Our History and Our Future

Welcome Home! Here is a little about our history and our future.

Our church was birthed in the 1930’s, when two small congregations merged during a Tent Revival on Central Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina. The founding members were excited to be a part of the Holiness revival of the late 19th Century and the Pentecostal revival of the 20th Century. The new congregation was known as The First Pentecostal Holiness Church of Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 1940, property at the corner of Tuckaseegee Road and Pryor Street was acquired (several miles from Charlotte Douglas Airport). As our country made its way out of the Great Depression, times were hard. So, the congregation met under a tent and for a short time, moved to a rental building. Eventually a permanent church home was built, and later a parsonage and annex were added.

In the 1960’s property was purchased on the East side of Charlotte for the purpose of relocating the church. In about 1970, the church on Tuckaseegee Road was sold, and by 1972 our congregation had moved into a new campus on City View Drive, just off Independence Boulevard.

It was in the early 1990’s that our name was changed to Trinity Fellowship, and in 2006, the congregation relocated to our present location at 13232 Idlewild Road, Matthews, North Carolina.

Leadership

Over the years many great men of God and their wives and families have served our congregation. Several enjoyed long tenures and under their skilled leadership property was purchased, and buildings erected. This includes Robert Leviner, Kenneth Benson, Albert Mills, Joe Beck, and Billy Phipps. Over our 86-year history, Lead Pastors have included:

  • Joseph L. Campbell 1938-1940, with Glen Lewis who merged their respective congregations.
  • Robert L. Leviner 1940-1945, who labored with students from Holmes Bible College and George Fisher.
  • Roy C. Frazier 1946
  • L.H. Fortson 1947
  • A.C. Correll 1948-1950
  • C.D. Burchell 1950-1952
  • O.C. Oliver 1952-1954
  • F.M. Spargo 1954-1955
  • Dewey W. Kerr 1955
  • Vinson Ellenberg 1955-1957
  • Kenneth Benson 1957-1971 
  • Albert Mills 1971-1976
  • Joe Beck 1976-1982
  • Bill Phipps 1982-2015 
  • Russell Stalvey 2015-2024
  • Teryl W. Todd 2024-

* Sources: Mrs. Susanna Howard, Pastor Bill Phipps; Pastor Rusty Stalvey, Mrs. Blenda Walters, Pastor Stan York (Archivist, Cornerstone Conference of the IPHC), and Betsy Abbot who culled files and searched through Annual Reports. 

Theological Origins

One of the most significant developments in Christianity during the past century was the appearance of many Pentecostal fellowships around the world. Beginning in the United States and spreading rapidly to most nations, these groups now comprise a major force in the Bible-believing Church.

Trinity Fellowship is one such congregation.

Our roots are found in the three great spiritual reforms of the past 500 years: Lutheran, Wesleyan and Pentecostal.

The Lutheran Reformation

In the 16th Century, Martin Luther’s doctrine of justification by faith alone, was a key component of the Protestant Reformation. Today, this basic doctrine is foundational for all Evangelical congregations, including the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. The church regards the “new birth” as the conversion experience that admits the believer into the family of God (Romans 5:1).

Therefore, great importance is given to evangelism. The saving of the lost is seen as the church’s primary task.

The Holiness Movement

John Wesley founded the Methodist church in 1784 as a holiness group. A particular emphasis was placed on living a sanctified life – a life set apart to God. However, by the end of the 19th Century, the Holiness emphasis had faded, and in 1894, the Southern Methodist Church outright rejected the Holiness Movement, and 25 new groups or denominations were birthed including the Pentecostal Holiness Church. 

The Pentecostal Movement

During the last years of the 19th Century, a conviction arose among many people in the Holiness Movement that a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the church’s greatest need. This cry for a “new Pentecost” was experienced in both Europe and America.

In 1906, in Los Angeles, California, a Pentecostal revival spread around the world as people by the thousands received the Pentecostal baptism with the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). On every continent people flocked to altars to receive their own personal Pentecost.

Once again, the church experienced the gifts of the Spirit! Healing, deliverance, and signs and wonders were rediscovered. Trinity Fellowship Church is part of this outpouring.

Our Future

There is a reason that our windshield is bigger than our rear-view mirror, it’s because where we are going, is more important than where we have been! We honor those who have laid a path before us and focus on reaching and equipping the next generation.

Our Primary Mission is that of Jesus Himself – “To seek and to save the lost” (Matthew 28:18-19; Mark 16:15-16).

What is Trinity Fellowship about? We are all about Raising-up Faithful Followers of Christ.

For this purpose, we pray and work for every person to trust the shed blood of Christ as the full payment for their sin; to live a life that honors Christ; to be doers of God’s Word; and to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. We want to share the Gospel in the power of the Spirit with accompanying supernatural signs (Mark 16:15-20; Acts 4:29-31; Hebrews 2:3-4).

Trinity Fellowship is a congregation with a wonderful history, a solid foundation, and an exciting future!

Welcome home!