The Deans’ journey of service and faith.
by Charlene Echols, Missions Champion for Blue Mountain Church
Did you know that SRBC has a new mission partner? It is called Blue Mountain Church and is located in the North Georgia mountains near Blairsville. Let me tell you about it!
You may remember that Nathan and Carrie Dean were the co-pastors of Edgewood Church on Memorial Drive, where they served for over 12 years. They lived in the community with their four children and worked alongside a diverse group of people—culturally, racially and economically—who were seeking to live a life like Jesus. They offered life skills programs, counseling and Bible teaching to all who would participate and started the church to carry on the journey they began. By all accounts, they were recognized as successful missionaries.
However, starting only one church was never the vision God placed on their hearts. Having created a sustainable environment for making disciples, they knew it was time to move on. In March of 2021, they resigned from Edgewood Church to begin a new journey.
They had to decide where to go to start such a church and ultimately identified a need in the North Georgia mountains, in the small town of Blairsville. They sold their home and all their possessions and purchased a nine-acre tract of land to build a church house—a house that would serve as their home as well as a refuge and a base for their mission activities. The vision was for a barn-style structure with the largest living area possible to support their mission.
Needing a place to live while the church house was under construction, they wired and plumbed an 800-square-foot hunting cabin on the property, which would serve as their home for the next two-and-a-half years. This family of six was ready to get started.
They quickly realized they were not welcome in the area, as neighbors harassed them and their children. Despite this, they knew they were where God wanted them to be.
With the help of construction teams from supporting churches, they fenced in the property, cleared the land for the church house, and worked tirelessly on its construction over two-and-a-half years. The timing couldn’t have been worse—COVID-19, skyrocketing building costs, and a shortage of supplies all presented significant challenges. Throughout this time, they met people, built relationships, organized potluck meals, and formed small-group Bible studies as they integrated into the community. Once the church house was completed, they invited people to worship.
The SRBC Mission Service Committee began vetting Blue Mountain Church based on the Deans’ proven commitment to service at Edgewood. After a year of monitoring their activities, the committee approved them as a mission partner. In April 2024, SRBC began sending a monthly stipend to Blue Mountain Church to support its programs and activities. Our church also provided furnishings, tools and technology to help them get started.
Blue Mountain Church has been operational as a mission church for over a year. They now have two men’s groups, a women’s group, and a young adult group where people are learning and growing in a God-centered life. Nathan and Carrie regularly walk with people struggling with addiction, marriage issues and poverty, bringing the hope and strength of Jesus and His church into these situations.
When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, this community church saw an opportunity to help. Over several months, they sent six teams to aid those affected by the tragedy. This experience deepened their understanding of what it means to be a mission church.
Blue Mountain Church meets on Sunday afternoons and continues mentoring and making disciples. Despite ongoing harassment, such as neighbors shooting guns during services, the goodness of God is evident and the church is thriving.
I serve on the Blue Mountain Church board of directors and have agreed to be the liaison between our church and this mission church. I’ll be looking for opportunities for us to collaborate on mission projects and work alongside them.
In the meantime, feel free to see me about signing up for their monthly newsletter to gain a better understanding of the incredible work happening there. If you would like more information, I’ll be glad to share what I know!