95+
Years of faith,
history and legacy
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 18:20
1927
The 20th Street Church of Christ traces its origins back to 1927 when Brothers Richardson and M.A. Dye, members of the Ninth Street North Church of Christ, invited renowned evangelist Brother Marshall M. Keeble from Nashville, Tennessee, to share his ministry in Florida. Following several tent meetings in the St. Petersburg area, Brother Keeble’s efforts led to 92 souls being added to the body of Christ.
Brother Luke Miller, the first minister of the Twentieth Street congregation, balanced his time between churches in St. Petersburg, Lakeland, and Tampa. Brother John R. Vaughner succeeded him, leading to years of growth and development for the congregation. Subsequent ministers, including O.L. Acker, A.E. Perkins, Jesse Burson, William Whitaker, A.W. Fizhugh, E.W. Way, S.J. Dudley, R.V. Simmons, and current minister R.E. Smith, have all contributed to the congregation’s progress.
Under Brother Robert V. Simmons’s tenure, the church experienced unprecedented growth, leading to the expansion of the church auditorium and the addition of an educational complex. On June 25, 1989, a new edifice with seating for over 1,300 souls was dedicated. As an evangelistic church, the 20th Street Church of Christ has established congregations across Florida and in Bainbridge, Georgia, while actively supporting the development of other congregations throughout the brotherhood.
