Bedford Pentecostal Church

Rev. John Chandler  The Bedford Pentecostal Church had its beginnings in July of 1924.  Permission was granted for a tent to be set in the northeast corner of the courthouse yard in Bedford, Ky. The evangelist was S. R. Burrow, from the state of Tennessee, with his two children, john Paul and Margaret Burrow.  Their music was a small hand organ which could be carried easily from one place to another.  The evangelist did most of the singing and almost all the preaching in the open-air meetings under the tent.  People came from far and near to hear the new message of salvation.  When people believed the gospel salvation and were baptized in water in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins something happened, which did not take place at the baptisms of other denominations.  God wonderfully filled them with the Holy Ghost and they spoke with tongues as the Spirit of God gave the utterance.  The revival lasted for thirteen weeks and scores were baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost baptism.  The evangelist was ready to go somewhere else to hold meetings when the druggist in Bedford suggested that he stay and build a church.

 The druggist gave the first offering for the erection of a new church.  On Monday morning thirteen teams of horses and wagons went to Carrollton and hauled the lumber to build a new church in the Fairview section of Bedford, Ky.  The land was bought from Clem Beach, and the church erected, with over eighty members present for the first Sunday School.  The building ahs been the church home of the members of Bedford Pentecostal Church until August 31, 1982.  On August 10, 1980, the ground breaking for the new Bedford Pentecostal Church, on Highway 42 south of Bedford, with the members present, was held.  Elder John Chandler, the pastor, took the golden shovel and turned the first shovel full of earth for the new church.  There have been only three pastors in 58 years.  On September 2, 1982, with horns blowing, we left the old building and came to the new building to occupy it and to worship here as long as God permits, or until He comes after us.  AMEN!