History
CHAPTER 1
Phil Toole grew up in a minister's home and became a minister himself. But after 15 years of ministry he was frustrated with the local church's ability to attract unchurched people. In 1991, Phil and his wife Delisa, attended at Willow Creek Association conference and were inspired by a new vision of how to do church that emphasized a unique intentionality to reach people who were far from God. In June 1992 they moved to the Phoenix area to start a brand new church that would be designed from the outset to reach the truly unchurched.
By the summer of '93 the vision for Mountain Valley Church began to take shape as several families joined the vision to start a different kind of church in the Northeast Valley of Phoenix. This church for people who had given up on church opened its doors on October 24th, 1993, with over 200 people in attendance.
The ensuing years saw a wide variety of meeting locations. From YMCA's rooms to school auditoriums to office parks - Mountain Valley made their home wherever they could in order to facilitate the growing numbers of people who were coming to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
In 2003, without a location chosen but full of faith, the congregation of Mountain Valley banded together and pledged significant funds toward the purchase of a new home. After much prayer and seeking, a building became available that would meet the current needs of the congregation. On Labor Day weekend, 2004, Mountain Valley celebrated its first service in its new and current home on Perimeter Drive.