Our Church Plants
Our Church Plants
Christ Church, Knoxville TN
Christ Church Presbyterian is a gospel-centered church plant serving Northwest Knox (Powell and Knoxville). Launched by Covenant Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge and led by Pastor John Blevins, we exist to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus through the ordinary means of grace—Word, prayer, and sacrament. We gather on Sunday mornings and midweek for worship, fellowship, and teaching, and we seek the good of our neighbors through tangible care, like supporting local foster families. Whether you’re new to church or returning, you’ll find a welcoming community committed to growing in grace and reaching the unchurched and dechurched of our city.
Mercy Pres, Fountain City, TN
Mercy Presbyterian Church is a new church plant in Fountain City, Tennessee, led by Pastor Rob Herron and his wife, Mary Lee. Sent out by Redeemer Church of Knoxville, Mercy Pres exists to make disciples of Jesus through gospel-centered worship, community, and mission. Rob’s ministry background includes serving as RUF campus minister at Appalachian State and assistant pastor at Redeemer Knoxville. The Herrons and their growing launch team are rooted in the Fountain City community, building relationships and praying for the Lord to establish a vibrant, Christ-centered church. Mercy Pres hopes to begin Sunday worship services in fall 2026, as they continue preparing to love and serve their neighbors in the name of Christ.
Lakeway Presbyterian Church,
Morristown, TN
Lakeway Presbyterian Church exists to make much of Jesus and His Gospel and to plant churches with that same commitment. Located in the growing Lakeway area between Knoxville and Johnson City, they seek to see the good news of Jesus take root in every community. Lakeway Pres is a welcoming place for the unchurched, de-churched, and convinced alike — a family of broken yet redeemed people growing together in Christ’s love. Because He first loved them, they worship deeply, build genuine friendships, and live on mission in the Lakeway area and beyond.
Redeemer Church, Athens, TN
Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Athens, Tennessee, exists to glorify God through faithful worship, authentic community, and a heart for missions. Led by Pastor Curt, whose decades of ministry include work with campus ministries, RUF, and church planting in West Virginia, Redeemer began in 2022 with a vision to reach the Athens community with the gospel of grace. After a year of focused outreach and evangelism, the church began worshiping together later that year and, by August 2024, celebrated the purchase of its own building through the generous support of many partners. Redeemer Athens is a growing body of believers committed to exalting Christ and extending His kingdom in southeast Tennessee.
Woodlands Gathering, Soddy Daisy, TN
Woodlands Gathering is a mission church in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, devoted to glorifying God and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to all people. As part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and the Four Directions Ministry network, they seek to be a safe and welcoming place where Native Americans and all people can encounter the hope of the Gospel. Rooted in the authority of God’s Word, shaped by the Reformed faith, and led by the Holy Spirit, they worship the Creator through His Son, Jesus. Founded in 2018 and officially launched in 2022, Woodlands Gathering continues to grow as a family of believers shaped by grace, faith, and love for their community.
Our Particularized
Church Plants
Grace & Peace, Ooltewah, TN
In 2018, Pastor Benjie Slaton moved to Ooltewah to plant Grace+Peace Church, recognizing the area’s lack of community identity as an opportunity to share Christ. The church began with a small home Bible study that grew into public worship services in 2019. Despite challenges from COVID-19 and tornadoes in 2020, the congregation deepened through relationships and service. Over time, Grace+Peace expanded its staff, welcomed new members, and developed leadership training. The church became fully established with elected elders and deacons in August 2022, reflecting its growth and strong community focus.
Restoration Southside, Chattanooga, TN
Restoration Southside Church launched on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, through a partnership between a local church-planting organization and Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, with the Huffmans and Hoopers leading. What began with 40 people meeting at Goodman Coffee has grown into a thriving congregation of 600+ worshipers. In March 2022, the church purchased its longtime rental space and, on August 8, 2022, particularized as a self-sustaining church—celebrating God’s faithful growth and honoring the early vision of the late Ted Strawbridge.
Resurrection Presbyterian,
Knoxville, TN
Resurrection Presbyterian Church, founded in 2017 in Knoxville, seeks to bring hope to a restless city by pointing people to find their rest in God. Their mission is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever by reaching and equipping His image-bearers to live under His reign, loving both God and others. The church aims to spread the gospel through word, deed, and lifestyle, focusing on personal transformation, community building, social justice, and cultural renewal. They also strive to strengthen families, engage believers in deeper theological understanding, and eventually plant other PCA churches in the region.
Highland Park Fellowship,
Chattanooga, TN
Highland Park Fellowship, originally a church plant launched in March 2020, officially “particularized” on May 4, transitioning from plant status to a fully established church. The journey included hardship during COVID and significant loss in 2023, after which Corby Shields and his family joined. Under his leadership, the congregation paused small groups in fall 2024 to focus on unified prayer, worship, and core group development. They then carefully nominated and elected leadership—five men were ordained as elders and three women were commissioned to a care team. A mercy team formed prior to particularization continues to serve, with plans to ordain deacons in the future. The particularization service was celebrated by many churches within the presbytery, with attendees emphasizing the relational encouragement that comes with these Presbyterian “birthdays.”Looking ahead, Highland Park is recruiting a church planting resident, emphasizing ministry rooted in its neighborhood, and valuing cross-denominational partnerships. As Corby put it, “Partnership leads to friendship, and friendship leads to co-worship.”