It was a quarter-century ago when I first met the remarkable Eric Smith, now co-lead teaching pastor of South Valley Community Church. As he told me of his plans, neither of us knew what the future held for his young congregation.
In 1984, Smith and his wife Carol began meeting with members of five families in a home in Morgan Hill because they felt there were spiritual needs in the community going unmet. As they outgrew the home’s living room, they changed locations: first to a storefront in Gilroy’s El Dorado Plaza strip mall, then to the Social Science building at Gavilan College.
By 1990, they acquired an acre and a half parcel at 8095 Kelton Ave. where they constructed an 18,000-square-foot two-story building as their first permanent home. Today it is referred to as the “Kelton Campus,” one of four distinct ministry locations that house SVCC’s membership of approximately 1,200.
The transition to a multi-site ministry strategy marks one of the major changes this church has experienced over the past three decades. SVCC decided to focus on expanding its outreach through smaller satellite locations.
• The Kelton Campus, the “original Body,” holds services at 8:45 and 10:30 a.m. Sundays.
• Centro Hispano, for those more comfortable worshipping in Spanish, meets at 11 a.m. Sundays at 7652 Monterey St.
• Incarnate Faith, focused on the “millennial generation,” meets in a more casual service at 4:30 p.m. Sundays.
• The Hollister Campus, convenient for the growing population of San Benito County, holds services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays.
Each location has its own “campus pastor” who meets the traditional pastoral needs of its members while separate preaching/teaching pastors instruct in the Gospel.
The staff and members of SVCC can take this 30-year milestone as an opportunity to look back at the expansion of their ministry over the decades.
• The opening 20 years ago of Pacific West Christian Academy has become Christian Point Christian Schools as it adds a ninth grade at its new high school campus on Pacheco Pass Highway. It will continue adding an additional grade each of the next three years.
• An important missionary program in Nigeria has sent teams from SVCC to Africa each year, seeking to give Africans “a hand up, not a handout.” Results include a micro-business loan program, support of a hospital and seminary and annual pastors’ and women’s conferences. Large shipping containers have been sent to Nigeria with donations of items such as motorcycles, sewing machines and medical supplies. They have also undertaken similar missions in Tanzania, Cuba, Haiti and Cambodia.
• A memorable “40 Days of Purpose” campaign kicked off by signs posted around town asking “Got Purpose?” After hundreds of residents spent six weeks studying “The Purpose Driven Life,” the church celebrated with a barbecue and 100 outdoor baptisms.
Smith reflects on his 30 years of ministry in South Valley by noting how the focus of the local church has changed.
“Churches are beginning to realize that Jesus’ message was not about buildings or hierarchy, but about helping people,” he said. “Churches have been too self-serving and narcissistic. The generation coming up wants to see different priorities. Every Christian must become a missionary by helping the poor. The new mantra is, ‘Don’t tell me; show me.’”
Residents are invited to the 30-year anniversary celebration at 10 a.m. Sept. 7 in the amphitheater at Christmas Hill Park. Speaker is Dr. Jeff Louie, a leader in the Gospel Coalition and professor of theology at Western Seminary. The service will be followed by a baptism service and lunch. For more information, call (408) 848-2363.
