Brandon, MS
The First United Pentecostal Church of Brandon started in January 1973 when Reverend Lloyd Adcock had a burden for a town that did not have a church preaching the truth of God’s word to the hungry souls there. So, in 1973 he moved his precious wife Eloise, sons Danny, James, Paul, and daughter Shelia to Brandon.
He began holding services in a storefront with 25 people in attendance, the first service where he preached the message, “Go Forward,” which remains the church’s theme even until the present. In January 1975, after two years in the storefront, the congregation completed a new church building on Highway 468.
At that location, they continued to grow and live the dream of this man of God until, on November 21, 1992, what seemed like disaster struck. That night, a tornado hit Brandon’s city and directly hit the church, leaving behind only the foundation and the organ. Some may not have realized. But just like scriptures said, God had His way in the whirlwind. For some time, Brother Adcock had been looking for a way to relocate on Highway 80. As the saying goes, God works in mysterious ways because after the tornado took the old church, that is what happened.
In 1993, new church construction began at 1368 West Government Street (Highway 80), and on January 23, 1994, the new church opened its doors for worship. Over the next 16 years, the church continued to grow and see a harvest of souls, and attendance reached around 200.
In 1998 Reverend David Becton assisted Brother Adcock until 2000. Because of health issues, Brother Adcock felt it in the church’s best interest to become Senior Pastor, and in 2000 Brother Becton was elected as Pastor and served until 2012.
In 2000 the church built a lovely fellowship hall onto the building to further expand for growth. In 2012 Brother Becton resigned as Pastor, and Reverend James F. Nations served as interim Pastor from April 22, 2012, until August 12, 2012. On August 12, 2012, Reverend John De La Fuente was elected as Pastor and served until he resigned on October 4, 2014.
On October 25, 2014, Presbyter Baron Price served as interim Pastor until February of 2015.
On April 1, 2015, Reverend Ken Irby became Pastor. There were only around 35 people on the membership role at that time, but Brandon’s story was not yet over but just beginning. From April 1 until July of 2015, because of limited church funds, Pastor Irby continued to work his job at J&H Turbo service in Greenville, Mississippi, and each Wednesday drive to Brandon to preach and then drive back home that night to work the next day. He would return on either Friday or Saturday and work at the church and conduct services on Sunday.
From the start, the hand of God was at work, and in no time, the church began to breathe new life, and the Spirit of God was on the move.
In July of 2015, Pastor Irby met the church board and agreed to become a full-time pastor due to God’s blessings on the church financially and spiritually. He quit his job and moved his wife, Pamela, and daughter Kassidy to Brandon.
It was not long until word began to spread about the move of God that was happening in Brandon, and hungry souls began to show up and received the Holy Ghost! Service after service, God moved upon the church and Brandon, and day by day, it grew stronger.
On April 1, 2020, Pastor Irby and wife Pamela celebrated the 5th anniversary of Pastoring the most remarkable church in the world. Due to covid-19, there was no official service to commemorate this anniversary until June 28, 2020. In a particular service on June 28, 2020, they celebrated five years of Pastoring, had a note burning service to celebrate paying off the church note, and now the church is debt-free. To God, be the Glory! God continues to have miracles for Brandon.