Churches

The former General Secretary of the UPCI, Jerry Jones, wrote an outstanding dissertation on an early pioneer church that had an impact upon the State of Mississippi, as well as his home State of Louisiana. His opening paragraphs underlines the fact that a written history is indeed of vital importance, Again, if we do not know where we have been, how can we know where we are going. The pastors of all local churches should appoint someone to guard jealously the birth and development of any congregation. Most were purchased by a common cost of financial sacrifice, and many times by blood and tears by the founders. Establishing a new church upon a firm scriptural foundation is a work of patience and endurance. Subsequent pastors after the founder must build upon that foundation to reach for excellence. The pulpit they assume in their quest to fulfill calling, was a table set, ready to be supplied by hot bread from the ovens of anointing. Brother Jones wrote…

“In this paper, I will present a history of my home church, Stateline Pentecostal Church. I will develop this history by discussing the men who have pastored the church, focusing on the first six (or seven: more about that later). I will trace the beginnings of the Pentecostal movement in both Mississippi and Louisiana, since Stateline is the product of the Pentecostal advance in both those states, and explore how each of these contributed to the rich texture of the church’s development through the experiences of those early pastors.
I was surprised to discover only one brief outline of the history of the church prepared by Roy Dykes, one of the early pastors. It was written in his old age, apparently from memory. I have uncovered nothing else, and this dearth of written resources about Stateline required the use of oral history in the form of my own memories of stories told me by longtime members, mostly years ago, along with recent interviews of former members, their descendants, and with others who I believed could provide me with information.”

Much of his research will be shared, with his permission, in a number of areas of this volume chronicling the Mississippi District’s development to the present. Each valuable part of his excellent research will be credited to the ardently written study of the Stateline Pentecostal Church. This chapter will record the histories of the local assemblies that make up the Mississippi District’s Oneness family of believers. As in every sector of the United Pentecostal Church International, the ministerial calling to declare the truth and promise of the apostolic doctrine, the core of ministers prayerfully reached for excellence. They evolved with the times, but maintained a preservation of fulfilling the Great Commission with the message Jesus presented and which was implemented by the apostles. As a result, the church will thrive as the Body of Christ, healthy, dynamic and energetic, with gleaming new facilities, overflowing sanctuaries, because our pastors were taught to imitate sacrificial giving and how to produce a consecrated, dedicated pulpit. Thus, the Mississippi District has given birth to a family of fabulous churches, and has been a resource in every responsibility in insuring that the people of the entire world hear the gospel. To continue the legacy the pioneers bequeathed the present, the benefactors will produce a history as valuable for future generations to read. That, of course, depends upon the point of it all, the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The churches have prepared their personal histories… Each have a distinct birth and development:

• First Pentecostal Church – Aberdeen
• Bethel Apostolic Church – Amory
• Faith Tabernacle – Batesville
• The Pentecostals of the Gulf Coast – Biloxi
• First United Pentecostal Church – Booneville
• First United Pentecostal Church – Brandon
• Bethel Temple Pentecostal Church – Brookhaven
• The Bridge at Burnsville – Burnsville
• United Pentecostal Church – Caledonia
• First Apostolic Church – Carthage
• First United Pentecostal Church – Clarksdale
• The Pentecostals of Cleveland – Cleveland
• New Chapel United Pentecostal Church – Collins
• Woodlawn United Pentecostal Church – Columbia
• Authentic Church – Columbus
• Central United Pentecostal Church – Corinth
• Greater Life United Pentecostal Church – Corinth
• Life Tabernacle Pentecostal Church – Corinth
• Pleasant Hill Pentecostal Church – Corinth
• West Corinth Tabernacle – Corinth
• First Apostolic United Pentecostal Church – Crystal Springs
• Christian Life Apostolic Church – DeKalb
• Lighthouse Apostolic Church – DeKalb
• United Pentecostal Church – Durant
• Landmark United Pentecostal Church – Eddiceton
• First Pentecostal Church North (Jackson) – Flowood
• First Pentecostal Church – Forest
• Pine Grove United Pentecostal Church – Foxworth
• First United Pentecostal Church – Fulton
• First United Pentecostal Church – Georgetown
• The River Pentecostal Church – Greenville
• The Pentecostals of Grenada – Grenada
• The First Pentecostal Church (Discovery Church) – Gulfport
• West Rock United Pentecostal Church – Hattiesburg
• Apostolic Lighthouse Church – Holly Springs
• Houlka United Pentecostal Church – Houlka
• Pentecostals of House – House
• The Pentecostal Church – Houston
• First Pentecostal Church – Iuka
• First Pentecostal Church – Jackson
• Oak Grove Pentecostal Church – Jayess
• Calvary Pentecostal Church – Jayess
• Powell’s Grove United Pentecostal Church – Jayess
• First United Pentecostal Church – Kosciusko
• Cherry Chapel United Pentecostal Church – Laurel Hill
• Canaan Land United Pentecostal Church – Leakesville
• First United Pentecostal Church – Leakesville
• Mount Pisgah United Pentecostal Church – Leakesville
• Lena United Pentecostal Church – Lena
• United Pentecostal Church – Liberty
• First Apostolic Church – Louisville
• Lighthouse Worship Center First United Pentecostal Church – Lucedale
• Parkway Pentecostal Church – Madison
• Goodway United Pentecostal Church – Marks
• The First United Pentecostal Church – McComb
• First Pentecostal Church of Mendenhall – Mendenhall
• Center Hill Pentecostal Church – Meridian
• Abundant Life Tabernacle – Meridian
• Pentecostal Tabernacle – Millington, TN
• The Pentecostals of Monticello – Monticello
• Oak Grove United Pentecostal Church – Morgantown
• First United Pentecostal Church – Morton
• The First United Pentecostal Church – Natchez
• Nettleton Pentecostal Church – Nettleton
• Apostolic Revival Center – New Albany
• New Hope Pentecostal Church – New Hebron
• The Sanctuary – Newton
• Wellspring Community Church – Oxford
• The Sanctuary – Pascagoula
• The Apostolic Church – Pelahatchie
• Christian Life Tabernacle – Philadelphia
• First Pentecostal Church – Philadelphia
• Macedonia Revival Center – Philadelphia
• New Zion United Pentecostal Church – Philadelphia
• North Bend United Pentecostal Church – Philadelphia
• Northside United Pentecostal Church – Philadelphia
• Polkville United Pentecostal Church – Polkville
• Grace and Truth Church – Puckett
• Trenton Pentecostal Church – Pulaski
• Sunny Hill Pentecostal Church – Purvis
• First United Pentecostal Church – Quitman
• First United Pentecostal Church – Raymond
• New Destiny Church – Richland
• New Life Pentecostal Church – Ripley
• First United Pentecostal Church – Sardis
• Life Point United Pentecostal Church – Saltillo
• Pine Grove United Pentecostal Church – Sebastopol
• First United Pentecostal Church – Senatobia
• Apostolic Revival Church – Southaven
• Heritage Christian Life Center – Southaven
• Truth Tabernacle – Starkville
• Wake Forest United Pentecostal Church – Thomastown
• Gospel Lighthouse Pentecostal Church – Tishomingo
• Apostolic Life – Tupelo
• Life at Tupelo – Tupelo
• Richmond Pentecostal Church – Tupelo
• Theo Holiness Church – Walnut
• First United Pentecostal Church – Water Valley
• First United Pentecostal Church – Wesson
• Pleasant Ridge Pentecostal Church – Wesson
• Springhill Pentecostal Church – Wesson
• First Pentecostal Church – West Point
• Word Alive Revival Center – Wiggins
• First United Pentecostal Church – Yazoo City