WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — After years of worshipping underneath an enclosed tent, a controversial Mt. Juliet church is officially moving.
The pastor of Global Vision Bible Church announced they will hold their final service in the tent on Sunday.
It's welcome news for neighbors who have complained about excessive noise and even sued.
“Next Sunday is the last service in this tent,” Greg Locke, Pastor of Global Vision Bible Church said.
It's an applause from pastor Greg Locke's congregation. It is also welcome news for those living in a 1-mile radius to the church.
“The church is here where the red dot is, and this is how far the noise carries, this is a 1.2-mile radius. And within this 1.2-mile radius, there are about 8,500 people that live here within 10 different neighborhoods,” said Kylie Blackett.
Last year Kylie Blackett showed News 2 how many neighbors were affected by noise. In the past, neighbors said not only could you hear the worship songs but the actual services a couple days a week.
“We are relieved, especially for the neighbors that are directly across the street. Just being able to enjoy our backyards is going to be amazing,” Griff Akins said in August.
At that time, Locke announced the church was moving to a building in Lebanon. However, those plans fell through. This past Sunday, however, Locke said the church is officially moving into a warehouse in Lebanon.
“We’ll do a whole campaign. We are going to get in there and meet all of our neighbors even before we move in. Give them gift baskets, let them know we are there to love them and be good neighbors,” Locke said.
Locke said that's how they will treat their new neighbors after years of friction in Mt. Juliet.
“We’ve been in this viscous cycle over the past few years spending half a million dollars on five or six different lawsuits,” Locke said.
Neighbors directly across the street say their lawsuit is still active.
From Old Lebanon Dirt Road to the town of Lebanon, Locke said the tent will now be a distant memory.
“It is a substantial size of what we will be using and an even more substantial size of what will be growing into. It will facilitate all of our needs,” Locke said.
Locke said Dec. 1 will be the first service in the new facility. The new address of the church has not been released.