God’s Provision

In 1985, two Signal Mountain businessmen contacted Dr. Gary Phillips, head of the Bible and  Philosophy departments at Bryan College, to begin a Bible-based, expository teaching ministry in the  community.  Naming themselves Palisades Community Church, the group began meeting for Thursday night Bible studies and Sunday morning worship in vacant storefronts in the Signal Plaza shopping center, moving from one store to the next as space allowed. Within a year, the handful of families was growing, and it was apparent that the church needed a more permanent home.

The town of Signal Mountain owned a log cabin on Timberlinks Drive and the church relocated there in 1986, changing its name to Signal Mountain Bible Church (SMBC). In moving to the log cabin, the church was symbolically joining with a ministry whose roots on the Mountain go back to Easter Sunday, 1934. On that day, several families met for worship in a private home and committed to begin a mission work to the rural mining families on the "back side" of the Mountain. Land was donated, funds were raised, and building began in October 1935. Log Cabin Chapel, also known as Signal Mountain Mission, was dedicated Easter Sunday 1936.

A small log cottage was built adjacent to the Chapel and occupied in 1941 by Misses Eula Greenway and Mildred Rothermel who oversaw three other Sunday Schools in addition to the  Chapel.  Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church was very active in the ministry of Log Cabin Chapel, and its members worked with Miss Greenway and Miss Rothermel to teach Bible studies, health, first aid, child care, and hygiene. In 1951, Signal Mountain Presbyterian appointed a full time pastor to the Mission and changed its name to Log Cabin Presbyterian Chapel. 

As the center of population shifted and more churches became available, the need for the Chapel diminished.  Services ended in 1974 and for 12 years the log cabin was vacant until SMBC re-established a Bible-teaching ministry there. SMBC met in the log cabin until December 2000, when the church relocated to the former Bachman Elementary School, now Bachman Community Center.

Meanwhile, in 1996, God graciously provided funds to purchase 6 acres on Shackleford Ridge Road and plans for a permanent home were developed with the input of the entire congregation.  Construction began in March 2003 and was completed in December 2003. We  celebrated our first services December 14th of that year, and have continued to know God’s blessing on our ministries.  In 2016, again through God's provision and the generosity of God's people, 16 adjacent acres were added.