Montvale Evangelical Free Church has been a fixture on West Grand Avenue in Montvale, New Jersey since the doors first opened in 1963, growing from a handful of praying families into a multi-generational congregation that takes the Bible seriously and aims to be a community of "good neighbors" in northern Bergen County. The church's signature phrase - "seeing people find, follow, and point to Jesus" - shapes every ministry from the nursery to the senior adult gatherings, from the Sunday morning worship team to missionary partnerships in Haiti, Japan, and Germany.
From Park Ridge Farmland to West Grand Avenue
The church's story begins in 1960, when a group of New Jersey families began praying for a Biblically solid evangelical church in the northeastern part of the state. The following year, those families started meeting at the Masonic Temple in Park Ridge while they raised money to purchase three acres of farmland in Montvale. By 1963, Montvale Evangelical Free Church opened its doors. What began with 25 charter members has grown into a congregation where hundreds of people have come to find, follow, and point to Christ over more than six decades.
The church's stated vision is to be "a Christ-Centered Community of Good Neighbors," anchored in three scriptures: Christ's supremacy over all things (Colossians 1:16-18), the church's calling to love one another (John 13:34-35), and the commitment to share both the good news and the good deeds of Jesus (Ephesians 2:10).
Sunday Morning at 141 West Grand Avenue
The church meets for a single Sunday gathering at 10:30 a.m. at 141 West Grand Avenue. The service runs a little over an hour and includes worship through song, prayer, and live teaching from God's Word. Music weaves together songs written long ago with newer worship songs, giving the service a blended feel that draws in people of different ages and backgrounds. There is no special dress code; guests are simply invited to be themselves.
Two entrances serve the building: one at the front of the church under the cross, and another at the back, which is the recommended approach for guests, particularly those with children. The front entrance is wheelchair and stroller accessible. The main parking lot sits behind the church, and parking there makes the easiest path to the Montvale Kids check-in area.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service is livestreamed each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on the church's YouTube channel, offering a full worship and teaching experience from home. Giving is available online through the church's Church Center platform with options for one-time or recurring donations by debit card, credit card, or bank account. Cash or check gifts can be placed in the offering plate on Sunday or mailed to the church, made payable to "Montvale Church."
Montvale Kids: From Nursery Through Fourth Grade
Children from six weeks old through fourth grade are welcomed into Montvale Kids, a ministry that aims to come alongside parents in introducing their children to Jesus. The nursery serves infants through age three with age-appropriate toys and activities, loving leaders, coloring pages, and a biblical story video. Children ages four through fourth grade engage with biblically driven curriculum featuring games, crafts, and teaching designed to help kids grow in their relationship with God.
Safety is central to the kids ministry. All volunteers are fully background screened, and a security tag system ensures that only authorized parents can pick up their children. Parents are contacted by text message if their child needs them during the service. A Mothers' Room across from the nursery provides a private space for nursing and diaper changes while still allowing caregivers to watch the livestreamed service.
First-time families are encouraged to arrive about ten to fifteen minutes before the service begins to complete the registration process at the Montvale Kids check-in desk in the lobby. After the initial visit, families can use a self-service iPad kiosk for faster check-in. Infants through age three are dropped off in the nursery prior to the service, while kids ages four through fourth grade are dismissed from the worship service before the sermon begins.
Montvale Youth: Middle and High School
Students in fifth through twelfth grade have two weekly touchpoints. On Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m., middle and high school students meet together for a combined study featuring an engaging video lesson, discussion time, and dedicated prayer. On Sunday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., the youth group gathers for an evening full of games, snacks, biblical teaching, and small group time. The teaching focuses on apologetics, helping students understand why they believe what they believe and how to answer hard questions about the Christian faith.
On the last Sunday of each month, youth runs an extra half hour, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and includes dinner, worship, and a "Wheel of Friendship" spin for newcomers to win prizes. First-time visitors are directed to pull behind the church building and look for a staircase going down on the right side, where they will find the youth room. Snacks, pool, and laid-back conversation fill the time before youth begins.
Both children's and youth ministries are overseen by Next Gen Pastor Zack Unkenholz.
Hispanic Ministries
The church's commitment to reach across language and cultural lines is reflected in its Hispanic Ministries, led by Pastor Mario Liriano. The ministry serves the Spanish-speaking community in and around Montvale with worship, teaching, and pastoral care. Spanish-speaking guests are invited to contact the church office for current ministry details.
Men, Women, and Seniors
For adults, the church offers dedicated ministry tracks for women, men, and seniors. Women connect and grow through weekly groups and periodic events. Men gather for small and large group events along with serving opportunities. Seniors - anyone sixty and older - find encouragement through small and large group events held throughout the year. Growth classes and small groups are organized through the church's Church Center platform.
What Montvale Church Believes
Montvale Church belongs to the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), an association of roughly 1,250 autonomous churches across the United States and an additional 1,400 congregations in some forty nations. The word "Evangelical" signals the EFCA's commitment to proclaiming the Gospel and to the authority of Scripture as inerrant in the original autographs and the only safe and sufficient guide to faith and practice. The word "Free" refers to the form of church government, which assures that local churches remain free from a central controlling body and depend on the active participation of pastors and laypeople in decisions and direction.
Theologically, the church holds to historic evangelical convictions. The Bible - both Old and New Testaments - is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the divine and final authority for Christian faith and life. God is one in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; He died on the cross as a sacrifice for sin, rose bodily from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and now serves as High Priest and advocate at God's right hand. The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, indwells, guides, instructs, and empowers believers for godly living and service.
Salvation comes through faith in Christ's atoning death and resurrection; only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and become children of God. Water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances observed by the church but are not means of salvation. The church looks for the personal, premillennial, and imminent return of Jesus Christ as the "Blessed Hope" of believers, and confesses the bodily resurrection of the dead - the believer to everlasting blessedness, the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.
Locally, Montvale Church is associated with the EFCA EAST regional district and the EFCA National Headquarters.
Baptism, Membership, and Next Steps
For those exploring faith, the church teaches that following Jesus is both a one-time decision and an ongoing journey. Baptism is celebrated as an outward expression of an inward change and a symbol of how Jesus has transformed a believer's life. Baptisms take place roughly twice a year during regular services, with a baptism class offered beforehand to help believers prepare their testimony. Baby Dedication is available for parents who wish to commit publicly to raising their children toward a relationship with Jesus.
Church membership is described as being part of a family. Members worship, grow, and serve together, and they vote on the annual budget, the appointment of elders and commission members, and changes to the church's bylaws. The first step toward membership is attending a membership class, after which an application can be submitted.
Other next steps include attending biblically driven classes and studies to grow in understanding of God's Word, serving within the church and community, and giving generously as an act of worship.
Missions: Local and Global Partners
Montvale Church takes seriously the biblical mandate to be Christ's witnesses locally, regionally, and to the furthest reaches of the globe. The congregation currently supports eleven missionary partners and two non-profit organizations stationed in places ranging from Haiti and Germany to Japan and Bolivia. Missionaries are sustained through prayer, strategic partnership, and sacrificial giving from the congregation.
Pastors and Elders
The pastoral team is led by Mickey Morello, Lead Pastor. Zack Unkenholz serves as Next Gen Pastor, overseeing children's and youth ministries. Mario Liriano serves as Pastor of Hispanic Ministries. Chris Coppola is the Associate Pastor. Jonathan Cabrera directs the church's worship and tech ministries.
The church is also served by a team of six elders: Peter Wilson, Rich DiBernardo, Dave Levesque, Vinny Marchello, Tom Hartl, and Jim Summerton.