From Brooker School to a New Campus on Lithia Pinecrest
Creekside Church of Christ sits along Lithia Pinecrest Road in Valrico, just south of Bloomingdale Avenue, on a 46-acre property the congregation has been shaping since 2007. The name Creekside is new, but the work behind it stretches back more than half a century. The congregation was started in Brandon on January 7, 1973 as Bell Shoals Church of Christ, grew through several building programs on Bell Shoals Road, and adopted the Creekside name as it transitioned to the Lithia Pinecrest property. The first worship service in the new campus was held on January 29, 2023, the congregation's 50th anniversary.
What marks the people who gather here is a deliberate return to New Testament patterns. The worship is a cappella, the sermons lean heavily on Scripture, baptism is by immersion for the forgiveness of sins, and the leadership is structured around biblically qualified elders, deacons, and ministers. The congregation has also built a wide net of community work: a food and clothing pantry, a counseling center, annual mission trips to Honduras and Costa Rica, a ladies' retreat, a summer Bible camp, and an associated academy for students from preschool through twelfth grade.
A Half-Century on Bell Shoals Road
The story began with nine Brandon-area families, all of whom had been driving to Tampa to worship. Four of those families came from Manahattan Avenue Church of Christ and five from Florida Avenue Church of Christ. On the first Sunday of 1973, thirty-five members and eighteen visitors met in the Brooker School on DeWolf Road. Gervais Knox (G. K.) Wallace preached that day and for the early years of the work. The first Elders were Fred Clouse, Dale Kowa, Pascal Smith, and Clinton Thomas, and the first Deacons were Frank Workman and Jack Key.
Members pooled their money and bought property at 2908 Bell Shoals Road in October 1973, but they waited three years to build. A ground-breaking ceremony was held in August 1976, and the new building was dedicated on January 30, 1977. As the congregation grew, so did its facilities. A two-acre parcel next door was purchased in 1987, bringing total holdings on Bell Shoals Road to five and a half acres. Members pledged more than $350,000 toward a larger auditorium that would seat 450 and could be expanded to 750. The new building was dedicated on April 29, 1990.
Across those early decades, a string of ministers shaped the pulpit ministry. G. K. Wallace continued alongside student preachers and a succession of full-time preachers: Barry Elliott served from August 1974 to September 1979; Kenneth West Franklin began in 1979 and stayed for a long tenure that pushed average attendance past 200; Jack Strachan, a Scotsman who arrived in 1988, helped drive the building program before returning to evangelism in his homeland; Jack McKeown followed in 1992; Allan Watkins followed in February 1994 and stayed until June 1996. Rex Dutton joined as Pulpit Minister in September 1996 and continues in that role. Chris Hodges served as Associate Minister from 2007 until December 2012, and Keegan Wilson came on as Connections Minister in 2021.
A small congregation at Bradley Junction merged with Bell Shoals in September 1990, bringing John Terrell on as an Associate Minister. Outreach stretched beyond the local area. The congregation sponsored the Amazing Grace Bible Class television program in the Tampa market for years and shouldered much of its financial burden, until a change in station ownership moved the broadcast to a less favorable slot and the program was eventually discontinued.
Building Creekside
By the late 2000s, expansion on Bell Shoals Road had become impractical. In 2007 the congregation invested in a 46-acre property on Lithia Pinecrest Road and soon sold six acres of it to enable Foundation Christian Academy and High School to build its own facilities. A further 20-acre parcel on the northern border was purchased in July 2012 at roughly half the original asking price. In 2011, Hillsborough County asked for the congregation's cooperation in a regional drainage project that included new detention ponds and the removal of a culvert on the creek. In exchange, the county built a concrete bridge that improved access to the east side of the property and left behind graded land that became a baseball diamond and a soccer pitch.
Church offices moved from the Bell Shoals Road building to a house on the Lithia Pinecrest property in 2013. In April 2015 the elders finalized the sale of additional land to the east of the creek so the academy could expand. In 2018 the congregation sold the Bell Shoals Road building to Open Door Ministries and began leasing it back, while also launching the Own The Mission fundraising campaign for a new facility and starting the slow transition from the Bell Shoals name to Creekside.
Construction of Phase One of the new campus began in 2020 but was quickly halted by the COVID-19 outbreak. After several delays, the congregation moved into the first building of its new home, and the first service in the new worship center was the 50th Anniversary Celebration on January 29, 2023. The Bell Shoals Road property was eventually sold outright, and the new mailing address is 3949 Lithia Pinecrest Road, Valrico, Florida 33596.
Sunday at Creekside
Worship at Creekside is built around the New Testament pattern. Services are a cappella, with songs sung in four-part harmony. The order is simple: men take turns leading prayer, reading Scripture, and preaching the Word. The church is supported only by the contributions of its members, which are collected each first day of the week. Visitors and non-members are not asked to give.
Visitors are treated as honored guests. There are no individually reserved seats, though the back rows on the south side of the auditorium are set aside for mothers with infants or small children who may need quick access to the nurseries. The nurseries have attendants on Sunday mornings. The congregation takes seriously the New Testament teachings that God shows no partiality and that all are one in Christ, and greets each person with equal warmth.
Visitors are encouraged to bring a Bible so they can search the Scriptures along with the rest of the congregation, but if anyone needs a copy, the church will provide one. Services are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook for those who cannot attend in person, and the Lord's Supper supplies are available in the ivory mailbox at the office.
Sunday Schedule
- 9:00 AM Morning Worship
- 10:15 AM Coffee, tea, and snacks in the fellowship area
- 10:30 AM Bible Classes for all ages
- 6:00 PM Evening Worship
Bible Classes for Every Age
Bible classes meet on Sunday mornings at 10:30, Wednesday evenings at 7:00, Thursday mornings at 10:00, and on selected evenings via Zoom. The range of classes covers everyone from cradle roll to senior adults. On Sunday mornings the auditorium class is led by Rex Dutton through a study of First Timothy; a youth group meets in Classroom 2; grades three through five meet in Classroom 6; grades one and two in Classroom 7; kindergarten and three-year-olds in Classroom 9; and cradle roll (infants and toddlers) in Classroom 8. A prospective members class works through the Bobby Bates Series in Classroom 4, and a young adults class meets in Classroom 5.
Wednesday evenings offer a study of First Peter with Chaz Austin, a ladies' Bible Study on Christian Caregiving led by Lesta Grear, a youth group meeting, a young adults class, classes for grades three through five with Brandon Henson, and a class for three- and four-year-olds through kindergarten. The Thursday morning ladies' class meets at the Williams' Barn on Lithia Pinecrest Road and is currently working through the Book of Job with April Lunsford. Tuesday and Thursday evening ladies' classes meet on Zoom, with Lesta Grear leading a study of the End Times on Tuesdays and Christian Caregiving on Thursdays.
The Williams' Barn, set about .9 miles south of Bloomingdale Avenue on the north side of the Creekside Church Offices, is a long-standing venue for the ladies' Bible studies and is open during the fall and spring.
Beliefs and the Path of Salvation
Creekside holds that the Bible is its only guide in spiritual matters and the inspired Word of God. The New Testament is given particular focus because it contains the directions for Christians and the church. Members and visitors are encouraged to examine the Scriptures for themselves, the way the Bereans did in Acts 17:11, rather than simply following any minister.
The congregation teaches that salvation is in Christ and unfolds in a series of steps drawn from the New Testament: hearing the gospel, believing in God, repenting of sin, confessing faith in Christ, being baptized for the remission of sins, and rising to walk a new life. Baptism is by immersion, in simple likeness to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. Visitors may see someone respond to the invitation at the close of a service and be baptized in the pool during the assembly.
The core values of the church are to be the congregation that Jesus established and bought with His blood; to nurture its members, live the gospel before the world, take the gospel to the world, and bring as many into Christ as possible; to follow Jesus in His teaching, attitudes, and life; and to reach out to suffering humanity in benevolent works. The stated vision is to be a family of believers focused on worshiping God, sharing Christ, and transforming lives through serving others.
Elders, Deacons, and Ministers
Leadership follows the New Testament pattern of elders (also called overseers or shepherds), deacons, and ministers. The qualifications for an elder are drawn from 1 Timothy 3:2-7 and Titus 1:5-7, and the qualifications for deacons from 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Elders are responsible for the spiritual oversight of the flock and are assisted by deacons who lead specific committees.
Current elders are Sean Andrews, Robert Clouse, Dwight Eppler, Jeff Hernandez, Marvin Phillips, Terry Reeves, Gionte Solomon, and Owen Whittington. The deacons serving at this writing are Jim Adair, Chaz Austin, Ben Blackman, Harrison Cowan, Marcellus Crumity, Ross Fisher, Michael Hagger, Aaron Herkelman, Cliff Latimore, John Prpich, and Gerard Teamer. Members are organized into four Shepherd's Flocks, one per elder, with deacons assisting in each flock.
The ministers are Rex Dutton as Pulpit Minister, Dwight Eppler as Family Life Minister, and Keegan Wilson as Connections Minister. Dwight Eppler also directs the Refuge Counseling Center.
The Hope Closet and Benevolent Work
Benevolence has long been part of the Bell Shoals and now Creekside story. The Hope Closet food pantry and clothing supply is open each Thursday evening from 6:30 to 7:30 PM and provides canned and dry foods, clothing, and personal items to those in need. Members also participate in disaster relief efforts after hurricanes and other events, both locally and along the Gulf Coast.
Two annual outreach events have become traditions. The Back-2-School Health Fair and Backpack Giveaway distributes backpacks filled with school supplies to children in the community before the start of the school year. The Heart Program provides take-home holiday meals and gifts to children of needy families each October. In addition, the Women In God's Service (W In G S) ministry responds when members are ill at home, organizing cooks and drivers to deliver meals.
Members of the hearing-impaired community are cared for as well. The congregation has trained workers who can communicate in American Sign Language, and worship services and Bible classes are translated for the hearing impaired when needed.
Refuge Counseling Center
The Refuge Counseling Center, run by Family Life Minister Dwight Eppler, is located in the church offices at 3849 Lithia Pinecrest Road, a mile south of Bloomingdale Avenue. Dwight Eppler, who has served the congregation for many years, also writes a series of Christian-living articles: How To Talk To A Dying Person, The Christian's Guide To The Workplace, Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve, The Growing Threat Of The Internet, Good Thoughts, Elements Of Successful Prayer, How To Deal With Involuntary Separation As A Christian, and To Be Or Not To Be Baptized. These articles are widely shared and have become a teaching resource for the wider Church of Christ world.
Ladies, Men, and Youth
The women's ministries include the annual Ladies' Retreat, normally held in the last quarter of the year at a special venue with guest speakers and sessions. The retreat is organized by the Crescendo Ladies, a group of women in the congregation. J.O.Y. (Jesus first, Yourself last, and Others in between) is a fellowship group for women of the congregation, and the Bear Makers produce small stuffed bears for the emergency room at Brandon Regional Hospital to comfort sick and injured children. The Quilters make quilts that are sent to Mount Dora Children's Home for orphans in their care. The TLC ministry (Tender Loving Care) sends cards to members who are grieving, sick, or in need of encouragement.
The annual Men's Retreat is usually held early in the year at Florida Bible Camp. Details and sign-up information are made available closer to the event.
Children and youth are involved in Lads to Leaders, the Church of Christ leadership training program that includes art, Bible Bowl, debate, song leading, speech, and the junior leader events. Children and teens attend the Regional Convention each year. The youth group meets at the mid-week service and on additional times set by the youth leaders.
Going Out: Mission Trips and Supported Works
The congregation has a long tradition of mission work. Beginning in 2011, a team of thirty-eight members traveled to Honduras to work with Torch Missions on building homes, distributing food, and conducting medical clinics. Since then, short-term mission trips to Honduras and Costa Rica have been conducted almost every summer. The Honduras team handles service projects and assists those in need by building houses, conducting clinics, distributing food and hygiene packs, worshiping with local believers, and conducting vacation Bible schools. The Costa Rica team is primarily involved in evangelistic work: setting up Bible studies, conducting a VBS, and holding a Gospel Meeting.
The Missions Ministry, part of the Evangelism Ministry, also encourages ongoing communication with missionaries supported by the congregation. Works currently supported include Mount Dora Children's Home in Mount Dora, Florida; Partners 4 Africa, which is involved in evangelism, schools, clinics, and clean-water wells in Zimbabwe; the World Bible School correspondence course ministry, which members conduct by mail and online; and Florida Bible Camp.
Florida Bible Camp
Bible camp is held at Florida Bible Camp in High Springs, Florida, usually about two weeks after the end of the public school year. Activities include interactive Bible study, crafting, hiking, tubing, swimming, sports, and games in a Christian atmosphere, with an all-volunteer staff of vetted Christians. Campers are ages 8 through 18, and counselors, teachers, athletic managers, cooks, maintenance workers, medical staff, and canteen managers are needed each year. The camp enforces a strict no-cell-phone policy to keep campers unplugged and focused on Christ, and a Christian-standard dress code is in place for both campers and staff.
Foundation Christian Academy and High School
Six acres of the Lithia Pinecrest property were sold to enable Foundation Christian Academy and High School to build its facilities. The school is now a neighbor on the same campus and serves students from preschool through twelfth grade with a mission to provide a firm foundation of quality educational experiences focused on academic excellence, community service, and civic responsibility in a safe, nurturing, Christian environment. The school holds the Bible as its authority and the families of Creekside have historically had a close relationship with it. A separate Centerplex building was added to expand the campus.
Online, Giving, and Getting Connected
For those who cannot attend in person, services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel and on Facebook. The online platform also hosts sermon handouts and the weekly bulletin, The Current. The livestream page now hosts more than 1,200 archived videos. Visitors who need supplies for taking the Lord's Supper remotely can find them in the ivory mailbox at the office.
Giving is offered online through a secure portal and through the Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement app, available for both Apple and Android. Members can direct gifts to the general budget, the Building Fund, or the Own The Mission campaign. Checks may be made payable to Creekside.
The office staff works remotely at times, but the office phone at (813) 685-0750 and the email at Office@creekside.life are the main points of contact. Visitors driving in for the first time are pointed to a map showing the building about a mile south of Bloomingdale Avenue on Lithia Pinecrest Road.