Pastor Eric and Mandy Gilbert answered God’s call to return to their hometown of Russell Springs, KY, to launch what would become 3trees Church. On September 3, 2000, with a team of just six people, they opened the doors in a converted truck stop restaurant—trusting God to build something lasting. As the church grew, people began attending from both Eastern and Central Time Zones, crossing county lines to be part of what God was doing. Some were so moved that they regularly traveled across state lines with their families to participate in Sunday gatherings. It was a season of unique blessing as the church outgrew multiple facilities, eventually establishing itself as a thriving regional congregation, rooted on its original 30-acre campus and positioned to impact communities well beyond Russell Springs.
In 2014, 3trees Church became a multi-site congregation—an expansion prompted by the reality that our Russell Springs location was hosting people from more than 15 counties each week. By God’s providence, our first multi-site campus came through a unique Kingdom partnership with Living Grace Church in Campbellsville, KY.
Living Grace’s journey began in 2002 when 17 individuals stepped out in faith, convinced that God was calling them to start a new work in Campbellsville. They began meeting in homes, sometimes gathering in a garage for worship, but as God blessed their efforts, growth soon required larger spaces. Over the next few years, the church met in a warehouse, a movie theater, and eventually a renovated church facility before settling into a state-of-the-art building that had once been a large Coca-Cola Bottling, Inc. plant.
After a meaningful season of spiritual connection and shared mission between the two congregations, Living Grace Church voted unanimously in July 2014 to join the 3trees family—officially becoming our first multi-site location and marking a significant milestone in our mission to reach Kentucky for Christ.
In 2018, our Columbia 3trees location was opened in response to nearly 50% of our congregation at the time having Columbia addresses. Recognizing the need to meet our people where they were—and to better serve their unchurched friends and family—we prayed for a way to plant roots in the heart of the community. God opened the door for us to acquire a facility in the area’s main marketplace, placing us in an accessible location where ministry could flourish. From day one, the Columbia campus has been blessed with growth and favor, becoming a place where lives are changed, families are strengthened, and the hope of Jesus is shared with countless people across the region.
In April 2025, a new chapter began when conversations unfolded between the leadership of Motor City Church and 3trees. Motor City Church, based out of Michigan, was in a season of transition, moving toward becoming a single-location congregation known as Wisdom City Church. During this process, they recognized the unique, Kentucky-focused vision God had placed on 3trees. In a spirit of Kingdom partnership, they extended the opportunity for 3trees to continue the ministry they had faithfully nurtured in Louisville. This merger marks more than a change in name for the Louisville congregation—it’s a continuation of the Gospel mission in the city, rooted in the past, energized for the present, and expectant for what God will do next in Kentucky’s largest city.
Kentucky has always held a place of unique influence. Once the gateway to America’s westward expansion through the Cumberland Gap, this land opened the way for what pioneers called “Manifest Destiny.” Long before that, Native Americans knew it as Kentahten—“The Land of Tomorrow”—a home of meadowlands, rivers, lakes, and streams; a place of promise and possibility. We believe Kentucky’s truest destiny is found in Jesus Christ. That’s why 3trees is committed to reaching across the entire Commonwealth—to seek the lost, disciple the found, and see hearts transformed in every county. Kentucky needs Jesus, and we intend to share Him boldly.