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Countryside Christian Center will celebrate a 20-year metamorphosis from a tiny, intimate gathering to a 3,500-member congregation.
By EILEEN SCHULTE
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 3, 2001
CLEARWATER -- Like most great success stories, this one has a humble beginning.
The tale that has achieved legendary status among those at Countryside Christian Center began was 20 years ago, when John Lloyd, founder of the Christian Retreat Center in Bradenton, met Paul Eckly of Clearwater.
The two men decided to start a church in the area.
Soon, eight Christians gathered in Eckly's Countryside area living room. They ignored the TV and other distractions and started singing and praying with abandon, honoring the God they love.
Of course, Lloyd had no idea that 20 years later he and a decidedly larger group would be celebrating the church's 20th anniversary at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
None of them did.
They recall that first service as a joyful time of faith and fellowship, guitar playing and praying, even though it drew less than a dozen people.
"Pastor Lloyd said, "Where God is, the people will come,' " said pastor Glenn Davis, now the youth minister at the church. "And they did."
Davis, who was 16 at the time, wasn't there that first night; he first attended two weeks later. By then the congregation had almost doubled in size.
They held services at Eckly's home for just under a year, and during that time, more and more people came, up to 80.
"It was cramped and packed out," Davis said.
So the church moved to the Kapok Tree Restaurant ballroom and had services there for about a year. The church grew rapidly; up to 300 people worshiped at the restaurant on Sundays. Some ate in the dining room after services.
"It was very contemporary," Davis said. "It was a very electric atmosphere. It was very different from anything this area had ever seen. We were on the cutting edge of contemporary services."
When it outgrew the Kapok Tree, a man named James Gills offered a space on the 12th floor of the 1100 Building on Cleveland Street -- rent free. Church members created a suitable sanctuary. The church members worshiped there for about three years, and the congregation grew to 800.
"Life was interesting there," said Davis, noting the congregation had to ride an elevator to go to church. "There were times the building would be rocking. You've got 500 people swaying and clapping."
Finally, in 1986, a permanent 1,500-seat sanctuary was constructed on McMullen-Booth Road. The congregation has grown to 3,500.
The church has become a mecca for Christian music artists, some of them nationally famous, including Natalie Grant and the Supertones.
It also has a training school for ministers and pastors, a preschool and a first-grade class. It plans to add more elementary grades. That's not all for this growing church.
"There's a possibility of a new sanctuary. We've had preliminary plans drawn up," Davis said. "We're now praying for direction."
Countryside Christian Center will celebrate its 20th anniversary at 10 a.m. Sunday at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. There will be special guests and performers. Admission is free. Call (727) 799-1618.