Its first service was held on Easter Sunday at Chesterbook Elementary School in McLean with Pastor J. Albert Ford.

[3] In September 2017, David Platt was confirmed as the Pastor-Teacher, later "Lead Pastor", replacing Lon Solomon by being the sole candidate offered to the membership.

In November 2018, CBS News listed McLean Bible Church as the 24th largest megachurch in the United States with about 16,500 weekly visitors.

[7][8][9] In 2020, in response to the global pandemic, the church moved all their ministry online and met physical needs for people all over greater Washington, DC, giving away boxes of food, toiletries, and soap, totaling 5.6 million meals.

[10] A shared leadership structure for MBC was introduced between two lead pastors, David Platt and Mike Kelsey.