Faith Archive

History was made on a rainy morning, Sunday, Jan. 22, as Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Crestview held its first service at the former Valley Road Baptist Church.

Greg Allen’s story isn’t that different from many other men and women in the ministry.

He had his career planned out and was doing well for himself when God stepped in and gave him a calling instead in place of a career as director of children’s ministries at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

A quick take on the math indicates how Hope House Family Counseling in Crestview, and arm of Lutheran Services Florida, is impacting Okaloosa County.

Even after five years as Bishop with the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Bishop William “Bill” Wack said he is just getting started.

Over the past few years, Wack (pronounced wok) and the Diocese have had to deal with several issues which have taken away the church’s ability to map out the future.

It has been said that Hollywood rarely lets the facts get in the way of the fiction.

When it comes to certain Christmas traditions, that is certainly the case. Some decades ago, Hollywood made a movie about the birth of the Christ Child. One of the closing scenes included all the characters of the Christmas story – including the Three Wise Men.

As a result of the beautiful tableau shown, most Christmas scenes and stories now include the arrival of the wise men on the night of Jesus’ birth.

Spoiler alert! It didn’t happen that way.

On a quiet night, the stars shone brightly in the sky. The moon hung in the heavens casting its white glow. All was quiet. Shepherds were out in the fields sitting around fires, telling stories as they kept watch over the flocks to keep them safe from predators. All was still.

Pastor Curt Rainey has been associated with First Baptist Church of Holt for the better part of 30 years in several different capacities.

In 1994 while serving in the United States Air Force, Rainey was a member of the church.

Mike McVay wears many hats in the Laurel Hill community. He’s a volunteer with the fire department. Or, perhaps you’ve seen him as the Hobo mascot for Laurel Hill School.

Established in 2009, Grace Redeemer Church is doing its part to reach the Crestview community for Christ.

Pastor Tyson Turner has been at the church, which meets in a red brick building at 701 E. James Lee Blvd., since 2017. He is the church’s third pastor following David Young and Ryan Alford.

In the old hymn, Blessed Assurance, there is a line that says, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.”

Sunday night’s Crestview Thanksgiving Celebration was such a foretaste of glory divine.