How Victory Church Began
During the Charismatic Movement and Jesus Movement, the Holy Spirit was sweeping across America and calling the church back to a closer Biblical picture of Christianity in which the gifts of the Spirit would be restored to the Church.
Mainline churches in Canton experienced the effects of the Holy Spirit with some of their members being filled with the Holy Spirit and responding to His revelation of a vibrant and closer walk with Jesus Christ. As a result, many of those in mainline churches who embraced the gifts of the Holy Spirit were asked to leave their church. Some complied and left, while others chose to stay in hopes that they could be used by the God to eventually bring a better understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work to their mainline church.
With nowhere to go and worship, home prayer meetings began all across Canton. In these weekly home meetings, there was worship, prayer, ministry to the sick and hurting and the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Many people received Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This went on for several months in Canton and the surrounding area.
September 13, 1972
Believing that the Lord wanted to birth a church that embraced the work of the Holy Spirit, a church was started in the living room of one of the home prayer meetings in Canton. The church began with 12 people. The Church was given the name Trinity Church. Later, one of the original 12 members was questioned as to why the name Trinity Church? They responded, “In our mainline church, we knew about the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, but we did not know anything about the Holy Spirit. Since meeting the Holy Spirit, we now know the Trinity. So, the name Trinity Church was chosen to recognize and embrace the entire Godhead… the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
1973
In the spring of 1973, Harold Hearn and his wife Sharon were asked to be the first Pastor of the newly formed Trinity Church. Four acres of land were purchased on College Street (current location) for a church building. The church applied for a loan from the local bank to build the building, but a few days later decided that the Lord wanted them to build the church by faith. This they did with tithes and offerings. (This original building is still used today for the youth and Connect Groups). The men and women of the church built the building.
In August 19, 1973, the first official service is held in the new building. The building was not completed, but was in the “dry.” The men and women continued to work on the building in the evenings and weekends until it was finished.
As Trinity Church continued through its early years of the 70’s and 80’s, the “Spiritual DNA” of the church took shape. Three prominent values emerged in those years that are still relevant today for Victory Church. These values are (1) Embracing the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. (2) A heart of “giving and serving others.” (3) Supporting and being involved in Missions, both local and world-wide.
Many trips were made in the early years to Mexico in an old bus loaded with Bibles, clothes and medicines. Also, people just passing through Canton or living in Canton found compassion and help from the people of Trinity Church. Finally, the Holy Spirit was always welcomed at Trinity Church with His gifts, signs and wonders. An amazing beginning!
“Someday, I want to go to a small town and show them how BIG God can be in their lives.”
It was in the late 1980’s that Pastor Mike said this. At that moment, God dropped a dream and a vision in his and Janet’s heart for the local church located in a smaller population setting. It would be two years later, 1991, after serving on staff with his local church in Arlington, Texas, that Pastor Mike and Janet moved to Canton, Texas and became the pastors of Trinity Church (now Victory Church). At that time, the church was a fledging congregation of people needing someone to love and lead them. Pastor Mike and Janet were the ones to meet and fill this need.
Where we are today
Where Victory Church is today and where it is going all began with a single step of faith that started with a journey of 3 families to see people know God, find freedom, discover their purpose and make a difference. We are still that church as we seek the Lord’s direction for our future and watching God’s plan unfold for Victory Church and God’s Kingdom.
YOUR ROLE IN THE STORY OF VICTORY CHURCH
We recognize that church health is more important than numerical growth and just creating new church programs. At Victory, we recognize that God has a specific plan and purpose for each person’s life including you. That’s why “loving people” is our priority at Victory. The different ministries here at Victory are simply a reflection of our heart to help people like you from every economic, social and ethnic background discover their purpose and go out into their world and make a difference!
