East Belmont Church of God gathers at 320 Catawba Street in Belmont, North Carolina, where a congregation organized in 1919 has grown from a small gathering place near South Eighth Street into a church whose motto, "To God Be the Glory," describes a message centered on preaching the Word and lifting up Jesus Christ. Its story includes revival, steady growth, and a present building marked by Bibles in its corners and a cross at its center.
A Century of Growth Along Catawba Street
In 1919, eight charter members organized "Belmont Church of God" and received a charter from state headquarters. Brother John McCarn served as pastor, and he and the members built a 20 by 30 foot church with a sawdust floor near the railroad tracks at the end of South Eighth Street. The building was humble, but the congregation gathered around the organ, sang hymns, and experienced what they described as God pouring out His Spirit. The blessings that followed became known throughout the community.
Brother William Stallings scheduled a 1925 revival with Brothers T. J. Looney and Will Messer, and thirty-nine new members joined. That doubled the membership and made the little church too small to worship in. In 1926 the church purchased property on East Catawba Street and made plans for a larger building, and it continued to grow until it was the largest in the state.
Brother A. V. Childers built a new 48 by 70 foot church at 315 Church Street in 1940, and a Bible was placed in each cornerstone. A new parsonage was built next to the church in 1950 under Brother Ogden. In 1954, under Brother B. F. Darnell, Sunday School attendance reached 840 on one Sunday during a contest in which Brother Darnell gave away a pony. Sister Darnell worked to raise money for church missions, and Brother Darnell had the front of the church remodeled while he was pastor. Property next door was purchased in 1965, and that is where the parking lot sits today.
After more years of new pastors and continued growth, land was purchased on Catawba Street, ground was broken on June 21, 1992, and the congregation moved into its new church on December 19, 1993. Four Bibles anointed with oil were placed in the four corners of the building, and a cross was placed in the center, continuing the church's commitment to be built on the Word with Jesus at its center.
Sunday Worship at 10:30 and Wednesday Bible Study at 11:00
Sunday worship and service begin at 10:30 a.m. at 320 Catawba Street. The church invites people to worship and to hear a message in which the Word of God is preached in truth, and it describes worship as an encounter with God that takes place when the church is gathered on the Lord's Day. Singing and worship are central, and the church's stated emphasis is outreach, preaching of the Word, prayer, and discipleship.
Wednesday Bible study meets at 11:00 a.m. Young families are cared for on Sunday mornings through nursery child care for children ages 0 to 3 and Kids Church for children ages 4 and up. Parking is available on the property next to the church, and worship can also be watched online through the church's Facebook videos. The church's phone number is 704-825-8845, and its email address is eastbelmontcog@gmail.com.
Engage, Evangelize, Equip, Emphasis, Exalt
East Belmont Church of God sets out its mission and vision through five words beginning with E, anchored by Habakkuk 2:2: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it."
Engage. Engagement is described as more than punch and cookies. It is bearing one another's burdens and making fellowship strong. The vision is to engage the culture of the community, the city, and surrounding areas with a life-changing message based on the unchanging Word of God.
Evangelize. Evangelism fulfills the Great Commission given by Jesus in Mark 16:15, sharing the gospel with those who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. The church intends to reach its community and the world with love and concern.
Equip. Equipping the saints of God to teach and disciple others is the responsibility of every Christian, and the church works to prepare God's people to share the gospel of Jesus Christ lovingly, without hesitation or fear.
Emphasis. The church emphasizes the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His ability to change lives by lifting Him up before all people. Through Christ it devotes itself to outreach, preaching of the Word, prayer, and discipleship.
Exalt. The church wants to exalt the Lord in its singing, in its worship, and in everything it does as the congregation assembles together in His name.
What East Belmont Believes
The Church of God believes the whole Bible to be completely and equally inspired and to be the written Word of God, and it has adopted a Declaration of Faith as its standard and official expression of doctrine. East Belmont teaches belief in one God eternally existing in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Jesus Christ is affirmed as the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, who was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, so repentance is commanded of God and necessary for forgiveness. Justification, regeneration, and the new birth are wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, and sanctification follows the new birth through faith, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. Holiness is God's standard of living for His people.
The church also holds that baptism with the Holy Ghost comes after a clean heart, that speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance is the initial evidence of the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and that water baptism by immersion is for all who repent, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Divine healing is provided for all in the atonement. East Belmont believes in the Lord's Supper and the washing of the saints' feet, in the premillennial second coming of Jesus, first to resurrect the righteous dead and catch away the living saints to Him in the air, and then to reign on the earth for a thousand years, and in the bodily resurrection with eternal life for the righteous and eternal punishment for the wicked.
Lead Pastor and Ministry Leaders
Rev. Danny R. Peterson became lead pastor of East Belmont Church of God on January 21, 2018. He and his wife Tina share the desire of the men of God who led the church to obey the Holy Spirit, preach the Word, win the lost, and lead the congregation into a closer and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Peterson is a graduate of East Coast Bible College, holds a bachelor degree in Biblical Studies, and has served as a pastor for 30 years.
Marty and Kelly Taylor lead Children's Church, Terri Helms leads Women's Discipleship Ministry, and Sandra Barnes, Terri Helms, and Doris Morton serve with the Senior "JOY" Ministry. The church's history was documented by Brother Hosea Garrison, Bible Scholar, Teacher, and Church Historian.
Care for Children and for the Community
Children have a place in the Sunday gathering from their earliest years, with nursery child care beginning at age 0 and Kids Church beginning at age 4. Beyond its own young families, the church gathers donations of back-to-school supplies for Church of God's Home for Children. Giving to East Belmont Church of God is also available online.
To God Be the Glory
East Belmont Church of God carries the words "The Church God is Building" alongside its motto, "To God Be the Glory." From eight charter members in 1919 to a congregation that has filled three successive buildings, its story has been marked by revival, growth, four Bibles anointed with oil in the corners of the present sanctuary, and a cross at its center. The church remains committed to preaching the Word, winning the lost, and bringing people into a closer and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.