| It
was the Summer of 1996, the month of June, that God began to deal with
Shea and me about pioneering a church. We had no earthly idea that it
would be in Sterlington, Louisiana, but God who inhabits eternity and sits
on the circle of the earth saw in His divine foreknowledge that
Sterlington was the hub of a remnant of people who would come to the
Tabernacle in debt, distressed, and discontented. Thus, we answered
the call to Ouachita Parish that year.
The building we are presently
having service in was vacant, so I called Faulk and Foster in inquire. Sue
Marcus said the building was already taken by another body of believers,
but God gave us favor and Bro. Garsee was moved on by the Lord to lease it
to us. We were able to lease it for $900.00 a month. Fairland
Holiness Church of Fouke, Arkansas, took up an offering of $4500.00 to
cover the first half of the year and my dear pastor, Bro Ben Shaw, paid
the remaining $4500.00 out of his own pocket, so off to Cajun Country we
went, Pastor T.D., Shea, and Dayla.
Our first service was on
September 1, 1996. We had 13 people that first Sunday morning. My father,
Richard Boyd, taught the first Sunday School lesson, "Compel Them To
Come In." Prayer and fasting were the themes that morning. Pastor T.
D. Boyd preached on "Blessed Bread" that first morning service.
We had 19 in attendance in the evening service. Those in attendance the
first weekend were: Rev. T.D., Shea and Dayla Boyd, Richard and Shirley
Boyd, Terry and Yvonne Coker, Craig, Gina, and Jordan Mitchell, Delton and
Daisy Bordelon, Darenda Roberts, Shane Holden, Mike, Janice, and Naomi
Simms, and Naomi's boyfriend.
In the first year, miracle
after miracle was performed. At the end of the year, with 35 people in
attendance, we needed a miracle and we got it. $3632.00 was given to cover
the down payment for the church, but the very next week, we needed yet
another miracle in the form of $1010.00 to cover insurance expenses. We
took another offering and God met that need according to His riches in
Glory!
Today, we have a thriving, growing
church. Not just packed pews, but packed men in the pews, people full of
the Holy Ghost and Godly women who are keepers of the home.
In addition to our weekly
services within the church, we have several outreach ministries. Once a
month, Bro. John and Sis. Amy Acklen minister to the elderly people at
Landmark nursing home in West Monroe, Louisiana. Once a week, Rev. T.D.
Boyd, and often Bro. Buddy Day travels to Claiborne Parish Detention
Center to minister to those prisoners there. Bro. Michael and Sis. Rebecca
Strickland had taken the burden of the Children's Church every Sunday
morning to minister to children, not only in our church, but in the
community as well. There also has been a New Converts Class that is held
every Tuesday evening to encourage and train our new converts. Bro. Scott
Thompson is faithful to hit the streets with the Gospel message and often,
you can find him in front of a bar on the weekends, compelling the people
"not to go in." And if this is not enough, you may go to
any given place and find a tract left behind by one of our members. We
believe in getting the Gospel out by using every possible avenue. Thank
God!!
This church is not about
gimmicks, schemes and flashy entertainment. It has not been built on
strategies and programs, but our emphasis has been prayer, fasting, and
strict adherence to God's Holy infallible inerrant Word. May God continue
to bless the work in Sterlington, Louisiana. It is a privilege to pastor
here. Remember...."Pentecost was the day, but Holiness is the
Way."
Pastor T. D. Boyd
|
