is not a job title; it is being sent. All three are found in the person and redeeming work of Jesus.

We are a diverse community — multiethnic, multigenerational, from a lot of different starting points — who found something life-changing in common. Beyond anything, we want you to find it too.

How the mission works Our beliefs

We say it like this: healthy, mission-driven, discipleship-focused. And we mean mission-driven literally — committed to our here, our near, and our far: schools, non-profits, local businesses, first responders, and beyond.

Two SOJO women walking arm in arm at a community event

Serving Cabarrus County

"We believe a church should not exist for itself. If we shut our doors, our community should miss us."

The conviction SOJO was built on

Our history

Living room
to Gibson Mill

2017 — A living room in Concord

SOJO started in Corey and Betsy Alley's living room in November 2017. The original idea was small house churches in apartment complexes.

2019 — A school cafeteria

First public worship service on February 24, 2019, in the cafeteria at Weddington Hills Elementary. One-year anniversary March 8, 2020 — and then the world shut down.

2020 — An ice cream shop parking lot

From May to November 2020 we held drive-in services at Papa Robb's. A scary season for the world, and honestly one of the most special seasons we've had as a church.

2020 — Downtown Concord

The opportunity to relocate downtown came in October 2020. First services on Union Street, October 4, 2020. Six years of baptisms, first visits, and answered prayers followed.

2026 — Gibson Mill

On Sunday, September 6, 2026 we move into a historic mill — twice the space, 400+ seats, room for our kids and youth to grow, and a coffee shop open all week long.

Our new home →

Read the whole story

Corey Alley · Lead Pastor

Our pastor

Most people
call him PC

And you can too.

Corey has had a radical transformation. He used to be a product of addiction and the lifestyle that surrounds it. He's carried deep hurt and real pain — and he still loves telling people about the love and purpose Jesus offers. He's one of the most real and relatable people you'll ever meet.

He's married to Betsy, his greatest earthly love, going on twenty years. They have two daughters, Noel and Eden. He's a Central Cabarrus High School graduate with two degrees from UNCC and a master's from Liberty Seminary, and he's lived in Cabarrus County most of his life.

He loves sports, camping, campfires, and fishing. He has a love-hate relationship with the Carolina Panthers and will tell you Cam Newton is the best quarterback to ever play the game. He is passionate about planting churches — here, near, and far.

Mostly, he loves to laugh and make people feel seen and heard.

Our team