OUR HISTORY

In the Summer of 1986, after a core group began meeting as a Sunday School class at Christ Presbyterian Church, Christ Community Church was particularized as a PCA church with Senior Pastor Scotty Smith.

Christ Community Church began meeting in the Historic Downtown Franklin Chapel on the corner of Third Avenue and Church Street. This marked the first time C3 as a church formally gathered.

From our home on Third Avenue, Christ Community Church launched Storehouse Ministries in 1988, offering aid and assistance to families in Franklin in immediate financial crisis.

Growing quickly, the church expanded into surrounding buildings, moving into the old First Baptist Church building where every seat – even the choir loft and window seats – were filled. During the 1990s, the church rented out spaces, including the Franklin Theatre, to house all of the children in the nursery and the Sunday School classes.

In 1995, GraceWorks Ministries was launched as a collaborative effort between the church and the community, providing a central place to send people who needed help with food, clothing and financial assistance. Today, GraceWorks has expanded its reach to focus on family support, instructional programs, seasonal needs, and hunger prevention.

Begun in prayer in 1991, Paige Overton Pitts and Scott Roley answered the call to launch a new school in Franklin. New Hope Academy began its first school year in the Fall of 1996 as a school where where children of differing ethnic and economic backgrounds could sit side-by-side in the classroom and receive a top-quality classical education.

In November of 1996, Christ Community celebrated its 10 year anniversary, packing out the old Convention Center in Downtown Nashville.

Christ Community Church held a special Christmas Eve Service at the “Mother Church” in downtown Nashville, historic Ryman Auditorium, on December 24, 1996.

On Good Friday 1998, C3 began Resurrection Trail – a special event for all ages to experience an interactive journey through the last week that Jesus walked the earth.

In 1998, Christ Community members helped establish the Mercy Children’s Clinic in downtown Franklin, seeing patients later that year in a small house on Ninth Avenue.

After our successful “Growing by Grace” Capital Campaign, Christ Community Church broke ground on our current property at 1215 Hillsboro Road in October of 1999.

Pastor Scotty Smith cut the ribbon and Christ Community Church worshiped together on September 9, 2001 – our first Sunday on our property here at 1215 Hillsboro Road.

In the Fall of 2004, Mustard Seed Preschool opened at Christ Community Church to provide preschoolers with a grace-based education. The school quickly became a beloved part of our church and community.

On November 19, 2006, we celebrated our 20th Anniversary! Songs, stories, and a heart posture of gratitude were shared as we recounted the Lord’s faithfulness over the past 20 years at C3.

In the Fall of 2008, inspired by a sermon from founding Pastor Scotty Smith, Christ Community Church launched Stewards Garden – our community garden located on our back property.

After 25 years of faithful service to the Lord, to the Lord’s people, and to our community, Pastor Scotty Smith retired in 2012 and Interim Senior Pastor Tony Giles began serving us as we searched for our new pastor.

After a long search, God provided for our church and Pastor David Cassidy was installed as our Senior Pastor on Sunday, May 4, 2014. David faithfully served our church with a passion for the gospel of grace.

On November 20, 2016, we celebrated our 30th Anniversary – From Franklin to the Ends of the Earth – praising the Lord for 30 years of gospel transformation felt in and through our community.

Christ Community’s call to RISE & BUILD a new youth lodge for the discipleship of the next generation culminated in a dedication service of the $5.4 million facility that serves students across Williamson County.

After Lead Pastor David Cassidy’s transition to Spanish River Church in Boca Raton, Florida, Randy Lovelace is named and officially installed as Lead Pastor of Christ Community Church.

In recognition of his 34 years of faithful service to Christ Community Church, we celebrated the retirement of Pastor Mike Smith and also voted to call him as a Pastor Emeritus for C3.