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TRIBUTE TO HAGIN

    Victory By Faith Ministries held it's first official meeting on August 12, 1990, however VBFM was developed from a vision which was birthed many years before.

     In April, 1982, The Lord burned a desire in the heart of Brother Tex Sawyers to bring the uncompromised Word of God to a religiously bound, spiritually dark, Pike County KY. Brother Tex held his first meeting in the conference room of the Pepsi Cola bottling company in Pikeville KY. Brother Tex committed himself to teaching the Word of God in Pikeville every Friday evening. As with most new works the faces were mostly new each Friday night. Soon many people from traditional denominational churches, having received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the left foot of fellowship, began to attend these meetings. Every Friday night people were being, filled with the Spirit, others healed, and some delivered, by the grace and power of God, as the Spirit of God was moving and blessing.

     As the meetings continued, new faces were not as common as the regular faces grew in number. Soon Brother Tex moved the meetings to the conference room of the Landmark Inn in Pikeville and attendance continued to grow. Seminars were frequently scheduled and due to the success of these meetings Brother Tex planted a new work in Pikeville as an extension of the church in Richlands, VA which he and his wife Juanita pastored. The work in Pikeville was originally named Christian Teaching Center.

     By summer, 1983, The Christian Teaching center had grown to the point of church status. The desire for a Christian school burned in peoples hearts and one meeting a week was no longer enough to satisfy the hearts of the people. Brother Tex was approached by the people concerning the possibility of conducting Sunday services. After much prayer Brother Tex informed that it was time for them to seek a pastor as he was unable to adequately pastor two churches. Brother Tex continued the Friday night meetings for some time.

     With no one in the group apparently called to pastor, preach or sing the meetings were moved to the home of Brother Jerry Morgan in Rockhouse KY. where God continued to move mightily and answer prayers faithfully for the remainder of 1983.

     In January 1984, Brother Lowell Williams of Bluefield, WV began serving as pastor to the congregation and the name was changed to Living By Faith Ministries Inc. There was a God placed vision within the hearts of the people and great unity of purpose. The people knew the vision was for Pikeville though none of the congregation lived there. There was special rejoicing in John 8: 36 "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." as most of the congregation felt freed from many years of  religious tradition as well as other bondages. Living By Faith Ministries was truly a healing and deliverance ministry. services were held Sunday morning beginning with 10 A.M. Sunday School and 11 A.M. worship with twenty to thirty families attending. Sunday evenings brought visitors, many from other churches, seeking healing, deliverance, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Redemptions, a local gospel group led the praise and worship and these were glorious times of anointed singing, preaching, and testifying. The "Gifts of the Spirit" operated frequently and ALL seemed well in Pikeville- except, a move needed to be made. The church had outgrown it's facility in the First National Bank conference room and needed larger facilities, as well as needing the pastor to be located locally. The church moved locations to the conference room of the Cricket Inn. With many factors being considered Pastor Williams decided to resign as pastor and continue in his evangelistic ministry and once again Living By Faith ministries needed a pastor.

     July, 1985. Living By Faith Ministries moved to an old brick house on South Mayo Trail. The church greatly rejoiced to be out of the conference room and into more permanent facilities. The two remaining board members, Steve Kirkland and Jerry Morgan contacted various ministers to conduct services in the absence of a pastor with some graciously serving as interim s while waiting on a pastor. Special thanks go to Brothers Ron Waters and Gordon Shinn. Brother Waters later moved to Florida. Brother Gordon Shinn drove from Sommerset, KY on both Wednesday and Sunday staying through the evening service on Sunday.

     December, 1985. Glen and Sherry Miller accepted the position of pastor. During 1986 Pastor Miller left and pastor Gordon and Carmen Littleford from Tennessee came and left, with the Littlefords pioneering a church in Harold Kentucky after the Board of Trustees of Living By Faith Ministries voted not to move the church to Floyd County.

     January, 1987. Sherman and Jean Williams from Prestonburg, KY became pastors and the name of the church was changed to Victory Christian Ministries. Pastor Williams remained into August, 1990. at which time he moved Victory Christian Ministries to Prestonburg, Ky. thus leaving in Pikeville a body of believers with no pastor and no name.

     With much trepidation, the Associate Pastor Donald Ray and Teresa Davis, along with the remaining flock continued with the vision in Pikeville. The church was named Victory By Faith Ministries, 8/22/1990  The church moved to a new location in the AmPat Complex on South Mayo Trail, 4/28/1991. Terry and Linda Atkins began attending VBFM upon their return from Rhema Bible Training Center and became Associate Pastor in 1993. They pioneered a new work in Floyd County in 1994.

     The beautiful historic building currently occupied by Victory By Faith located at 138 Scott Ave. was purchased 1/28/1995.

     In July, 1996. Donald Ray and Teresa Davis resigned as pastor.

     March, 1997. Keith and Vanessa Meade became interim pastor. Pastor Keith was scheduled to become full time pastor in August, but Vanessa remained to teach another year at  school in West Virginia. From March 1997 through August 1998 Pastor Keith drove From English WV to Pikeville to conduct Wednesday and Sunday morning services. In August, 1998 the Meade family moved to Pikeville. The Meades served as pastor through October 2002.

     July 7, 2003 Jim and Sheila Giles from Marion, Illinois accepted the position of Pastor at Victory By Faith Ministries and they currently are serving in that office.

      I am SURE that MANY names of "prayers" and contributors deserve mention in this history. Please forgive us if we left out your name. We are grateful for all prayers and contributions of every kind during our twenty years. We believe you have an eternal reward for helping this church stay open as people are still being Saved, Healed, Delivered, and Filled with the Holy Spirit in our midst and the Spirit gets to movin on a regular basis here. Thanks to all and may God richly bless you, Pastor Jim