Pastors

Scotty Smith

Founding Pastor, Pastor of Preaching

Scotty Smith, a native of Graham, N.C, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1972, and from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1977 and is currently working on a DMin at Covenant Theological Seminary. He served as youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem from 1977-1979 and from 1979-1981 as youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. In 1981 Scotty helped Cortez Cooper plant Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

In 1986 Scotty was sent out as the planting pastor for Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. Scotty served CCC as Senior Pastor for his first twenty years, with the past five years as Founding Pastor, and has seen its membership grow to over three thousand. During these two decades CCC has also planted four daughter churches.

Scotty now serves CCC as Pastor for Preaching and Worship. He also serves as adjunct professor at Covenant Theological Seminary, Westminster Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando.

Scotty has written six books: Unveiled Hope, with Michael Card; Objects of His Affection; Speechless, The Reign of Grace; and Restoring Broken Things, with Steven Curtis Chapman; and his newest book, Everyday Prayers: 365 Days to a Gospel Centered Faith.

Scotty and Darlene, his wife of thirty-nine years, have two adult married children and one grandson. He enjoys fly-fishing, cross training, classic rock and roll, Motown Music and cooking.

Mike Smith

Pastor of Care

Carl Michael (Mike) Smith has served as a pastor of Christ Community Church for almost 20 years. Prior to his current role as Pastor of Congregational Care, Mike served as a youth pastor, singles' pastor, adult discipleship pastor, and a pastoral counseling pastor.

As Pastor of Congregational Care, Mike oversees membership and assimilation; the church’s counseling ministry; home fellowship groups; reconciliation and pastoral care to the body of Christ Community Church.

Mike holds a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Prior to entering ministry, he earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Western Kentucky University. While at WKU, Mike met Dr. Bill Lane, a professor in Philosophy and Religion. It was Dr. Lane who recognized Mike's gifts of mercy and love for people and encouraged him to go into ministry. In 1976, Mike joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and served for two years before entering seminary. He served for six years as Youth Pastor at Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee before coming to Christ Community in 1988.

Mike is the author of Getting Ready for a Lifetime of Love, a book for couples preparing for marriage. Mike has provided pre-marital counseling for hundreds of couples and is sought after for his expertise in this area. He is passionate about missions and has traveled to dozens of countries working construction (his true love), offering pastoral care and providing marriage seminars and counseling.

Originally from Kentucky, Mike now makes his home in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife, Rinda. They have three children all married, Jimmy (Danielle), Joel (Allyson), and Abby Draughn (Eli). They enjoy being grandparents to their four grandchildren.

Eric Van Zee

Pastor of Children and Student Ministries

Youth ministry has always been a passion of Eric’s.  He is a ”military brat” and moved around a great deal as a kid.   It was during his junior year of HS that God moved him across the world – literally- he moved from Bitburg, Germany to Tampa, Florida.  It was there that Eric was confronted with the questions of what he really believed about God and his relationship with him.  His youth pastor, Craig, mentored and challenged Eric to seek out the Truth of God’s Word.  It was also during high school when Eric participated in a mission trip to Jamaica.  This trip had a profound impact on Eric’s heart for missions and a calling to love the lost.  Moving frequently gave Eric firsthand knowledge of the loneliness of being on the fringe and feeling out of place.   These experiences help to develop his love for meeting new people and nurture a longing to reach out to the kid on the sideline.   

Eric attended Covenant College on Lookout  Mountain, GA.  He graduated with  a degree in business and even worked for a large company for year.  It was during that year of working and still not feeling satisfied that he first felt God’s call for him to be in full time ministry.  He and his wife Jenn, moved to St. Louis MO to attend Covenant Seminary where Eric earned his Master of Divinity degree.

As Eric gets older, and hopefully wiser – and looks at the image in the mirror staring back at him –with slightly less hair than a short few years ago…– he is able to reflect on how God has been writing his story from the beginning:  using the good, the bad and ugly – all to shape who he is today and to bring Glory to a great God whose name is Redeemer.  Serving as the Pastor of Student ministries is a genuine privilege.  Words fail to express the joy of walking along side of students and their families.

Eric has served at CCC since 2001 and is surprised at how an Awesome God chooses to use a broken man like himself – yet that is a daily reminder of the essence of the Gospel.    He is married to his high school sweet heart, Jenn (15yrs this summer!) and "Dad" to 3 extraordinary, fun and brilliant kids –Benjamin (7), Kate (4) and Addie (1).