MEC Celebrates 25 Years!

Twenty-five years ago, on Sunday evening, January 11, 1987, Maryville Evangelical Church worshiped for the first time in the home of one of the founders. This small group of adults and children (22 in total) began a journey of faith, faith that their Lord Jesus would provide for a family of like-minded Gospel believers. Such a congregation would desire more than anything else that they would be fed from the whole counsel of the Word of God, Genesis through Revelation, making them a blessing to each other as they seek to glorify God in their lives.

Their initiative grew from the concern of liberal theology that had crept into once sound and faithful denominations - theology that was man-centered and not God-centered, theology based on "I" rather than on the mercy and grace of God the Father, and the person and work of Jesus Christ, for "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 ESV) This desire to be edified by the bold preaching and teaching from the Word of God and to raise their children to know the love of the one who saved them has brought them to this twenty-five year milestone.

In its infancy, the congregation was blessed to have Dr. Henry Schum, Development Coordinator for the Tennessee Valley Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) help with establishing this family of God at 3715 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway. Dr. Schum of the "Uncle Hank" television ministry traveled from Chattanooga each week to preach, teach, counsel, and minister to hungry sinners. In the fall of 1987 Maryville Evangelical Church became a particular congregation of the PCA (pcanet.org). The Reverend Russell B. Sukhia became full-time pastor in 1988 ministering until 2001. During this period the congregation increased its foreign ministry, supporting missionaries in England, France, Africa, and Indonesia. The increase in attendance required the building of a worship center which was dedicated to the Lord in September, 1996.

In 2001 Reverend Mark E. Horn, a graduate of Covenant Theology Seminary in St. Louis, MO, became pastor. Pastor Horn preaches exegetically from scripture concerning the fall and sin of man, man's condition that makes it impossible for him to be good enough to obtain eternal life by good works (as it is written, "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." Romans 3: 10-12 ESV), and the mercy and grace of God and the sacrifice of the living Christ who is our only hope for salvation. ("For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." Romans 9:15-16 ESV)

During this current season of faith, our mission is to glorify God by growing a loving community of believers committed to Biblical worship, teaching, prayer, evangelism, discipleship, and service. The preservation of this body of Christ is due to His faithfulness. He alone deserves the praise. May His name be glorified in heaven and in all the earth! In the name of Jesus Christ Maryville Evangelical Church celebrates twenty-five years of faith.

Please visit our website (maryvillepca.org) for information on worship and fellowship, theology, sermons, missions and ministry, and contacts.