Lascassas Church of Christ

The Lascassas Church of Christ was originally called the Nazareth Christian Church and then the Nazareth Church of Christ.  The churches in Rutherford County bore the name Christian Church until about 1908.  At that time, 65 members left the East Main Street Christian Church to establish the Central Christian Church where they could affiliate with a national missionary society and have an organ in their worship service.  It was at this time that other Christian Churches in the county changed their names to Churches of Christ.

Although it is not known exactly where the early Christians met in this area, the date on our building reads 1872.  Early organizers include Silas McHenry, Sr., Arch Hight, G. E. Bradley, Wesley Rucker, James C. Reeves, M. B. White and James W. Dill.  In 1877, the Christians worshipped in a one-room building, 50 feet by 60 feet, made of lumber, hand-hewn.  It was located on the McHenry farm east of Lofton and on the south side of Liberty Pike, which ran past the Adam S. Butler Cave, and on to the town of Liberty.  That portion of the road is no longer in existence.  Evangelist Thomas Wesley Brents preached the first sermon in the new building and Jesse Sewell was the minister.  He was paid by 48 men and 2 ladies of the congregation pledging from $1.00 to $7.00 each.

In 1911, a log building that had been used as a school was rolled north to the Dill farm on Lascassas-Milton Road.  The Christians worshipped there for 43 years, with few changes made to the building except weather-boarding being applied and the building painted white.  Bird Florida and B. F. Jordan were two of the church leaders during this time, and Mr. Jordan donated the communion table that is still being used today.  Some of the early Lascassas Christians prior to the 1930s still have family members who worship here.  The late Thelma Herrod McElroy (Patsy Morris’ mother), the late Mollie Bowen Floyd (mother of our Emma Jean Vaught & Betty McCullough), the late Jim Bowen (his wife, Mary Belle and his son, David, are currently living at Stones River Manor), and the late Ben Brown (father of Buddy) are names listed in church records as children at that time.  Records later also show that in the early to mid 1940s some of the younger people included present members Earl McCrary, Frank Caffy, Joe McElroy, and later, Linda McCrary (Brown), Buddy Brown, and Patsy McElroy (Morris).

In 1944, Charlie E. Dill deeded a lot to the church for $1.00 but apparently the membership decided not to move at that time.  Then in 1953, the newly named Lascassas Church of Christ bought a one-acre tract from W. F. McCrary where we presently are today.  The first sermon was on June 1, 1954 by I. C. Pullias and lunch was served across the road at the old Lascassas School.  Over the years, improvements have been made such as Sunday School rooms, a baptistry, and restrooms. Carl Hall, Calvin Lester, Keele McElroy and Earl McCrary were some of the leaders during that time.  Edmond Arnold, Wayman Meadows, Wymer Wiser, Ben Austin, Clayton Briley and Leon Stancliff were some of the ministers.

Paul Gray Cooper started his ministry here at Lascassas on the first Sunday of November in 1976.  In December 1979, Ben Haynes, Robert Bowers and Joe McElroy were asked to be elders, and Frank Caffy, Earl McCrary, Keele McElroy, Frank Callaway and Bill Cooper consented to being deacons.  Additions to the church grounds since then include a donation from the Delay family of .2 acre, and the membership buying the adjoining lot and brick house along with building an annex room.  With no other usage for the house at that time, it was soon rented out for several years to various families from the community.

In the mid to late 1990s, we recognized just how much God’s blessings were on our spiritual and numerical growth.  Our membership consisted of almost 60 different households, we often had 100 for Sunday School, 130 for Worship Services, 50 for Sunday Night and 70 for Mid-Week Bible Study.  In 1997, the heirs of Becky McCrary donated 60 feet behind the church for additional parking due to the rapid lack of space.  Also that year, brother Charlie Bowman from the Woodbury congregation began preaching for us the first Sunday of each month in order to give brother Paul Cooper some much-deserved rest.  As the growth continued, Lascassas members rejoiced with the angels as a record high of 17 were baptized into Christ in 1998.  Ben Haynes and Joe McElroy were still our elders but most of our other leaders had resigned, many due to personal health issues.  Mike Huddleston, Mark Neely and Joe Thomson were confirmed as deacons in March 1999, and the following September, brother Bowman felt he could return to his home congregation after our elders hired David West to work part-time along side brother Cooper.

As we entered the new millennium, the Lascassas congregation experienced growth like we never thought possible.  Due to lack of space in the auditorium, a second Sunday Morning Worship Service began in February 2002, but the Sunday Bible Study, the Sunday Evening Worship Service and the Wednesday Bible Study times remained unchanged.  We still, however, were in need of additional classrooms and inside storage as it was not unusual for us to welcome 210+ at the Morning Worship Services and between 110-140 on Sunday night and Wednesday.  It was then the church leaders decided to stop using the brick house next door as rental property but instead use it for storage and a Youth House where Bible Classes could be held on Sunday & Wednesday.

David West continued to preach once or twice a month throughout 2000, ultimately being asked to obtain all pulpit duties when Paul Cooper retired.  Andrew Collins was hired part-time in December 2000 to work with our youth, and not long after, three Christian men agreed to work in the role of deacon…Thom Coats (January 2001), Keith Kellum & Eddie Spears (both in October 2001).  With record attendance being maintained, David West was hired as our full-time minister in June 2002.  But one of the Church’s most memorable years would be 2003.  On March 2^nd of that year, three more of our most respected men…Sam Allen, Ernie Huddleston & Keith Kellum…agreed to become our shepherds along side Ben & Joe, and a remarkable eight men…Bruce Bugg, Darryl Elrod, Alan Jakes, Jerry McCullough, Whit Mitchell, Jon Palmer, Rex Rudd & Don Winningham…stepped forward to fill the role of deacon with Thom, Mike, Mark, Eddie & Joe.  These men lead us in a wide variety of activities such as Vacation Bible School, 5^th Sunday Singings, workshops, Inner City, youth retreats, Senior Christian & Newcomer Dinners, missionary trips…both international & domestic…, community door-knocking, holiday baskets, an annual Family & Friends Day (which this year gathered 519 of our loved ones together at Lascassas Elementary) and many other ministries and fellowship opportunities.  We also celebrated and were blessed with 12 baptisms, 14 restorations, and 14 people placing their membership with us in 2003.

And even though we remained short on space, God always made sure we were not short on working hands and willing hearts.  From 2004 to present day (April 2006), we thankfully have continued a steady climb in attendance with the 8:45 & 11:00 Worship Services together consistently ranging from 230-280…depending as to whether we have members gone on retreats or a great number of visitors with us.  Our Sunday night attendance has also grown, greatly due to a Bible Bowl Class for our 3^rd-7^th graders and a Bible Hour for our 2^nd graders & below.  Wednesday nights have also grown – mainly due to our teenagers making sure they – and often their friends – are with us regularly.  We welcomed a new youth minister in 2005, Jeremy Knox, as Andrew Collins left a year earlier to take a full-time position in Kentucky.  In the past 12 months alone, there have been 64 responses to the Gospel (baptisms & restorations made public) and that doesn’t even count the number of new families who have placed membership with us!  However, we also experienced sadness in 2005 as our beloved former minister, Paul Gray Cooper, died in April of that year.  Also, two of our deacons had to resign for personal reasons…Whit Mitchell (moved to Colorado) & Don Winningham (due to family illness)…but by God’s grace, we gratefully added four more…Mike Brandon, Billy Higginbotham, Smiley May & Chris West...to our leadership in April 2006.   This made us a total of 15 deacons serving our membership.  And believe it or not, our ‘little’ church family has even grew to the point of finally needing an ‘official’ secretary. (J )

But we can not end this history update without mentioning the future we have to look forward to.  After many many years of discussion – by God’s Hand – our congregation has finally been able to purchase adjacent property for a larger facility and ‘breaking ground’ ceremonies are expected to be very soon!  Words can not express the prayers, time & efforts that have been given to a building program here at Lascassas as we all know new facilities will help us to spread God’s word even more, especially in our community, but also around the world.  Due to decisions being made and/or changed daily right now concerning the building, this portion of our Church History will be updated & more definite information given out at a later date.

So by the grace of God, decisions are constantly made to insure that the Church’s future generations are grounded in sound, Biblical teaching that shines bright in this community.  And even though the little country church with empty classrooms and hand-held fans no longer exists, the small-town atmosphere filled with love for Jesus and His Body will always be the foundation of the church of Christ in Lascassas.

"…To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!"