Friday, April 19, 2024
Text Size
Pastor Bryant S. Townsend first opened the doors of Agape Christian Worship Center (ACWC) Sunday, January 10, 1999 with approximately 6 members and no outside financial support. In attendance at that historic first service were Pastor Linda Pomerlee and the Love Abiding Church Family and Minister Jamie and Evangelist Stephanie Huntley who were friends of the ministry. Agape’s first home was a “little room” in Grange Hall on Executive Drive here in Boise, Idaho. The “little room” had a maximum occupancy of 30 people. There were many Sundays that Pastor Townsend preached to an audience of one or two people. Determined not to be moved by what he saw, he endured despite the frustrations and discouragement that come with starting a new ministry.
Agape remained in the “little room” for nine months as it began its growth and development. Continuing to follow God’s will for his life, in the fall of 1999, Pastor Townsend led his congregation to the Broadway Dance Center. After two years of faithfully holding services in the dance center, the ministry had grown in size and in number. Being a man of vision and always sensitive to the move of God’s spirit; Pastor Townsend knew that this ministry would be a ministry of purpose, power and praise whose sole mission was to evangelize the lost, edify the saved, exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in all we do, and empower the people of God to change their world . He declared that our primary purpose was to be an active force in our community. This desire to expand the ministry and our services to the community in June 2001, led us into our first building on Ustick Road, a 130 seat multi-purpose sanctuary complete with offices, a sound room and equipment, and a children’s church classroom.
The year 2001 gave birth to 5 A.M. prayer, Sunday school, Thursday night bible study, Men’s Fellowship, Women’s Fellowship, it’s subsidiary The Christian Women’s Connection and our first official women’s conference. We had been in this location for almost two years when much to our dismay, in May of 2003 our beloved building caught fire but thankfully we had only suffered a minimal amount of smoke damage. We cleaned up and continued to carry on the work of the Lord. Exactly one week later during Men’s Fellowship, the building caught fire again and this time was completely destroyed. We had lost everything - but God was faithful. Graciously, Community Church of the Valley opened their doors to us.
On June 1, 2003, a second church - Word of Life Ministry - on Emerald Street opened their doors to us and provided us a place to worship while God healed our wounded spirits and restored what the enemy had stolen.
During our time at the Emerald Street location (2003-2006), the Lord was indeed our El-Shaddai. He provided not only finances but also the material things we needed for the ministry. We were given pews, chairs, desks, tables, office equipment, decorative banners and the list goes on. However God didn’t just stop there. After a few months, we were allowed to completely take over the lease at the Emerald Street location. Our two year stay on Emerald Street gave birth to yet another ministry - the Agape In Action Food Pantry - which was established to help provide food for any Boise/Treasure Valley family that was in need.
God was not through with us yet. He continued to enlarge our church family with not only adults but also children. The Emerald location had become too small. At the end of March 2006, by faith, Pastor Townsend instructed us to pack our things because we were moving. At that time he didn’t know where; but he knew God had a place prepared for us to go. While we waited on God, Boise Valley Christian Communion Church opened their doors and allowed us to worship there.
When God provided…He provided! In May 2006, we the members of Agape Christian Worship Center moved into our new 28,000 square foot home at 1001 South Orchard Street. We held bible classes and a packed out 11:00 a.m. Sunday service in the church foyer while renovations were being completed in the 500 seat sanctuary.
Since its inception in 1999, the ministry has steadily grown and evolved. Now eight years later, we praise God that Pastor Townsend’s vision of building a ministry with purpose, power and praise has come to pass. Look where God brought us from. It is our testimony that we’ve come this far by “Faith”
No Calendar Events Found or Calendar not set to Public.