The Valley Family Church Story

It was 1986, Jeff and Beth Jones said, "I do!" - immediately, God filled their hearts with a vision to pioneer a church that would make an eternal difference in the greater Kalamazoo, Michigan area.

On September 22, 1991 - Jeff with a mullet and three-piece suit, Beth with permed hair and earrings as big as her head - both with hearts full of vision and faith - along with three other adults and four kids, launched VFC!

Over 120 people attended the first service at the Richland Lodge and when the dust settled, about 50 people stuck and became the initial core group of VFC pioneers. Today, twenty years later, nearly 4000 people make up the VFC family.

While Kalamazoo County has a mid-sized population of 225,000 people - Jeff and Beth always felt God desired that Valley Family Church have local, regional and ultimately national and international influence. They have seen this fulfilled through the growth of VFC and through the impact of their published works and Beth's books around the world.

Jeff and Beth have always operated as a husband-wife ministry team, sharing the leadership and teaching responsibilities. They have been surrounded by a wonderful staff and team of volunteers and God has blessed VFC with growth, increase and greater influence.

As the chuch has grown and matured, VFC's vision statement and motto have evolved over the past 20 years - from "reaching people just like you" to "a place where the word of faith is taught and the spirit of faith is caught" to "proving God's Word works" to "reaching families" to "a large family church where people live by great faith, live for the great commission and live out the great commandment" to "reaching up, reaching out, reaching in" to "welcome home" to our current vision statement: "we exist so people get it!"

While the church vision statement and motto have changed over the years, the overarching God-ordained purpose and gospel message have always stayed consistent and can be summarized by Jesus words in John 10:10, "I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly." 

Here's the story...

The Richland Lodge Era - 1991-1994: Pastors Jeff and Beth pioneered Kalamazoo Valley Family Church (later the name was shortened to Valley Family Church) on September 22, 1991 in Richland, Michigan. For the first four years of the church's life, VFC met in a rented facility known as the Richland Lodge. Each week, they and small team of volunteers set up tables, chairs, a sound system, book table and kids church environments and God blessed those humble and feeble attempts! During that time VFC grew to about 250 people. Jeff and Beth's family grew as well - Meghan, Annie, Luke and Eric were born to expand the Jones family and populate children's church!

The Kilgore Building Era - 1994-1999: VFC bought and remodeled its first "official" facility, a light industrial/office building. The focus in those foundational years was on teaching the Word, developing leaders, teaching new believers "Getting a Grip on the Basics", launching small groups and starting a Bible school. During that time the church grew to about 500 people. 

The 995 Romence Road Era - 1999-2009: VFC built its first building from the bottom up - a 32,000 square foot facility on 14 acres on Romence Road, across from the Crossroads Mall in Portage, Michigan. The location and high visibility caused the church to grow rapidly and over a ten year period service times were expanded to include offering two Saturday night services and two Sunday morning services each weekend. The church grew from 500 to about 3000.

When the church outgrew that building, VFC built a new facility and converted the 995 Romence Road building into the Valley Family Community Center - an outreach extension of VFC which houses the Joy City Community Preschool, the EPIC Commission, the EPIC School of Ministry and other outreach ministries.

The Cathedral/Vincent Avenue Era: 2009 - Present: VFC built its second building - an 85,000 square foot, 1500 seat facility on 30 acres adjacent to the historic Cathedral in Southwest Michigan, on I-94 near the US-131 Highway interchange. Each week nearly 4000 people attend one of the multiple services at VFC.

Today, Valley Family Church celebrates 20 years of God's faithfulness and is preparing to launch several multi-site church venues.

VFC's mission statement for the next 20 years is simple: We exist to help people get it!

Note: The Jones kids turned out pretty good, too! All four kids love God and His House; they serve at VFC and all of them sense some type of call to the ministry. Currently, they are finishing up high school, college and ministry training.

"I will build My Church

and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

Jesus