The first service was held on January 1, 1961 in a small,
renovated building located at 7404 South Western Avenue.
At this service, approximately twenty people were present.
The membership has grown tremendously, since its early
beginning. Through the years, many of the new members were new converts
who have found Christ at New Testament Church.
Elder Carlos D. Caldwell was among those led to the Lord.
Since that time, the Lord has called him to the ministry.
Elder
Caldwell organized Good News Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A. in
Pasadena, CA and currently pastors in the Southwestern Diocese, teaching
and preaching the Word of God.
In February 1964, as the membership grew, the church moved
to a larger building, located at 1847 West Florence Avenue.
The seating capacity at this site was 110 persons.
One of the predominate factors in the growth of the newly
organized church was the strong fellowship and devotion among the
brotherhood. This
fellowship and devotion is reminiscent of the early church mentioned
in Acts of the Apostles—truly, they loved one another.
New Testament’s outreach to the community was its
door-to-door witnessing. It
had a tremendous impact in reaching souls for Christ.
This love and dedication for souls being saved, motivated the
members to go out and witness to others to come to Christ.
Pastor Plummer had a strong desire and will to build a new
house for the Lord. In
mid-1967, the Lord directed Pastor Plummer and members to purchase
the land located at 1941 West Florence Avenue.
New Testament was tremendously blessed because of the church
members’ obedience to God by giving their tithes and offerings.
The New Testament Newsletter was also a great source of
blessing to the church. The
giving of monetary gifts by many friends across the United States
resulted in the monthly circulation of this newsletter.
Plans and preparation for the construction of the new
building were well underway.
A year later after the purchase of the land, the
groundbreaking services were held on Sunday, July 7, 1968.
Construction of the new edifice started on Monday,
July 8, 1968. The congregation entered the church on January
26, 1969, after approximately seven months of construction.
Three months later, the final phase of construction was
completed and the dedication service was held on April 13, 1969.
Pastor Plummer and the members dedicated the new sanctuary to
the “glory and honor of God.”
In 1974, in
a further outreach to the community, the church purchased the
property on the corner of Gramercy and Florence and developed the
New Testament Happyland Nursery.
It begun as a nursery and later, a preschool and a
kindergarten class were added.
The school is licensed to teach seventy-two children.
Through this outreach, the singing and the participation of
the children during the morning worship service each fourth Sunday,
many of the parents and children became members of New Testament
Church—as a result, more souls were saved and the membership
increased. Happyland
Nursery has continued to be a blessing to
New Testament. It
purchased the first church van, assisted in the purchase of the
parking lot across the street on Florence Avenue and donated
fifty-five thousand dollars towards the construction of the new
sanctuary.
In March 1979, just ten years later, New Testament Church
paid off its mortgage—this was done only through the grace of God.
Thanks and praises are given to Pilgrim Church, Christ Temple
of Los Angeles, and the Diocese Mission Board for their special
assistance at the inception of New Testament Church.
Gratitude goes to all of New Testament’s church members,
past and present and all others who were supportive to New Testament
throughout these many years.
As the membership continued to grow, it was imperative to
have two Sunday morning services—eight and eleven o’clock.
The construction of an even larger church was inevitable.
In the mid-eighties, after an extensive study, intense
discussion and fervent prayer, the decision to expand the present
edifice was acknowledged.
From May 10, 1987 through the completion of the new edifice,
New Testament temporarily utilized the auditorium at Morningside
High School for their Sunday morning worship services. Gratitude is given to Sister Jerri Martin, a member of
New Testament and Principal of Morningside and the Inglewood Unified
School Board for the use of the school facilities.
Through prayers, hard work and commitment of Pastor Plummer,
his family, and the New Testament church members and friends, the
new structure was completed. The
dedication ceremony was held on July 17, 1988.
Pastor Plummer and New Testament Church congregation
dedicated the new sanctuary to God for the worship and honor of
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Indeed, the increase in the membership growth-rate of New
Testament Church has been phenomenal, for it is truly the blessings
of God. Consistent with
our “planting” and “watering” efforts for more than 40 years,
our single minded goal for the future is to continue to be “A
going church for a coming Christ, preaching the Gospel as it is to
men as they are.”
In February 1993, God called Pastor Plummer to his “Heavenly
Church.” Elder
Robert Hendricks immediately became interim pastor of New Testament,
until a new pastor was installed.
That same year, in memory and tribute to Dr. Plummer, the
name of the nursery school was changed from New Testament Happyland
Nursery to Dr. John Plummer, Jr. Christian Academy.
In October 1993, Elder David Cross was elected as the new
pastor of New Testament Church.
Elder Cross served as pastor until October 1998 and God
blessed New Testament under his leadership.
God continued to bless New Testament with the return of our
dynamic Pastor Robert Hendricks and his family.
On Sunday, January 24, 1999, the dream and vision of Dr. John
Plummer, Jr. became a reality--New Testament Church held its
Mortgage Burning Celebration. Indeed,
that was an historical day in the life of New Testament Church.
The Lord has blessed New Testament Church in a multitude of
ways, since the leadership of Pastor Hendricks.
One major accomplishment was fulfilling the
vision of Dr. Plummer by purchasing the adjacent two-story apartment
building. Other accomplishments were the purchase of six additional computers, the publishing of the newsletter titled “The
Scroll” which is circulated quarterly, the expansion of the
outreach ministry which includes the young people’s ministry and
the newly organized married couple’s ministry, and the increase in
the church membership--more importantly the saving of souls.
Indeed,
the New Testament family has come this far by faith and is still
leaning and will continue to lean on the Lord.
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