Our History.

After journeying by horse and wagon to Northern Colorado, several Scandinavian families began meeting for church in each other’s homes across Greeley, Lucerne, and Eaton. All services and Bible studies were conducted in their native Swedish language. In 1901, a small brick church was built on 11th Street near 10th Avenue to accommodate the growing number of families attending these home churches.  These 18 original members organized themselves as an official congregation with the name The Swedish Free Mission Church of Greeley, Colorado.

After much debate, the members of The Swedish Free Mission Church voted to switch their teachings to English to embrace Greeley’s growing ethnic diversity. In 1936, they changed the church’s name to Evangelical Free Church to ensure everyone felt welcome, regardless of their ethnic heritage.  In 1939, a desire to see more people in Greeley come to know Christ inspired a mission project called the North Greeley Mission.

In 1944, the Evangelical Free Church purchased property at 13th Avenue and 15th Street, its current location. Initially meeting in the basement (now our Community Room), construction began two years later on a worship sanctuary and classrooms above, now housing the CCKids Playhouse. Throughout construction, every brick was cleaned and repurposed, blending old with new. Dedication services for the new building were held on June 26, 1949, broadcast live on KFKA radio.

Driven by a passion to effectively reach and disciple young people–and the birth of Mountain View Evangelical Free Church in west Greeley–the church changed its name to First Evangelical Free Church of Greeley in 1959. By the late 1950s, the church began experiencing space constraints for its various classes. To address this need, an educational building with over twenty rooms for children’s and youth activities was added to the west side of the sanctuary in 1964.

In the late ’80s, attendance dropped to under 100 people, with the median age rising above 60 years. Faced with serious discussions about the church’s future and potential disbandment, the members decided to give it one more try. In 1990, they hired Alan Kraft, a young pastor fresh out of seminary, as the church’s Lead Pastor.  With a renewed vision to engage the community in meaningful ways, the church adopted the name Christ Community Church in 1994.

“Project Serves” initiatives were launched, offering practical expressions of love and care to our community. From wrapping Christmas gifts at the Greeley Mall to changing the oil on the cars of single moms, these efforts aimed to convey the message that “God loves you—no strings attached.” These acts of kindness fostered goodwill and provided opportunities to share the Gospel message.

Recognizing the limitations of their current facility to accommodate the church’s growth, both leadership and congregation decided against seeking properties elsewhere in town. Instead, they opted to purchase surrounding homes to expand and build a larger worship center. The inaugural worship service in the new facility took place in March 2003.

On Father’s Day 2005, Pastor Alan laid aside his planned sermon and shared his shepherd’s heart that our congregation had grown large but complacent.  The outcome of this weekend forever changed the way in which we do mission as a church, resulting in an expanded commitment to ministries of compassion, church planting, leadership development, and evangelism in Greeley and around the world.  Project Beyond (and subsequent church-wide mission initiatives) resulted, leading to millions of dollars and hundreds of people being released to advance the Kingdom of God.

The church acquired and extensively renovated a historic property in downtown Greeley that housed several businesses in its lifetime–everything from a Chevrolet dealership (1930s-1970s) to a nightclub (early 2000s).  After renovating, Christ Community christened this new space “Zoë’s,” hoping that everyone who enters would experience life to the full. This coffee shop and versatile ministry/event center symbolizes the church’s dedication to actively engaging with our community and contributing to the revitalization of downtown Greeley.

Our vision for developing global leaders led to the creation of the International Training Institute (ITI). Through ITI, teams from Christ Community travel internationally, equipping hundreds of pastors and leaders with essential theological and ministry training, regardless of their previous experience.  Since its inception in 2011, over 2,000 leaders around the world have received training through the International Training Institute, including those who have been taught by global leaders who have graduated from the ITI.

Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Christ Community has remained dedicated to loving and serving our community. For the third consecutive year, we were honored with the “Best Community Activist” award by the Best of Greeley in 2020. Our thriving ministries, including those for adults with special needs, single mothers, children, and students, continue to flourish as we strive to help as many people as possible experience life in Jesus and within a supportive community.