Kentenia Full Gospel
Church began in the late 1930s in the
small coal community of Kentenia, just
past Wallins.
The small church, built by the Pope and
Cawood Company, began originally as
Kentenia Baptist Church and continued for
many years with a small congregation
fluctuating from 10 to 30 over the years.
At one time, the church closed its doors
for a short time; however, members of the
community worked to build back up the
congregation. Due to the deterioration of
the old church and the need for space,
the Rev. Ed Houston and the congregation
acquired more land and began building the
current structure in 2000. The first
services in the new 250-seat building
were held just after Thanksgiving in
2003.
Future plans include building a steeple
and remounting the old bell from the old
church building. Currently, the church
offers a youth program, which is a new
event. The youth are continuing to grow
in number in the church. Pastor Houstons'
daughter,
Edwina Eldridge, has been working to
build up the youth program. She works
extensively with the youth in music
programs.
The church offers a variety of worship
styles. We sing old gospel hymns from the
Church of God Hymnal, contemporary praise
and worship songs, special singings and
bluegrass.
The church also sends the youth to a
youth camp every year. Two years ago, the
church received an award at the camp for
the best-represented church out of about
58 churches there. Our main goal here is
to accommodate the community in the
tri-state area and have revivals and see
souls saved, and see people healed and
filled with The Holy Spirit.
The church also helps host a community
service for the Wallins area where the 12
churches of Wallins are invited to join
together for an evening service.
The first one brought in nearly 220
people from more than seven churches. The
group plans to do these services every
three months. The goal is to help people
realize that churches love one another.
The church fervently believes in going
out and teaching others and spreading
discipleship to other people through
evangelism.
The church is a full gospel church,
believing that Christians are saved by
grace, through faith and not of self. The
church also believes in repentance and
baptism, and also has Communion services
inlcuding foot washing.
Kentenia Full Gospel Church believes in
the virgin birth, John 3:16, in water
baptism and baptism in the Holy Ghost to
receive the gifts of the spirit, such as
preaching and speaking in tongues. The
church believes in the power of God,
healing, annointing and the laying on of
hands for prayer.
The power of God is what makes uniqueness
in everything.
When the spirit of God is not moving in
the church world ... and the world comes
in and sees nothing going on, theyll just
go back up. People are looking for the
power of God ... moving in the churches.
A lot of good things are going on in the
church, and the congregation is really
growing.
