How it all started...
Gospel Mission Church was started in 1965 on Bryant Ford Road. The first pastor was also the founder, Brother Joe Gardner.
The Bryant Ford building sits next to an old gravel pit and was formerly a Holiness Church in the mid 1950s. The building was simple and rough. Some members were carpenters and they performed much of the construction work. With no baptistry, baptisms were initially held in the Clarks River. It was later decided that swimming pools would be safer, so baptisms were held in members' pools during the summer months.
The Bryant Ford building sits next to an old gravel pit and was formerly a Holiness Church in the mid 1950s. The building was simple and rough. Some members were carpenters and they performed much of the construction work. With no baptistry, baptisms were initially held in the Clarks River. It was later decided that swimming pools would be safer, so baptisms were held in members' pools during the summer months.
Expanding the vision...
After 20 years, Brother Joe was ready to retire. He continued to visit the hospitals and minister to the sick, whether they attended GMC or not. He had several Associate Pastors he depended upon, but leaned most heavily upon Brother Terry Henderson. Brother Terry was called to pastor the church very quickly and the transition was smooth as he became the second pastor. By the late 1980s, there was standing room only during the services and leadership began to look for land to purchase and build a new sanctuary.
Currently ...
Gospel Mission purchased several acres of land at the corner of Said and Benton Roads. The building was built over eight months with a motto, "To God be the Glory", which is still visible today in the sanctuary. After construction, some members did not want to give up the old building, so they stayed at the Bryant Ford location and it was voted to give them the property rather than selling it.
Another building was added to the campus in the mid 1990s, a Fellowship Hall and Family Life Center. The congregation continued to grow and quickly outgrew the new sanctuary. A new one was planned and built, dedicated on March 11, 2001 as Gospel Mission Worship Center.
Brother John Offutt was the third pastor at GMWC with the retirement of Brother Terry in 2005. Brother John resigned in 2010 and launched his own ministry. After months of searching, it was decided to ask Brother Jim Wright to act as interim pastor and help in the selection process. After one year as interim, in 2012, the congregation voted to call Brother Jim as our fourth pastor and he accepted the challenge.
Another building was added to the campus in the mid 1990s, a Fellowship Hall and Family Life Center. The congregation continued to grow and quickly outgrew the new sanctuary. A new one was planned and built, dedicated on March 11, 2001 as Gospel Mission Worship Center.
Brother John Offutt was the third pastor at GMWC with the retirement of Brother Terry in 2005. Brother John resigned in 2010 and launched his own ministry. After months of searching, it was decided to ask Brother Jim Wright to act as interim pastor and help in the selection process. After one year as interim, in 2012, the congregation voted to call Brother Jim as our fourth pastor and he accepted the challenge.
