BRANSON, Mo. -- After two and a half years of unsuccessfully trying to purchase a vacant theater to house his growing congregation, the Rev. Larry Craig decided it was time to abandon the idea.

With an asking price of $2.5 million, Craig said the theater was simply too costly for the congregation, according to Baptist Press. The church had all but given up after numerous purchase attempts had failed.

"We sought God's face and did everything we could," Craig said. "I finally told the church that we have tried this long enough. I told them it was nothing but an emotional roller coaster, so we just started planning for three services and three Sunday schools. I told them I guess God wants us to stay right here."

That's when he said God stepped in, orchestrating a divine appointment between a 16-year-old church member and a man in a restaurant who was instrumental in securing the theater for Skyline Southern Baptist Church.

The man visited the restaurant where the girl was a waitress last year and struck up a conversation, asking her if she was a Christian and, if so, where she went to church.

"She told him she went to Skyline, that it was a growing church but couldn't afford to buy the theater property," Craig said. "The man told her maybe he could help, got the church's phone number and left."

The man, it turns out, is a close friend of David Green, founder and president of Hobby Lobby, an Oklahoma City-based chain of 307 stores specializing in home accessories, picture framing and other arts and crafts.

The company is involved in several ministries, BP reported, and purchased the theater for Skyline. The church took possession of the theater Dec. 31, 2002, and conducted its first service there Jan. 1. Craig said he still finds it hard to believe.

"In my prayer time this morning, I said, ‘Thank you, Lord, for the folks from Hobby Lobby,'" he said. "I know now that they have helped other churches, too. We didn't seek them out. We didn't even know they existed when it happened."

Sunday morning attendance has grown to about 650 since moving into the building.