about us

The story of the Emerald Beach church of Christ began in an unexpected place—the old Emerald Beach Motel on Front Beach Road.

In the winter of 1999, a guest at the motel approached manager Phil Mitchell with a simple request: would he consider starting a weekly morning Bible study for the winter guests? Phil agreed and, with the help of brethren from the Jenks Avenue church of Christ, the first Bible study was held in early January.

What began as an informal gathering over coffee and doughnuts soon became something much more. Twenty-two people attended the first study. The following week, attendance grew to 31, and by the end of January, nearly 50 people were gathering each week. Before long, winter guests were joined by motel guests and employees, local residents, and even people walking along the beach who heard about the study and decided to attend.

At its largest, the group welcomed 57 people—about all the room could hold. During those early months, visitors came from 34 states and 11 foreign countries, and people from a wide variety of religious backgrounds joined together to study God’s Word.

By May, enthusiasm had grown and those attending began discussing the possibility of establishing a congregation in the beach community. Brother Gerald McAlister and his wife, Shirley, graciously agreed to help with this new work, and on August 29, 1999, the Emerald Beach church of Christ held its first worship service as a congregation in the cafeteria of Beach Elementary School.

From those humble beginnings, support was raised to purchase the property where our church building stands today. What started with a simple Bible study in a motel has grown into a congregation with a lasting presence in the Panama City Beach community.

Through the years, God has blessed the work of the Emerald Beach church of Christ in countless ways. As we honor our past, we remain focused on our purpose for the future: to glorify God, strengthen and encourage one another, share the truth of His Word, and serve those around us.

We are grateful for those whose faith and dedication helped establish this congregation, and we pray that God will continue to bless its work for generations to come.