Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church | ||
---|---|---|
26°11′45.2″N 80°06′46.4″W / 26.195889°N 80.112889°W | ||
Location | 5555 N Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. | |
Denomination | Presbyterian Church in America | |
Previous denomination | ||
Membership | 2,000+ Style Modern | |
Clergy | ||
Senior pastor(s) | Rob Pacienza |
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a Christian megachurch within the Presbyterian Church in America located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in 1960 by D. James Kennedy (1930–2007), who served as the church's senior pastor until shortly before his death.
The present church building, which seats 2,300 persons, was dedicated on February 3, 1974, by evangelist Billy Graham. It became affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America denomination on May 16, 1978. Coral Ridge was originally a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, the so-called "Southern" church before 1983.
Beginning in 1978 under pastor D. James Kennedy, the church's weekly services were televised as the Coral Ridge Hour, eventually reaching a nationwide audience of more than 3 million.[2] While the production of new broadcasts from the church was discontinued in 2007 after Kennedy's death, his media ministry D. James Kennedy Ministries now airs excerpts of his sermons, along with current news segments, on its nationwide weekly half-hour TV program Truths That Transform.[3]
The Westminster Academy and Knox Theological Seminary, also in Fort Lauderdale, are educational ministries of the church. W. Tullian Tchividjian, a grandson of Billy Graham, succeeded Kennedy as senior pastor of the church, serving from April 2009 to June 2015. In June 2016, Rob Pacienza officially assumed the role of senior pastor.
History
The church was founded by D. James Kennedy on May 22, 1960, who began with a congregation of 45 persons attending a typical Sunday service at a rented elementary school auditorium.
By the 1980s, the church's television ministry had a weekly audience of 3.5 million viewers, as the Coral Ridge Hour aired on more than 400 stations and four cable networks, including the
Kennedy last preached at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church on December 24, 2006, suffering a cardiac arrest four days later.[10] His retirement was officially announced at the church on August 26, 2007, and he died in his home ten days later.[11][12] In a statement following news of Kennedy's retirement, the church announced the development of the D. James Kennedy Legacy website in tribute to the life of the Christian evangelist.[13]
Post-Kennedy
The church's senior pastor from 2009 to 2015 was Tullian Tchividjian, a native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Named after third century theologian Tertullian, he is a grandson of famed evangelist Billy Graham.[6] Previously, he was the pastor of New City Presbyterian Church, an Evangelical Presbyterian Church congregation meeting at a high school in nearby Coconut Creek. He was invited on January 12, 2009, to become Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church's senior minister, as part of a merger of the two congregations.[6] The Coral Ridge congregation approved Tchividjian's appointment and merger of the two churches by vote on March 15, 2009, with 920 of the 1,014 members present voting in favor.[14][15] Tchividjian was installed as the church's senior pastor on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009.[16] He studied philosophy at Columbia International University and earned a divinity degree at Reformed Theological Seminary. His writings include Do I Know God? Finding Certainty in Life's Most Important Relationship, Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different, Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels and Jesus + Nothing = Everything. At the beginning of 2009, the church had 2,200 members and weekly attendance averaged 1,800 persons.[6]
On June 21, 2015, Tchividjian announced that he had resigned as senior pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian after admitting having an affair himself, following an affair on the part of his wife.[17] After almost a year-long search, Rob Pacienza, who had been executive pastor under Tchividjian, was named as Coral Ridge's third senior pastor.[18]
Music
The church has had a rich history of traditional music, especially with the Rufatti
The large
Discography
A number of
Title | Artist(s) | Genre |
---|---|---|
Artistry at the Coral Ridge Organ | Diane Bish | organ |
Be Still My Soul | Samuel Metzger | organ |
The Best of Coral Ridge | Chancel Choir | choral |
Christmas Festival | Diane Bish | organ |
Fanfare! | Samuel Metzger | organ |
His Truth is Marching On | Chancel Choir | choral |
Hymns on the Coral Ridge Organ | Diane Bish | organ |
Joy to the World! | Samuel Metzger | organ |
King of Instruments | Samuel Metzger | organ |
Majesty and Glory | Samuel Metzger | organ |
Morning Has Broken | Chancel Choir | choral |
Pipes and More Pipes | Diane Bish and St. Andrews Bagpipes |
organ and bagpipes |
Prayer and Meditation | Samuel Metzger | organ |
Shout to the Lord! | Coral Ambassadors | choral |
Toccata! | Samuel Metzger | organ |
- ^ "Megachurch Search Results - Hartford Institute for Religion Research". Archived from the original on 2015-03-12. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
- ^ Robert Samuels (September 21, 2009). "Coral Ridge Presbyterian votes to retain controversial new pastor". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2009-10-05. [dead link]
- ^ "Home - D. James Kennedy Ministries". www.djameskennedy.org. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
- ^ "Church History". Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
- ^ ISBN 0-912692-02-2.
- ^ South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the originalon 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
- ^ St. Petersburg Times. August 26, 2007.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Kennedy, D. James. "The Genesis, Development, and Expansion of Evangelism Explosion International, 1960-1976". DAI. 40 (3): 1381.
- ^ Davis, James (10 March 1990). "CORAL RIDGE TO STUDY MEDIA, POLITICS". Sun - Sentinel.
- ^ "A Tribute to Dr. D. James Kennedy".
- ^ "Rev. D. James Kennedy, 76; pioneering Christian radio, TV broadcaster". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel. September 5, 2007. Archived from the originalon 2007-09-07.
- ^ "Dr. D. James Kennedy Retires: Founder and Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Steps Down from Pulpit with Rich Legacy of Faith". Coral Ridge Ministries Press Release. August 26, 2007. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2007-08-27.
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 2009-04-24.
- ^ "Graham Grandson to Lead Megachurch". The Washington Post. Associated Press. March 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ Young, Eric (2009-04-13). "Coral Ridge Church Installs Tchividjian as New Senior Pastor". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
- ^ Bailey, Sarah Pulliam (June 21, 2015). "Billy Graham's grandson steps down from Florida megachurch after admitting an affair". The Washington Post.
- ^ Kurmar, Aungrah. Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Appoints Rob Pacienza as New Pastor After Tullian Tchividjian Resignation. The Christian Post, 2016-03-21.
- ^ "The Sanctuary Organ". Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- The Miami Herald. Retrieved 2009-10-05. [dead link]
- ^ a b "Compact Discs". Metzger Music. Archived from the original on 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
- ^ "Music". Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2014-03-07.