It all started when...
The River Sparta was founded in the summer of 2015 by pastor John Phillips and his wife April. John was the life group and outreach pastor at The River Community Church in Cookeville, Tennessee for five years. After being on a core team at Crossroads church plant for two and a half years, and various other church leadership experiences, John and April took the leap to plant River Sparta in Sparta, Tennessee.
A church bonfire
Our annual outreach event, “1,000 For 1,000”
Our worship team at a worship conference
River Sparta has a strong core team that has prayed for many years that a church like ours would come to Sparta. Our church family is made up soldiers, doctors, teachers, social workers, and so many more that come together to share the gospel of Jesus. This church family sets up and tears down church every Sunday, plans and executes outreach events, and reaches out to guests and the community. It is obvious that God has brought this church together to change Sparta, Tennessee for His glory. We hope you'll join our family
Elders praying over a mission team on a Sunday morning
April Phillips and Terra Davis
A group from our church at women’s conference in Gatlinburg