SMCC celebrates 25th anniversary during October

SMCC's 25-year celebration and 2030 vision share the same theme: Welcome to The Party.

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SMCC is celebrating its 25th anniversary during the month of October. Photo: SMCC

Anyone who looks back at the 25-year history of South Mountain Community Church can quickly see God’s faithfulness in building a body of believers, transforming thousands of lives and rescuing people from spiritual darkness in the state of Utah.

This October, SMCC is thanking God for the work he has done in the past, celebrating the work God is doing in the present and dreaming about the work he will do in the future as they celebrate their 25th anniversary.

SMCC story includes multiple sites, growing congregations

Paul Robie moved his family to the Salt Lake City area in 1998 to plant a church. Photo:SMCC

In March of 1998, Paul and Jini Robie moved with their two boys to plant a church in Draper, Utah. At that time, the city of Draper had a population of approximately 28,000, and yet, no Protestant churches. So, the Robies began by starting a Bible study in their home.

The early days were difficult, but Robie embraced a “whatever it takes” mindset, and slowly momentum began to grow. The small but enthusiastic group decided it was time to meet on Sundays, with 45 people at their first church service in a small office space. The church quickly outgrew this space and subsequent expansion projects and needed a larger home. By Easter of 2000, a new warehouse would be home to over 300 people.

In 2005, a decision was made to open a new campus in the Daybreak Community on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. In January 2009, The Springs Church officially became the SMCC St. George Campus.

In 2012, the SMCC Draper Campus moved into its own 42,000-square-foot facility. This beautiful facility is a significant statement to the greater Salt Lake community that biblical Christianity is alive and well in Utah. ​

In the fall of 2015, SMCC launched its 5th campus in Lehi, Utah. They currently meet in a beautiful warehouse facility in the heart of northern Utah County. ​

In the summer of 2022, Robie retired from full-time ministry and Eric Nelson assumed the role of lead pastor for the next chapter of ministry in Utah.

In the summer of 2021, SMCC lead pastor Paul Robie, right, announced his plans to retiire. On June 26, 2022, SMCC hosted an Installation Service to celebrate the legacy and story of Jini and Pastor Paul Robie while looking forward to continued mission and vision through Pastor Eric Nelson as the next lead pastor. Photo: SMCC

Best days are ahead

As SMCC looks to the future, the mission remains the same. SMCC exists to help as many people as possible become fully devoted and fully delighted followers of Jesus Christ. It’s this joy-filled culture that has brought SMCC to where it is today.

Today, SMCC exists in five locations, hosting 11 services each Sunday with nearly 4,000 people in attendance. Last year alone, SMCC saw 3,777 first time guests, 578 first time givers, 135 baptisms, 1,874 people in groups and 1,343 people volunteering on teams. After 25 years, SMCC continues to fulfill its mission.

“The best days of SMCC are ahead,” Robie says.

Under Nelson’s leadership, the leadership team at SMCC has begun the work of creating a new strategic plan that will take SMCC into the year 2030. This strategic work will introduce new initiatives, new campuses and new spaces for SMCC to go wider through its multi-site strategy and deeper in its devotion to Jesus through discipleship strategies.

“The future of SMCC will include more devotion as we desire to increase our commitment to Jesus, more delight as we desire to elevate our joy in Jesus and more people as we desire to expand our impact for Jesus,” Nelson says.

A month-long party

The theme for the 25-year celebration and the 2030 vision is the same: Welcome to The Party. Throughout the Bible, the delight and community of our trinitarian God overflows to the world as he invites people into a relationship with him which is often described as a feast, a celebration or a party. The best parties always include deep joy, rich community and close friends with good food, great conversation and loud music.

This theme is clearly seen in the story of the prodigal sons in Luke 15:11-32 as the father in the story invites both the religious and irreligious son into the party to share in his delight. This is the scene in John 2 when Jesus keeps the party going at the wedding in Cana. It’s also seen in Revelation 19:6-9 where the Apostle John gives believers a picture of a joy-filled celebration of King Jesus. This scene is loud, crowded and full of celebration. It’s a party.

At SMCC, we want to invite as many people as possible into the party of devotion and delight in a relationship with Jesus. This party is more than just a one-time event but rather a way of life in God’s kingdom. While SMCC celebrates this October with special videos, theological seminars, songs and messages from people from the past, the theme is about more than just a moment in time but an expression of joy for the future.

Everyone is welcome to this party and SMCC will continue to invite people in Utah, who have not experienced this before, to full devotion and full delight with Jesus. The people of SMCC are ready for another 25 years of delighted ministry in Utah.

Hear the story of South Mountain Community Church as told by Paul Robie to Eric Nelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=lkin0TfuDb4

This 25th anniversary report is provided by SMCC.

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