The Pentecostals of Nettleton

The Pentecostal movement in the Lee County area began in the summer of 1917 and stemmed from a visit to Arkansas by a Pontotoc County man, E.L. Partee. While in Arkansas, the man was said to have attended a Pentecostal revival meeting and so impressed that he decided to bring the church to his community. He invited the preacher, the Rev. J.R. Higginbotham, to his home east of the town of Pontotoc in the Black Zion Community for a revival meeting.

This same year some of the Pontotoc people who had embraced the Pentecostal faith came to Lee County to attend the funeral of Mr. J.R. Montgomery, the father of Bro. T.C. Montgomery, in the Union Community, and while there held a prayer meeting. This prayer meeting was the source of the organized Pentecostal Church in Lee County and Nettleton.

The believers moved from the Union Community and began services in the Eureka Community, East of Nettleton. Services were held for several years in the various homes of members. In January of 1937, the land across the street from the present church was leased for 20 years and the first church building, a frame structure, was constructed. In August of 1937, the church building burned to the ground apparently from arson.

Not to be deterred by the incident, the group of Pentecostals staged a revival on the site of their burned church, lighting the yard with kerosene in bottles and placing timbers on blocks for seats. They immediately began construction of a new church building. Members attended services at night and worked on the church in the day. There were no drones in the crowd – every member flew in and worked together. Three weeks later, the membership was back in the church.

The new church was constructed with living quarters in back and someone resided in the building for a number of years to prevent another church arson. In 1949, the church members purchased the plot of land they had leased, and in 1954, the brick church building was constructed. In 1960, a large educational annex was constructed, and in 1970, another annex was constructed to house additional classrooms, a baptistry, dressing rooms, and an enlarged choir loft. In 1966, the church members also constructed a beautiful new brick parsonage, a short distance from the church.

In 1978, the sanctuary was renovated to add a balcony and a 30 foot addition was added to the front of the church to enlarge the auditorium, add restrooms and a large foyer. Additional Sunday School classes were added on each side.

Serving as Pastors of the Nettleton Pentecostal Church were: Rev. W.L. Cole, who served as pastor three different times, and altogether, approximately 12 years; Rev. Frank Wilson served as pastor for 6 months; Rev. Leonard Lofton served as pastor for 7 months; Rev. George H. Hill served as pastor five different times, for approximately 66 years, with the most recent pastorship being 1953 through 1992, when he became Bishop until his death on January 21, 1999. Bro. & Sis. Hill ministered in Lee county,Nettleton, and surrounding areas for approximately 70 years. Rev. Larry Davis served in the ministry at the Nettleton Pentecostal Church beginning in 1973,and became pastor from 1992 until he became Bishop in 2017 when his son, Rev. Jordan Davis, became pastor.

On November 28, 1996 (Thanksgiving day) to the sorrow of all the church family and community, the church building was a total loss due to a fire caused by a faulty wall heater. For eight and one half months, worship was conducted at the National Guard Armory. Sunday, April 13, 1997, groundbreaking was held at the present location (across the street from the original church) for the new Family Center and Sanctuary. After worshipping in the Family Center for two years and four months, the congregation moved into the present Sanctuary in December 1999 and the Dedication Service was held March 17, 2000.

A replica of the first church built in Nettleton is built on the Mississippi District Campground to house the district’s memorabilia and history and is known as the G.H. Hill Historical Center.