We seek to evangelize and equip families with the gospel of Jesus Christ, in spirit and truth, for the glory of God.
Gum Point Court of Praise exists to glorify God through authentic worship and the proclamation of His Word and seeks to provide a safe place for everyone to come to know and experience Jesus Christ for themselves in the power of the Holy Ghost.
We believe that God loves everyone and that everyone is therefore important, and so we strive to create an atmosphere where you will feel welcome and comfortable to worship God with us.
If you were to walk into one of our services and look around at the people present, you would probably be struck by the different kinds of people there. You would probably see someone like you! Our congregation is composed of people of various races, ethnic origins, nationalities, ages, and social backgrounds. We are different in many ways, but we are united as a community by a common experience of the life-changing power of Jesus Christ.
The diversity of our congregation is made complete by our single desire of adding to the church daily . There is a place for everyone to be a part, but more importantly to be involved and to make a difference. We firmly believe that people are most happy and fulfilled when they have discovered God's purpose for their lives and are actively pursuing it. And we are committed to helping everyone find their purpose and uncover the gifts that God has given them to serve Him and to bless others.
In the early 1900's as the Louisiana preachers returned from the great California revival at Azuza street groups began to gather to discuss God's word. In one such meeting one of the participates read the admonition of Simon Peter in Acts 2:38 and the brethren began to baptize in the wonderful name of Jesus for the remission of sin. They spread across the country side in little gatherings shaded by trees and branches called "brush arbors", preaching this great message. These gatherings grew into churches.
At one such gathering, neighbors rushed in Mrs. Earl Murphy who was grievously ill with a ruptured appendix. God's healing hand touched Mrs. Murphy. When her husband, Earl, came home from work he went to thank the preacher and God filled him with the Holy Ghost. He began preaching almost immediately and his search for a place to build a church came to rest along the rice fields of Acadia Parish, Louisiana where the gum trees came to a point. Praises drifted across the countryside without the opposition of denominational folks in the city who, as yet, had not seen the power of God manifested.
The mules were hitched up to the wagon and the wood was obtained for a church building which was still in use in the 1970's when Brother Murphy passed away. An additional auditorium was constructed at that time which housed the congregation until 1986. Thereafter, a fan shaped eight sided building was constructed housing this faithful congregation along with one of the largest modern made chandeliers in America.
In the fall of 2007, additional space was added for seating and foyer to the present facility layout. Most of the work was done by the anointed men of the church who gave sacrificially of their time and skills, while the church as a whole prayed and sacrificed in other ways.
Although the building and grounds are far different from Brother Murphy's day, the same gospel he preached in the early 1900's is still preached today. After all, Truth never changes--only people change! Church ministry, however, continues to expand as God grants grace.
Like many of you, we have experienced the need for our children to learn in a safe and caring environment. Because of this and the burden of the church family, we began a Christian School providing education for Pre-K through 12th grade using an accredited curriculum. Solomon wrote, "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels". Understanding that all wise counsel is generated from the Lord above, the school's staff continually strives to engage His Spirit and invoke His love as the basis for instruction. After several years of growth, the school continues to educate young people of all ages from all denominations and has already been been judged as one of the best in the nation by our sponsoring curriculum specialists.
For many years the church has been led by Senior Pastor W.H. Vincent. During the whe winter of 2010, God called Sis Melba Vincent (our beloved church mother) home. She helped to bring healing and love into so many lives in the church and around the globe. She will be dearly missed but Senior Pastor Vincent and the church are moving forward to proclaim the gospel and finish our course.
Still today, many individuals both young and old attend our anointed services with missionaries and ministers being berthed throughout the years. Of course, there are many anointed individuals involved in the ongoing work of God. Each having a special mandate from the Lord and seeking to fulfill it daily. Some to prayer, some to fasting, some to ministry, some to soul winning, some to physical or financial sacrifice but all with the one goal of reaching heaven and reaching souls.
And by the way-- when you pass through the Louisiana countryside on Sunday
you can still hear the beautiful praises of God's people drift over the rice fields
at the place where the gum trees came to a point.
Come and visit us during any of our services.
We would love for you to experience the power of an original church!