Our Pastor

I grew up in Hoover, Alabama founded by my Grandfather William H. Hoover Sr. My family didn't go to church, but God used many circumstances to gradually draw me to Christ. When I was 10 years old my brother and I were in our pop-up camper tool compartment, in the heat of the summer. As we were playing somehow we ended up getting locked in the compartment. I prayed "if God you are real send someone to help my brother and me". Just then my mother who was away felt lead to call and check on us. The babysitter found us and we were saved. I knew that God was real from then on.

Later I went to Berry High School and one day at the age of 15 an evangelist named Wales Goebel came to speak to the school. He talked about his alcoholic father and growing up under the hardship of a drinking father. I could relate because both my biological father and step-father had a drinking problem. But praise the Lord both of them came to Christ before they died. The day Evangelist Wales Goebel came he explained the gospel in a clear way that Jesus Christ had come to die on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead to give me eternal life. That day in May of 1972 I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and committed my life to Christ.

The same year I started playing High School tennis. I was planning on taking a scholarship to play college tennis. But the Lord intervened in my life and called me to preach the gospel at the age of 18. So I gave up my scholarship's. I ended up going to school at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and graduated in 1979. There I met my wife Karen. Karen grew up in Virginia and was saved at age 12. She attended Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University. We have three children Jonathan, Joy and Jeremy. My daughter Joy married Jonathan Steele, and we have one grandchild Hudson.

We came back to the area in 1980 and started a church in September. We have seen many saved and growing in the Lord over the years. We have many amazing stories of God's transforming power. An example of God's saving power is the Hirmaoto family who lived down the street from me in Hoover. I was friends with all the children Hiriam, Glen, Gary, Steven, and Suzie. When I first started the church I found out Glenn was in the hospital with cancer. He couldn't talk because of tubes in his throat so I witnessed to him using a clipboard to share the gospel. After several visits he prayed to receive Christ into his Life. He was getting better and couldn't wait to get out and come to church. The day his Mother, wife, Steven, and Suzie showed up at church all four prayed to receive Christ in the service. But at that exact time Glenn past away in the hospital unexpectedly. I did the funeral for Glenn and we had 25 people pray to receive Christ. Later I witnessed to Dr. Hiramoto who was a cancer research scientist. He said "that He couldn't believe in a God that would create a place like Hell." We kept praying for him and his family kept coming to church. One day he showed up for church and prayed to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior. I went to visit him and asked him "what changed his mind" and said he "had started reading the New Testament and said no one could say and do the things that Jesus did unless he was God. And if he were God then I needed to commit my life to Him." They became faithful members and are now home with the Lord.

We look forward to many more coming to Christ and growing in the Lord.

To God be the Glory,

Clay Parrish