OUR HISTORY

Worshiping God, Proclaiming His Truth
In July of 1976, six families from various backgrounds, with a vision for ministry and evangelism in the Minnesota River valley area of Chaska and Shakopee, formed a nonprofit organization named Valley Ministries. Valley Ministries pursued its vision through a Sunday night evangelistic service in a barn west of Chaska, a weekly radio program and a Christian Bookstore in Shakopee. Eventually, a Sunday church service grew from this ministry and met in the community room of the Shakopee Valley Mall.

The church was then called Valley Community Church.

In 1983 the congregation moved it’s services to the high school in Chaska, and became affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America, changing the name to Valley Evangelical Free Church. As the congregation continued to grow, a more permanent home was needed for the church. In 1987, five acres of land were purchased at the intersection of Highway 41 and Engler Boulevard, a strategic site near the Chaska schools, and construction began on the first phase of our current church building.

Valley Free moved into the newly built 7,000 square foot facility in the spring of 1988 to gather for worship, instruction and fellowship, with the purpose of impacting our communities for Jesus Christ.

In light of this vision, Valley began ministries for men, women, youth and children to meet both their spiritual and physical needs. To facilitate these new ministries, Valley added an Associate Pastor, a Youth Pastor and a Worship Leader.

To meet the needs of the rapidly expanding ministry, an addition was added on to the building in 1992. It included a Christian Education wing, additional office space and additional seating in the worship center.

With a passion for reaching the world for Christ, Valley Free planted two churches in 1993. One in Pitesti, Romania and the Pioneer Evangelical Free Church in Chanhassen. In both church plants, families from Valley Free were commissioned and sent out to establish the new churches.

God continues to change lives and use Valley Free as a lighthouse for Christ in the Chaska area and around the world. Today, the ministry of Valley Evangelical Free Church continues to be marked by worship, fellowship, growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and a passion for sharing Christ with the world.

Valley Evangelical Free Church is a worshipping faith community where the truth of Jesus Christ is caught, taught, lived and given away.