Who We Are

Christians

The members of Pine Bluff believe the entire Bible (every word in all 66 books) is inspired of God (2 Tim 3:16). We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent. The Bible commands us on the first day of every week (Acts 20:7) to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). In worship, we sing, pray, partake of the Lord’s Supper, give and listen to the Bible being proclaimed.

A Capella Singing

The whole assembly joins in singing, without mechanical instruments as commanded by God in the Bible (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). The music comes from the heart and everyone is encouraged to sing.

Lord’s Supper

Members of the church of Christ observe communion every first day of the week as commanded in the Bible by early Christians (Acts 20:7). This communion is to commemorate Christ’s death, resurrection and his promised return one day.

History

The Pine Bluff Church of Christ began meeting in Toccopola in 1899 or 1900. It was started by John Hodges and his son, Joe Hodges, who was the Grandfather and Father of Mack and Grundy Hodges. The Head family met with them as did a man by the name of Sam Hutch. Tom Fair and his wife began meeting with them after the Church started. The first preacher was Brother William Ely Crum. The Dunn brothers took turns preaching there.

Jack Lauderdale heard his first sermon there and soon became a Christian along with his wife Annie Mills Lauderdale. Many heard the gospel preached for the first time and the Church grew rapidly.

The Church met in an old Store House in Toccopola belonging to John Hodges. Joe Hodges and Jack Lauderdale made up money and built the one-room church building in Toccopola in 1901 or 1902. It was located just south of the present Post Office. The members arrived for worship one Sunday morning in 1919 and found the building had burned.

The Church then met in an old School House on Pine Bluff road about one and one-half miles north of the present building.

Mr. O.T. Whitehead moved to Lafayette Springs and started a fund for a new building. Mr. Newell McLarty let the Church use his land, rent free, to raise cotton to make money for a new building. The members did all the work and made three bales of cotton. The building was built by Jack Lauderdale and Floyd Sockwell in 1932. It was located across the road from the present building.

They needed curtains for the windows but did not have the money to buy them. The women all gave a hen each to sell to get the money for material to make the curtains.

The Church met in this building until 1965 when the new and present building was built. The first services were held on June 6, 1965. The preacher was Don England. The old building was sold and moved to Delay, MS where it still stands.

AS TOLD BY BERTHA LAUDERDALE COLEMAN AT AGE 101