The History of CCF

1974
David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge (later World Challenge) was the first of the ministries to set up operation in the rural community of Garden Valley in 1974, buying about 400 acres of land on Farm to Market Road 16. In 1980, Wilkerson sold the Twin Oaks property to Youth With A Mission (YWAM) which had already been in operation near the airport in Tyler, Texas, and he established a smaller World Challenge ministry base, also in Garden Valley, off Hwy. 110.

1982
By 1982 the Agape Force cafeteria (now Mercy Ships’ Oasis) was outgrown, so the predominantly Agape Force congregation moved to the gymnasium at Youth With A Mission to make it more of a community church. Wayne Snyder, a pastor from Montana who had YWAM training, was the acting pastor at that time, and the small group went by the name Garden Valley Community Church. Wayne became terminally ill and soon resigned as pastor, dying shortly thereafter in March 1984. Around that time Garden Valley Community Church fragmented. Some of the group started a congregation at Kaleo Lodge, and others met at David Wilkerson’s gathering at World Challenge. Also at that time many of the people started meeting again in the Agape Force cafeteria with Gabriel Arosemena as the pastor. On occasion, Winkie Pratney, Leonard Ravenhill and other preachers would deliver messages on Sunday mornings.

1984
On July 1, 1984, Gabriel Arosemena resigned as CCF’s first official pastor, and the board of directors selected Dallas native Don Crum (formerly with Agape Force) to fill that role. Don led the newly incorporated church as an anointed preacher and along with Sonny Jaynes and others also led worship. In those early days the meeting room was much smaller and the chairs were all facing north where Pastor Don stood to preach. For a time during Don’s pastorate, praise & worship singer/songwriter John Sellers was CCF’s worship leader. The congregation at that time was under 200 people, and the church elders were Sonny Jaynes, Tracy Hansen, Ron Garrison and Bracy Greer.

1988
In January 1988, CCF’s elders called on Albie Pearson to serve as pastor. In his younger years, Albie Pearson had been a professional baseball player for the California Angels. He and his wife, Helen, had moved to Garden Valley from southern California in 1987 to minister to some of the Contemporary Christian Musicians in the area. Albie functioned as a pastor to the musicians and staff, including 2nd Chapter of Acts, Dallas Holm & Praise, Harvest, etc., leading a weeknight Bible study for them every week. Albie was a relaxed, soft-spoken teachernot a preacher and rather than standing behind a pulpit he sat on a stool and ministered the love of the Father. During Albie’s tenure as pastor, CCF’s elders were Sonny Jaynes, Tracy Hansen, Ron Garrison, Steve Aubuchon, Charlie Moore and Bill Cooke.

1989
On December 3, 1989, after serving as pastor of CCF for just under two years, Albie Pearson resigned as pastor, and he and Helen moved back to California. At that time Tracy Hansen took over where Albie left off. Tracy was not only gifted as a preacher, but also in carpentry as well as the arts. When not doing his pastoral duties, he could often be found swinging a hammer as the church expanded its facilities. From time to time Tracy would perform a skit during his sermons, putting into practice his gift of drama.

1993
In 1993 Cindy Ward, formerly with Agape Force, began directing the newly established children’s ministry and Sunday School. She served faithfully for five years and then YWAMer Sue Haines took over as director, beginning in the Fall of 1998.

By the mid-1990s CCF’s congregation continued to grow, and Sunday morning services were becoming crowded. Further expansions were soon undertaken by removing classrooms along the outer western walls. A smaller, core group of CCFers were also meeting for midweek services on Wednesday evenings. There were also Care Groups in homes at different times during the 1990s.

1997
After much prayer and fasting, CCF’s elders selected Longview native, David Hickey to take Tracy’s place as pastor. David officially became CCF’s pastor on December 1, 1997. David, LuAnn and their five children had been attending CCF for several years, although because of his overnight job, David himself was unable to attend very often. He had served as pastor of several Baptist churches in the past, but after he and LuAnn experienced a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit, a sabbatical ensued. Leading up to being asked to pastor CCF, David Hickey pastored a small home church, and held overnight jobs as a stocker at Wal-Mart and a truck driver driving to and from Dallas, delivering newspapers. Also on December 1, 1997, David and LuAnn’s oldest daughter, Kristen, became the church secretary, taking Connie Hansen’s place.

2005-2006
During the 2000s, CCF’s congregation continued to grow, requiring more expansion and building projects. Due to the crowded conditions in our sanctuary, CCF began having two Sunday morning services on March 12, 2006. During that year a large, two-story addition with a fellowship hall, industrial kitchen and lots of classroom & office space was built onto the west side of the existing building, all done without going into debt, thanks to the generosity and faithfulness of the CCF church body. In November 2006, a large modular building was donated which was renovated and used as a High School youth facility. Further expansions of the sanctuary took place in 2008 to make room for our growing church family.