Our Story
We began with a burden that God put in the hearts of several families who did not know each other in the years 2007-2008. This desire came about because of the reality that 83% of people in Shelby County do not attend church on an average Sunday, making it the most unchurched county in Alabama. These families met in 2009 and started working together to plant a new church that would change lives through the Gospel in Chelsea. With the support of Meadow Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, Chelsea Village started in a living room in June 2009 and launched Sunday gatherings in January 2010. We have met in three different locations in our eight-year history, but the mission has stayed the same.
Our Message and Mission
“We exist to transform lives for the glory of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” This short statement captures the heartbeat of Chelsea Village. We recognize the brokenness that exists in our lives because of sin, and we long to see people transformed into the image of the God who made them and loves them. Men and women need to hear the good news about Jesus, believe it, and then have their lives molded so that they reflect his character.
We believe that this change only happens through what the Bible calls the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news that Jesus came to rescue us from sin and death. We were made by God and for God, but we are separated from God and under His wrath because of sin. God sent His Son Jesus into the world. He lived a perfect life and then gave Himself for our sins. He bore the guilt of our sins when He gave His life for us. Then God raised Jesus from the dead showing that Jesus is His Son and that He has accepted His sacrifice for us. Jesus has ascended into heaven and will come again one day. Because of this, anyone can come back to God. It doesn’t matter how far you have run or how bad you think you have been. Also, every person needs this even if you think you’ve been good enough. None of us has been good enough, but we can come back to God by repenting of our sins and trusting in Jesus alone. When we trust in Jesus, our sins are forgiven, we are declared to be right with God, and God adopts us into His family.
We want everyone in our area to hear this message. It is life-changing and life-giving. Most people assume that everyone in the Bible Belt is a Christian, but this is far from the truth. In Shelby County, only 17% of our neighbors are worshipping Jesus with a church family. The mission here is great, so we want to be faithful in sharing this message until it is heard in this community and beyond.