HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Southeast Christian Church is a vibrant, growing body of believers experiencing exponential growth in the southeast Denver metropolitan area. The congregation has a dynamic team of elders, staff, and volunteer leaders whose mission is to change lives for Jesus Christ in the local community and throughout the world.
Following nearly a year of prayer and planning, Southeast first met for Sunday services on June 4, 1972 with 27 people in attendance. The congregation met temporarily at Iliff Chapel on the campus of Denver University. On September 10 of that same year, services were moved to Walnut Hills Elementary School in Englewood since that was closer to the permanent property under consideration.
Russell McCracken was hired to be the minister of the young church in July 1972. In October of that year a four-acre tract of land was purchased at the corner of Dayton and Caley, in southeast Denver, for construction of a permanent facility. The ground-breaking for the first building took place in July 1974. Then in 1979 the new worship center was completed and in 1981 the church began to conduct two services a weekend. In the fall of 1991 the final building phase at the Dayton Street site was completed. The church grew steadily as new subdivisions and homes sprang up around the property.
By 1994 the attendance had reached more than 550 and a decision was made to relocate so we could accommodate future church growth and reach more people.
In 1997, 14.8 acres were purchased on Jordan Road in Parker, Colorado. A master building plan consisting of three phases was commissioned to accommodate anticipated growth in this bedroom community. After the completion of the first phase in 1998, we had a beautiful new facility of more than 32,000 square feet. Within six months God blessed Southeast Christian Church by doubling service attendance. The second phase was completed in 2001 and brought the facility to approximately 55,000 square feet. Soon additional acreage was purchased which brought the total to approximately 30 acres. In August 2002 Todd Hudson was called to be the second Senior Pastor.
The final phase of the new campus was completed in time for Easter weekend 2005. This expansion gave us a facility with over 140,000 square feet which includes a 2,000-seat worship center, an administrative office wing, larger children's ministry areas, and the Elements bookstore and cafe. Our weekly service attendance is more than 4,200 and, in response to our amazing growth, we now conduct four services a weekend - two on Saturday evenings and two on Sunday mornings.
Southeast Christian Church offers ministries for the entire family including children’s programs, student programs, women’s and men’s ministries, music and drama, small groups, and the Southeast Christian School. For more information about our services and current programs, see what to expect.