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Church
History
In 1927, under
the inspiration of God and leadership of Dr. A. W. Lamar, a need
was felt for a church to be established in the four-square-mile
area of Colonial Hills in East Point, Georgia. After five months
of meeting in a home, a group of thirty-five began the task of acquiring
property to build a church home. The first services were held in
April, 1928. Dr. Lamar, though eighty years old, agreed to serve
as pastor and remained for two years. Following Dr. Lamar, Rev.
Alfred Pullen pastored from May, 1930, until August, 1932. In March,
1933, Dr. Jesse Hendley was called as pastor. His ministry was one
of Bible teaching with emphasis on radio and evangelism. The church
grew under Dr. Hendley's ministry and resulted in a larger facility
being built at the corner of Newnan and Knotts Avenues. In August,
1945, Dr. Paul R. Van Gorder was called as assistant pastor. When
Dr. Hendley resigned to enter full-time evangelism, Dr. Van Gorder
became the pastor in August, 1946. His was also a fruitful ministry
as he faithfully taught God's Word in simplicity and purity.
In 1948, feeling
the call of God to send the Gospel to the ends of the earth, Dr.
Van Gorder inspired God's people to see the needs of the mission
fields of the world. The first Bible Conference was held in 1945;
in 1950, God used one of the speakers, Dr. Oswald J. Smith of Canada,
to challenge the people with a Faith Promise Pledge for missions.
This was the beginning of the present missionary program. The Annual
Bible and Missionary Conference is held the first week in October
each year and culminates with a pledge for missions from members
and interested friends on the closing Sunday of the conference.
At its highest point, Colonial Hills supported 170 missionaries
and projects, giving more than $200,000.00 annually.
After Dr. Van
Gorder's resignation in August, 1969, Dr. David Cummins became pastor
in June, 1971. Under Dr. Cummins' tenure a new height was reached
in the visitation program as members completed the course in Witnessing
Evangelism. A printing program was also initiated. Each month a
choice message was printed and distributed without cost to those
who requested it. This grew to over twelve hundred individuals and
several churches across forty states being blessed by this ministry.
Following Dr. Cummins' resignation, Dr. Ollie V. Goad and Rev. L.
Douglas Wilson pastored Colonial Hills.
In 1994, realizing
the ministry in East Point was coming to a close, the church began
to explore the possibility of relocation. Dr. Milton L. Ker, the
pastor of Gospel Light Baptist Church in Lithia Springs, Georgia,
also became the pastor of Colonial Hills Baptist Church, with plans
to eventually move the church to the Lithia Springs location. This
merger between the two churches became official in June, 1995, with
the sale of the East Point location and the churches becoming known
as Colonial Hills Baptist Church of Lithia Springs.
The mission
program continues, supporting approximately 152 missionaries and
projects, and giving more than $170,000.00. In July 2000, Pastor
Mark Smith was called as associate pastor.
After Dr. Ker's
resignation in June 2004, Pastor Mark Smith became the pastor. God
continues to bless the ministry under Pastor Smith's leadership.
History
of Colonial Hills Christian School
Colonial Hills
Christian School was founded in 1959, under the leadership of Dr.
Paul Van Gorder. Mrs. Lula Willis served as the first principal.
Mr. Robert M. Miller was called as principal in 1966, and under
his leadership the school grew to an enrollment of 436 in 1972,
with grades K5-9. Under Dr. Cummins' leadership, the school built
a new educational building in 1973, and the school expanded to a
full high school with an enrollment of over 600 students the next
year. Colonial Hills Christian School relocated to Lithia Springs
in 1995, and now has an enrollment of 420 in grades K4-12. Dr. Westley
Smith was called as administrator in 1997, and the school continues
to grow under his leadership.
History
of Gospel Light Baptist Church
Rev. Bill Henderson
and wife, Carolyn, founded Gospel Light Baptist Church in November,
1975. The first service was held on November 3, with approximately
fifty believers in attendance. The church began meeting in a conference
room of the Holiday Inn on Fulton Industrial Boulevard in Atlanta,
Georgia. The church was chartered the last Sunday of December with
Rev. Curtis Hutson bringing a special message. The church had a
heart for missions and took on the support of three missionaries
that day. The church adopted the motto: "Founded on the Word, Focused
on the World."
The congregation
quickly outgrew the conference room and moved into a storefront
building in Lithia Springs, Georgia, while searching for property
in the area. The present property located on Mt. Vernon Road in
Lithia Springs was purchased in the fall of 1976, and the building
of a church facility was begun. The church had grown to about one
hundred members. A radio ministry was begun with Pastor Henderson
conducting a daily broadcast.
In the fall
of 1979, the Gospel Light Christian Academy was started with seventy
students in grades K5-12. Pastor Ferrell Dowdey joined the staff
as associate pastor and school principal in the summer of 1980.
After many months
of prayer and planning, in May, 1982, the Gospel Light Rescue Mission
was opened on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. Bro. Ernest
Gignilliat served as the superintendent. Literally hundreds of souls
have been saved because of the faithful giving of the gospel. This
ministry continues today under the direction of King's Way Baptist
Church.
In October,
1984, the Gospel Light Rescue Ranch was dedicated on forty acres
of property in Carroll County, under the direction of the Brian
Lacey family. The lives of many young men were changed during the
five years the ranch was operated.
Pastor Henderson
resigned in March, 1991, and relocated to Texas where he continued
pastoring and began a jail ministry. Upon his recommendation, Rev.
Milton L. Ker was called to serve as pastor of Gospel Light.
This was a new
beginning for Gospel Light Baptist Church. Although the church membership
had decreased, the people had a heart for God and a desire to continue
to reach souls with the gospel. God has faithfully blessed the work
that He began at this location in 1976.
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