Profile: Southern Comfort
Originally from Mississippi and with 49 years invested in the ministry, Pastor J.B. Ellis can remember the days of Jim Crow and the struggles of the Civil Rights movement. He is glad to see the changes that have taken place in the culture at large. He believes the church should be ahead of the culture when it comes to accepting all people.
Ellis brought that philosophy to Evangel Assembly of God in Durham, North Carolina, when he accepted that pastorate in 1976. His commitment to fully sharing Christ’s love with one and all would prove to be the key to the church’s renewal and growth after years of decline.
“This was a very troubled church when I came here,” Ellis says. “The board had run the three previous pastors off. The congregation had dropped to about 30 people. After the Lord had worked us through the problems, it began to move forward.”
God worked Evangel Assembly through its problems by bringing a spectrum of nations to the previously all-white church.
“When we began to have people of different groups attend our church,” Ellis admits, “we lost some people at first. I told the congregation one Sunday, ‘We have to make people comfortable that come to church. We can’t run people off. I’m from farther South than you are. It doesn’t bother me, and maybe it shouldn’t bother you.’ ”
About 10 years ago, the influx picked up, and the church began to experience steady growth. Today, besides about 50 white parishioners, there is a transitional group of 150–175 Hispanics. Faces change regularly because many are migrant workers. African-Americans, Filipinos, and West Indians round out the congregation. In all, 200-300 people make Evangel Assembly their church home.
“I can’t begin to count the people who have accepted Christ over the past 10 years,” Ellis says. “They may not stay long, but we know we have touched their lives.”
Saturdays are devoted to community evangelism during the day and home groups in the evening. Sunday morning’s service is in English, Sunday afternoon’s service is in Spanish, and the evening service is in English.
“We have a union service the first Sunday of the month,” Ellis says. “I preach through an interpreter. We also have union services on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and any special holidays.”
Evangel Assembly is planning to expand its facilities. Ellis believes new construction could easily grow the congregation to 400.
He describes his church as “a Revelation 7 church, from out of all nations and kindreds and tongues.”
He admits a multiethnic and multiracial emphasis is less than popular in some corners of the South.
“There is no doubt in our part of the country it takes a special people to do what we’re doing,” he says. “And the Lord has chosen us to be that people. This has been the most rewarding aspect of my 49 years of ministry.”
Scott Harrup is senior associate editor of Today’s Pentecostal Evangel.
