Macedonia Revival Center

In the summer of 1929, according to Bro. W.E. Gamblin, the Pentecostal experience was first brought to the Arlington community. Rufus Barnes, Jim Ming, and J.C. Pope, along with their families, had attended a revival in Zuma preached by Rev. D.L. Welch, and they returned home filled with the Holy Ghost. They erected an old brush arbor, and numerous families from the area attended their first Pentecostal revival.

The first church building was erected in 1930, with Rev. Luke Hodges serving as the first pastor. The name Macedonia was suggested by Sis. Verna Barnes. Macedonia Pentecostal Church was originally affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Rev. W.R. Ford became pastor following the tenure of Bro. Hodges.

In the early 1940s, Rev. Jim Matthews became pastor of Macedonia. During his pastorate, the church built a new building complete with Sunday School rooms. It was also during Bro. Matthews’s tenure that the Pentecostal Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ merged with the Pentecostal Churches, Inc. to form the United Pentecostal Church, and Macedonia became a UPC church.

Over the next two decades, several pastors contributed to Macedonia’s history, including Rev. Murvin C. Lee, Rev. Jimmy Miller, Rev. R.L. Tolbert, and Rev. John Henry Ford. During the early part of Bro. Ford’s tenure, he served as pastor of both Macedonia Pentecostal Church and Burnside Pentecostal Church. In the late 1950s, the two churches merged and retained the Macedonia name.

Bro. Monroe Tolbert later purchased and donated the land where the church currently stands, at the corner of Highway 19 N and Highway 395. Rev. Lloyd Adcock became pastor in 1959 and served Macedonia until August 1971. Rev. J.E. Anderson succeeded him in 1971, followed by Rev. Clayton Hall in 1972. During Bro. Hall’s tenure, Evangelist Lee Broadhead preached a revival that brought in 17 souls!

In 1974, Rev. U.A. Massey became pastor, followed by Rev. Orville Hendryx in 1975. Under Bro. Hendryx, the present church sanctuary was built. Rev. Jimmy Fondren succeeded Bro. Hendryx in 1979 and served until 1981.

Rev. Mike Dykes became pastor in 1981, followed by Rev. Kenny King in 1985. Bro. King served until 1991, when Rev. Leslie Courtney became pastor and led Macedonia until 1994. He was succeeded by Rev. Robert Allen. Under Bro. Allen’s leadership, the church built a large multi-purpose facility housing a gym and new Sunday School classrooms. In 2001, the church was incorporated under the name Macedonia Revival Center. Bro. Allen served as pastor until June 4, 2004.

Rev. Leslie Courtney returned to Macedonia in 2004 and reassumed the pastorate after Bro. Allen. He served faithfully for many years and was succeeded by Rev. Bert Jones, who currently serves as pastor of Macedonia Revival Center.