BY GREG MILLER
Star Correspondent
A non-denominational Christian church, East River Park Christian Church, was begun 52 years ago.
“East River Park originally started as a church plant of First Christian Church of Elizabethton,” stated Mr. Jason Payne, lead pastor. “They began meeting together in 1968 in a little gas station. The church building was constructed at its current location in 1969 and an ‘education wing’ was added in 1978. The church is located on 12 acres with the scenic Watauga River at the end of the property.”
Payne recalls that he was raised in a Christian home. “Like most people growing up in a Christian home, I submitted my life to Jesus Christ at a young age,” he stated. “My decision had been primarily influenced by my best friend’s recent conversion. Growing up in a church without a student pastor brought many troubling times in my teenage years and I soon began to realize the dire need for a positive influence in my life. Through the influence of a student pastor that was hired my junior year in high school, I soon surrendered my life to ministry. I attended Boyce College in Louisville, Ky., to receive an undergrad degree in Youth Ministry. Later, I received an M.Div. degree from Moody Theological Seminary in Pastoral Studies.”
Philippians is among Payne’s favorite books of the Bible. “I don’t know if I have a favorite passage to teach on but teaching through Philippians is one of my favorite books,” he stated. “Philippians was the first book of the Bible that I created a teaching outline on with my youth pastor. I enjoy teaching Philippians because of Paul’s faithfulness to the gospel even while he is sitting in prison.”
Payne describes his preaching style. “I am an expository Bible teacher,” he said. “Meaning, I prefer to teach through books of the Bible or sections of the Bible. It is important to me to show people the context of a passage and how it might relate to our lives today.”
For Payne, heaven is the easiest doctrine about which to preach. “It is easy because we see all that is broken around us, and we long for all things to be made right,” he said. “Everyone is seeking peace in their life and eternal peace is an easy thing to preach on. The most difficult doctrine to preach about is repentance. Repentance is an indictment on cultural Christianity. It is easy to want to go to heaven when you die, it is quite another thing to give up all your own desires for the cause of Christ. We are not called to comfort, but to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. (Matthew 16:24-26) ”Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
The most important aspect of a local church’s ministry in today’s society, Payne believes, is discipleship. “It is the call of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20,” he said. “The primary function of creating disciples is to proclaim and teach the Scriptures. People do not love or serve like Christ without understanding the Word that He has given to us.”
Payne believes Christians “live within two realities, the already happened and the yet to happen. Meaning, Christ has made all things new and is in the process of making all things new. (Revelation 21:5) The local church should reflect what the gospel has done and is doing in our lives. It is the responsibility of the church to partner with the community to assist in the needs of poverty, injustice and addiction. We want to partner with the community to reflect the gospel hope that we have experienced through Jesus. One day, Christ will make all things new in Elizabethton. The church should be a part of that process until Christ makes that a full reality.”
King Solomon is Payne’s favorite Bible character about whom to study. “I enjoy studying Solomon’s life, specifically his heart in the book of Ecclesiastes,” Payne said. “It is a man that had chased everything this world had to offer and found nothing to satisfy. It is a reminder to me that life is short and the love of Christ is the highest priority.”
Payne has traveled to Honduras several times leading student and adult mission trips. “During these trips, we served with a children’s ministry called Casa de Luz in Tegucigalpa and Zambrano. This ministry provides quality child care, spiritual development and academic enrichment to at-risk children living in poverty situations while meeting the practical, emotional and spiritual needs of their families and their communities. During our time in Honduras, we laid concrete flooring for a school classroom, tile for a ministry building and served with various children in the community.”
Payne’s wife, Corey, is one of the program coordinators for Isaiah 117 House in Carter County. The Paynes have three children. “We have awesome five-year-old twins, Ezra and Eliza,” stated Payne. “They are currently in kindergarten at West Side Elementary. We also have a loving three-year-old boy named Judah.”
Payne previously served as an associate pastor of student ministry at Faith Community Church in Davis, Ill. “We had the honor and privilege to serve there for over eight years,” he said.
In addition to Payne, staff members at East River Park include Derek Woodward, discipleship pastor; Bo McGee, worship pastor; and Mary Anne Key, office secretary.
Adult Core Classes are held on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Sunday’s morning worship service begins at 10:45 a.m. Payne says average attendance for Sunday’s service is about 155-160 people. Small groups meet during Sunday afternoon or on Sunday evenings. Groups gather at various times at church or in homes. Adult Core Classes, children’s ministry, student ministry and college ministry groups meet on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
East River Park Christian Church is located at 1207 Broad St., Elizabethton. For more information about the church, visit eastriverpark.church, e-mail jason.erpcc@gmail.com or call 423-542-8783.