Through every season, God has proven Himself faithful. As we continue to know Him and make Him known, our heart remains the same: to live differently, to proclaim the Gospel, and to equip the Bride of Christ for His glory.

On September 1, 1974, a small group of believers gathered in the Dante home—what later became our “old church building.” Led by Pastor Bill Rose, they held the very first service of McMinnville Christian Center. Just days later, on September 4, the church was officially established as a non-profit ministry.

In those early months, Sunday gatherings moved from the Dante home to the VFW Hall, then to the Grange Hall. By early 1975, the church had rented a house at 327 E 5th Street for office space and small group meetings.

By 1978, Sunday services shifted to the “New Junior High” (now Patton Middle School), while the church began pursuing purchase of the “Old Junior High” property—now home to Shari’s and a strip mall.

In 1979, we bought the Dante home and a half-acre lot, moving church offices and small meetings there. The following year, we purchased the rest of the five-acre site—partly funded by a $73,000 mortgage at 22% interest!

In 1982, we poured the foundation for a new building, but construction paused in 1983. During this time, Pastor Bill Rose passed leadership to Pastor Ron Smith, and we became part of the Calvary Chapel family.

Throughout the late 1980s, the church remodeled and reimagined the original building to serve our growing congregation. Then, in 1992, planning resumed for the long-awaited building project—designed around the original 1982 foundation.

In 1993, we launched our first Youth Group Bike Trip—a tradition that continues to this day. Two years later, in 1995, we legally changed our name to Calvary Chapel of McMinnville.

Construction of the new church building began in 1998, and we purchased a lot on Cypress for better access. In 2000, after much prayer and persistence, our new building was dedicated to the Lord.

In 2003, KKJC-LP FM went live at 96.3FM, broadcasting God’s Word to our local community.

Our missions focus expanded in 2006 when Dave and Rayma Barnhart planted a church in Perm, Russia. In 2008, Thom and Cindy Carden launched Calvary West Valley in Sheridan, Oregon.

Planning for the second phase of our building began in 2013, with construction starting in 2015. By 2017, we completed five new classrooms upstairs, plus a large fellowship hall and commercial kitchen downstairs—creating space to equip the church for ministry and community.

In 2018, Pastor Ron Smith transitioned leadership to Pastor Brian Carlson, who faithfully served until 2023, when Pastor Zach Lamberson stepped into the role of lead pastor.