Brief History

On Sunday evening, January 2, 1983, a new congregation was begun in Lakeland. 

About 100 people who formerly worshiped at Lake Wire met in the Garden Club building on E. Lemon Street.

The next Sunday, services were held in the band room at Kathleen High School.

The following Wednesday evening, January 12, 1983, the congregation began meeting at Dixieland Elementary School on Ariana Street, calling itself the Central Lakeland Church of Christ.

In March, 1984, three and a-half acres of land was purchased on S. Pipkin Road, and the name was changed to the Southwest Church of Christ.

In April of 1984, while the new church building was under construction, the group moved to the Southeast Junior High School on Eden Parkway.

On Sunday, August 11, 1985, the first service was held in the new church building. Over the next five years, the congregation grew, so in the Spring of 1991, construction began to expand the auditorium and add additional class rooms.

Elders were first appointed in October of 1994, when the congregation chose Larry Blackwelder, Freddie Franklin, and Frank Jamerson as elders.  Six months later, Alex Young was chosen as a fourth elder.