Reminiscing about Sunday, March 29, 1959

Unto Him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus.
(Eph 3:21)

On that last Sunday of March, 1959, forty-one people gathered together for the purpose of beginning a new local church. Significantly, that Sunday was an Easter Sunday. For three weeks prior to that initial service, I had "knocked doors" in the area surrounding the Davidson Elementary School located at the corner of Ft. Lowell Road and Alvernon Way. I distributed handbills announcing the event, invited people to the Easter services, explained why we starting a church, and more importantly, taking every opportunity to witness to individuals of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through repentance and faith. The first person won to Christ was Glenda Finerty’s father, Ben Renfro.

The first service was three-fold: 1) Nita played the piano and sang a special, 2) I preached, and 3) our youngsters - Jamie, Kim, and Paul - cried. No, hopefully the service was much more than that! In the Sunday School hour I taught Acts 1 to the teens and adults while Nita taught a Bible story to all twelve-year-olds and under. At the 11:00 AM service, Nita played the piano, sang a special and watched the children while I led the singing, took the offering, made the announcements, and preached a Gospel message. If anyone came forward at that first invitation, I’d surely remember, but I don’t. Of this I am sure! The Lord rewarded those early efforts! In the infancy of NTBC, many precious souls were saved, back-slidden Christians were restored, wounded hearts and broken homes were repaired, and the prospects were terrific for a new body of Christ!

"Thank you, dear Lord, for forty-seven years of Gospel ministry!"   
- - Pastor Joiner