Dreaming of a church that began with just five families? That’s McLean Bible Church. It stands as a testament to faith and community in the Washington D.C. area.
McLean Bible Church started in 1961. Its first service was on Easter Sunday. It took place at Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean. Pastor J. Albert Ford led the service. These humble beginnings paved the way for a megachurch.
Lon Solomon became the senior pastor in 1980. His leadership guided McLean Bible Church for many years. In September 2017, David Platt took over. He was confirmed as the Pastor-Teacher. Later, his role changed to Lead Pastor. Associate Pastor Dale Sutherland helped bring Platt to McLean.
Under Platt’s leadership, McLean Bible Church became a broadcast location. It hosted several Radical simulcasts. Radical is David Platt’s resource ministry. In early 2017, weekly attendance exceeded 13500 people. A 2018 church census reported 10510 people. They attended services at five campuses. The McLean Bible Church experienced a drop in attendance under Platt. The 2021 report showed 8858 attendees weekly.
CBS News listed McLean Bible Church as the 24th largest megachurch in the U.S. This was in November 2018. It had about 16500 weekly visitors.
McLean Bible Church made national news on June 2, 2019. Then-President Donald Trump made an unplanned visit. He appeared on stage at the Tysons Corner campus. This happened after communion. Pastor Platt prayed for him.
In 2020, the church responded to the global pandemic. McLean Bible Church moved all ministry online. It met physical needs for people all over greater Washington, DC. The church gave away boxes of food, toiletries, and soap. This totaled 5.6 million meals.
A shared leadership structure was introduced. David Platt and Mike Kelsey became lead pastors. Kelsey leads the lead pastor team. Platt focuses on Gospel mobilization.
Since 2021, McLean Bible Church has faced several lawsuits. These concerned its leadership. There were also questions about its relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Today, McLean Bible Church has multiple campuses. These encircle the Washington D.C. metro area. Each campus shares core values. They emphasize God’s Word. They focus on a personal relationship with Christ. McLean Bible Church aims to be a safe place. People can explore faith. They can experience God in transforming ways.
The Bible guides McLean Bible Church. It is not affiliated with a specific Christian denomination. Its mission is to glorify God. It makes disciples. It multiplies churches among all nations. McLean Bible Church envisions building a spiritual beltway. It wants to start community campuses. These will be fully functioning expressions of McLean Bible Church. It is a vibrant community. It is committed to reaching diverse populations. It presents Christ’s message clearly. Every person has a chance to understand and believe. They can experience the restoring power of the gospel.