The History of Christian Family Chapel

Christian Family Chapel (CFC), an independent, nondenominational Bible Church, began in June 1973 with seven families who desired a church committed to literal interpretation of the Word, expository teaching, a conservative doctrine, and a philosophy of ministry patterned closely after the church seen in the pages of the New Testament. While more common in other parts of the country, especially in the western United States, Bible Churches were, and continue to be, far less common in the primarily denominational South.

Our first services were held in a home in Ortega. Shortly thereafter, discovering a like-minded group of families on the other side of the river, both groups met together in the offices of a southside packaging company. After six more moves in the next 5 years to donated or rented space in various parts of the city, CFC moved to The Bolles School, a private school in the San Jose area. We met there for the next five years. Finally, in January 1982, CFC purchased property, built and moved to its present location on St. Augustine Road. Since moving to Mandarin, CFC has grown from 60+ families to over 1,200 members, requiring three Sunday morning worship services.

From a staff of one in 1973, CFC has grown to a current staff of 11 pastors, along with seven full-time and eight part-time support staff. CFC's preschool, Precious Promises, employs another 23 people and serves 200 students.