HISTORY OF UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH
DARDEN, HENDERSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
More than 70 years have passed since attempt is undertaken. There will probably be a few errors in dates etc., but an overall historical record can be found within it's pages.
When endeavering to give an historical account of the beginning or establishing of a church there is a necessity to know some of the background leading to its founding. During the early years of the 20th Century the baptism with the Holy Ghost with speaking in tongues began to be experienced in some western towns of the U.S. Those recieving this early experience were members of different religious denominations. Persecutions arose against these early recievers of the gift from God as a result the Assemblies of God was formed.
Rev. E.M Bell, Rev. L.V. Roberts of Cincinnati, Ohio and Rev. H.G. Rogers were among these. In 1914 in Hot Springs, Ark. H.G. Rogers attended a conference held by the Assemblies of God, who at that time in general believed in the doctrine of the Trinity of the Godhead. At this conference Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ was discussed. Rev. Rogers left the conference very much stirred.
In the summer of 1915 Bro. Rogers was the host pastor in Jackson, TN to the third Encampment of the Assemblies of God. The meeting was held near the Historic Artesion Well in the passenger depot of the N.C. & St. L. Railroad. Bro. E.N. Bell and Bro. Rogers discussed Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. They requested Bro. L.U. Roberts of Cincinnati, Ohio to come. Bro. Roberts who had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus by Bro. Glenn Cook in Indianapolis on March 6, 1915, preached the baptism in Jesus name. At the close sermon, Bro. Bell and Bro. Rogers along with a few others were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus in the Forked Deer River. The following Sunday, his wife Jenny Cook was baptized along with fifty four others including Bro. and Sis. E.J. Douglas, Bro. and Sis. C.M. Goff, his daughter Ethel Rogers and her husband J.C. Brickey.
H.G. Rogers had two other daughters. They were Carrie, who married Hobart Brown in June 1922 and Mickey who married Rev. A.D. Gurly in June 1923.
The Pentecostal message may be said to begin in late February of 1912 in the western part of the state of Tennessee upon the arrival of Rev. H.G. Rogers and his family in Jackson, TN. He at that time was a member of the Assemblies of God. In 1913 a lot was bought and erected in 1914. This church was to become the "Mother" Oneness Church of that area.
Later in 1915, Rev. B.H. Hite left middle Tennessee area where he had three years earlier recieved the Holy Ghost. While in Nashville, Tennessee he worked in the leather shop at the Tennessee State Prison and came to Bemis and put up a tent on what is now Bemis Lane on the north side of the street. He was the Pastor of this church for some two years.
From this background the Pentecostal "Oneness" message spread to other towns. Bro. Rogers , Bro. Brickey, Bro. Hite, Bro. E.J. Douglas and Bro. A.D. Gurley were the principal ministers during the early days of the "Oneness Pentecostal Message". Later came such men with the gospel as W.M. Greer, J.W. Wallace , A.G. Webb, Dorsey Jones , L.J. Thompson, A.N. Graves, Pitts Graves , J.H. Austin and others.
In the year 1916 an event happened that was to greatly effect many towns and counties of Tennessee in years to come. Bro. E.J. Douglas and Bro. J.C. Brickey held a meeting in Parsons, Tennessee. Their only convert was A.D. Gurley who was about 19 years of age. Whom he later baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. He also recieved the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
During the early days of the ministry of H.G. Rogers and J.C. Brickey, about the year 1916, they came to the home of Mr. and Mrs. King in Darden, TN, set up a tent in his front yard and preached the "oneness" message. Mr. & Mrs. King were the only people living in Darden, who had recieved the baptism with the Holy Ghost. So far as is known no one is able to tell where and when they recieved this experience. There were very little known results. Shortly thereafter Rev. E.J. Douglas, B.H. Hite and a Rev. Baker had a bush harbor built about half the distance from the present Highway 20 to the little town of Beacon. At this revival several of the people in that town recieved the Holy Ghost.
At Darden, Tennessee on the south side of the former position of the old depot which was located on the north of the railroad track, there was a large store building about 50 yards south of the railroad. It had been occupied by the J.C. Hancock Store. It was not occupied by a business of any kind about 1916 or 1917. Rev. E.J. Douglas and some of his converts at Beacon, TN secured it for a revival which continued several weeks with very little results.
Mr. and Mrs. King were becoming very anxious to see others at Darden with the experience of the baptism with the Holy ghost. She could be heard during the day as well at nighttime praying with a loud voice over the hills. It is reported that one day someone knocked on her door, who said "I am Rev. L.J. Thompson from Scotts Hill, a Pentecostal minister and have come to hold you a revival". They advertised it in a feeble way, as was their ability at that time, that a meeting would begin in one of the room of their home. They recieved aid from Beacon and interest began to grow.
Beside the Baptist Church was a school house. It was used for school but it was secured for night services.
Rev. L.J. Thompson and wife in Nora were two young people who lived in Scotts Hill, TN who farmed for a livelihood. At this time it was about March or April 1918. The revival continued for several weeks with great success. In that small town of 200 probably 75 persons recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The time came that this new group were refused use of the school building. They built a brush harbor and continued to have service in it. Sometime between 1919 and 1920 a church building about 100 ft. by 60 ft. was erected. Many improvements have been made since that time and is now a thriving church. Such miniters as E.J. Douglas, A.D. Gurley, A.M Graves, Pitts Graves, Dorsey Jones and others have had much to do with the success of the Darden Pentecostal Church which was pastored by Raymond Roach from 1986 to 1994. Bro. Ronnie Parrish pastored the church from 1994 until 2024. In May of 2024, Ronnie Parrish stepped down as senior pastor after 30 years of leadership. Under his leadership, TPC Darden experienced great revival and erected our current building. He now serves as bishop. Jon Mark Parrish was installed as senior pastor in May of 2024. God has given him and his wife, Jessie Parrish, clear vision and direction for TPC Darden. With the vision and direction comes a culture that serves as the foundation that is necessary to reach our surrounding communities with the life changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Love + Seek + Serve = Reach is the mission used to help facilitate the growth and future of TPC Darden. It is around these four areas of focus that we create a culture that is all about “others” in order to advance the Kingdom of God.
