Reprinted with permission from the Congregational Holiness Church – The Gospel Messenger
By Timberly Skidmore, Gospel Messenger Reporter www.facebook.com/chc1921
Over fifty years ago, on November 3rd, 1974, Reverend John Bryant, his wife Sarah, and their three children received a calling from God. Trusting Him, they founded a church in Dillon, South Carolina. The church began in a store front with only twenty-one people in attendance. Since then, the church has continued to grow and see God’s faithfulness throughout the years. Having recently celebrated their 50th homecoming anniversary, Dillon Congregational Holiness church can definitely point to how faithful God can be when you wholeheartedly serve Him.
Like many churches, Dillon Congregational Holiness church has had its fair share of difficult moments, but God has continued to be faithful to them despite everything. Starting in a storefront building, it was not long before God blessed them with the burden of needing more space to accommodate the increase of attendees. Where a need arose, God provided a means to meet that need. Before long, a man by the name of Wesley Luke was led to give his credit card so that the church could lay the foundation of the “block church” on Black Branch Road that would be the answer to their rapid growth. The “block church” would soon expand into a larger sanctuary building. From that God continued to provide the means to build Sunday school rooms, a pastor study and administrative offices, a youth building, a space for the church vans to be stored, a large storage building, and a gymnasium. Recently, the church experienced God’s faithfulness in allowing them to have the funds needed to purchase and build a new parsonage.
Not only did God remain faithful in supplying accommodations to the church’s rapid growth in numbers, but He also remained faithful in providing His Holy Spirit. The church has witnessed many souls saved and many healings in its fifty years. One of the major blessings that Dillon Congregational Holiness church has experienced is God’s faithfulness in allowing and providing the wisdom and strength needed for the founding pastor, John Bryant, to still be serving as the head pastor at age eighty-five. Pastor John Bryant is known to preach the true word of God and looks forward to being able to help the lost experience God’s faithfulness, grace, and love for themselves. The church aims to help people know that God has always been faithful and will supply for every need in His perfect timing. They are blessed to be known as a spirit filled church and a “soul winning station.”
Having recently celebrated their fiftieth homecoming anniversary with the opening of a time capsule, Dillon Congregational Holiness church is thinking not only about God’s past faithfulness but also how He will continue to be faithful to the church in the future. The church prays to continue to see growth, not just in attendance numbers, but also in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They know that God can take nothing and make something. He has supplied their every need so far and they know that He will continue to do so for the next fifty years and beyond. When asked for a verse that sums up the story of God’s faithfulness to Dillon CHC, Hebrews 10:23 was provided. This verse states “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised.”
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