ABOUT US

Likened unto the children of Israel coming out of Egypt, we faced a struggle. Struggle, is a word that can be used for the early beginnings of Christ Gospel Church. Even now the word struggle is still common in all of our church endeavors. As we've been taught, where there is great truth, there is great opposition. The old adage that states "anything worth having is worth fighting for" is a motto our Pastor has become very acquainted with and has had to use throughout his pastoral years.

Our journey began in 1979 with a group of about ten people, which consisted only of Reverend Godbolt's immediate family. The Lord gave Reverend John Godbolt the vision of becoming a pastor, of course; it was not without opposition. Many said, it was not the time for him to pastor, and that he should remain where he was, but God said otherwise.

The name chosen for the church was Praise Temple Church. The same doors that Dr. Godbolt walked through every day at 951 Louise Circle, Fayetteville, NC, were also the doors of the church. At this time, the Godbolt's home was the Sunday morning meeting place, until the Seventh Day Adventist Church agreed to allow us to have our first official service on the second Sunday in October 1979. We also held services at the Sheraton Inn on Bragg Boulevard for approximately one year and the Wednesday night Bible Study continued in the home of the Godbolts. Later a building in downtown Fayetteville on Hay Street was found for us to have church. Staying there for about a year, we experienced some good, yet very challenging times.

The early 80's served as a transition period for the church. Leaving Hay Street, to have a place of our own, we purchased a small piece of property on North Street. In order to have church, we rented a small house and renovated it. We had some shouting and dancing good times in that house. During service, dust could be seen flying in the air from the worn carpet. But this did not stop the Will of God from going forth. The visitations from God were powerful and life changing. During this period, we later learned that the property we had purchased was not suitable for building a church. Therefore, we were able to sell the property back to the original owner and move to another location. We were given the nickname the "Tabernacle Church", because we moved from place to place.

The Pastor then found a building on Russell Street that had once been a feed store and nightclub. We renovated, sanctified, and moved in the place. The Russell Street Praise Temple Church is where we were first introduced to the Crucified Way Message.

On Russell Street, we had great services in this location and plenty of opportunities to crucify our flesh. It wasn't long before we experienced our first breaking and entering, while in the midst of a week of services. That Friday night, we had "special" guests coming; moreover when we arrived at Church that evening we really learned what "special" meant. The doors were partially opened and half of our musical equipment was gone. Somehow, we pulled together and made the service a great learning experience rather than a time of defeat.

After staying at the Russell Street location for approximately two years, Reverend Godbolt met a gentleman, who has since gone on to be with the Lord, named Bishop Adams. Bishop Adams owned a Church (a real church building), which was converted to a funeral home and chapel, located in Parkton, NC. Bishop Adams offered to rent us the property with an option to buy. With our Pastor being as progressive as he is, and wanting to own church property, we prayed, and God instructed us to move to Parkton. The Pastor's testimony is that God had to move him to that little country town, to work on his pride. For nearly two and one-half years, God worked on all of us, as we drove down those long country roads to a church that had been a funeral home. Also during the stay in Parkton, Dr. and Mrs. Godbolt were introduced to the Christ Gospel Church ministry and work of Rev. B.R.Hicks. The meeting proved to be life changing for the pastor and the members of the church. We found Rev. Hick's ministry invigorating. The Word she preached was a new level of Rhema Word and we experienced Christian growth and spiritual understandings like never before.

After staying in the woods of Parkton for more than two years, Pastor heard of a church for sale back in Fayetteville located on North Plymouth Street. Another congregation had built a new church, and needed to sell their old church. The Lord blessed us to purchase the property, so we moved back to Fayetteville in 1983.

Although the Lord directed us to move back to Fayetteville, we were not without opposition. The church had what was called seepage well. There were times when the water table was so low that we did not have fresh water to flush the toilets. We had to haul water on the back of a truck in a large Pepsi container to flush the toilets. We experienced great challenges with the odors from the bathrooms, and the old building. Even more challenges came during the winter months. On many Sunday mornings, Pastor and Brother Dennis Williams would go under the church attempting to relight the furnace. They would later tell us how humbling it was to be under the church trying to start a fire, while the members were in church shouting like they were on fire.

North Plymouth Street had its burglars too! Pastor's bass guitar was stolen, his daughter Jocelyn's tape player was taken out of her car, gas was ciphered out of our vehicles as we had church, and the fifty-foot chain purchased to keep Friday and Saturday night lovers out of our parking lot, was stolen.

While on North Plymouth Street, the Pastor and the congregation were led to become an affiliate church of Christ Gospel Churches International Incorporated. Our name changed from Praise Temple to Christ Gospel Church in1983. God has tremendously blessed us since that transition while following the Lord's Headship.

Although we loved and appreciated our church, our Sunday School rooms, fellowship hall, office space, and other children related ministries were limited. We still saw the need for growth. After a few years we again started seeking the Lord's headship for a new place. We remained at the Plymouth Street location from 1983-1995.

Finally, Pastor met a man named Pinky Jones. Mr. Jones was a trustee of the church at our present location. He sought out the Pastor and informed him that his church was looking for a buyer, because they were going to be selling and moving to a new location. God places people in our lives at the right time. A church that was worth nearly $800,000.00 seemed totally out of our reach. But, when God says yes there is no mountain too tall. Needless to say, God did a miraculous work, and the fourth Sunday in May of 1995 we moved to our present location.

We have only just begun. We will not stop until the Lord returns. We still have a desire to go onward, upward and forward in this ministry. Our vision now is to build a new sanctuary on these grounds and use the present sanctuary as a fellowship hall. Over the years God has wrought many miracles. Just as He has provided for us in our wildernesses, He will continue to make ways, make our bitter waters sweet, and lead us to the Promised Land.