Memories of Wallace Heritage - Official website of Rev. JO Wallace

what the church added to support an assistant pastor. Brother M. B. Ellis was this assistant pastor
and worked faithfully with the church while Brother Wallace spent hours on the road going back
and forth. The little group in Oak Ridge, under his leadership, raised the money and purchased
the lot where the Oak Ridge church now stands. Brother Ellis was elected as assistant pastor in
1952.
Rev. J. W. Wallace requested another leave of one year from the church as pastor and served as
pastor of the Sullivan Street Pentecostal Church in Jackson, Tennessee for one year. Rev. J. 0.
Wallace, Co-pastor of the church assumed full pastoral duties until Brother J. W. Wallace
returned to the West Nashville Church.
Brother J. W. Wallace again assumed pastoral duties of the church and served until his
resignation in June 1956. This resignation was due to his physical condition. He stated in his
resignation, ". . . Due to an evident declining strength and at my age I am not physically able to
carry on the proper pastoral duties of the church, I hereby submit to you my resignation as pastor
of the West Nashville Pentecostal Church." "In doing this, I am not less interested in the progress
of the church only that I am not physically able to do what needs to be done in the Gospel work
at the local church."
Many new people were attracted to the church and was an encouragement to those that served
faithfully through the most sacrificial and trying times. A regular weekly radio broadcast was
begun and proved a blessing. This program is still continuing to spread the good news of the
name of Jesus and the experience of the Holy Ghost.
Brother and Sister Benson served as pastor for four years. These years were fruitful ones. God
blessed with a harvest of souls. They resigned the church and built a lovely monument to the
cause of Christ in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. God's work continues to enlarge in these days.
The church purchased a lovely parsonage in 1960. Upon doing this marks of progress were seen.
Rev. C. M. Becton, of Little Rock, Arkansas was elected as pastor in September 1960. Brother
and Sister Becton have proved a blessing to the church. Since both are talented musicians, much
is added to worship of God on the lovely piano and organ that beautified the building.
Again the church experienced a remarkable growth in attendance and favour with God. Some
very unusual services have been experienced and enjoyed. This was a result of the prayers,
fasting and wrestling with God.
The growth was so remarkable that additional space was needed to house the Sunday School. In
April 1961, a new annex to the church was approved. This consisted of five Sunday School
classrooms, a kitchen and a small auditorium at a cost of $6,253, contracted to G. W. Brown (a
man in the church).
It became necessary for the church to consider a new location. A new interstate highway will
soon flow where the blessings of God hove flowed for the past twenty-one years. After much
prayer and depending upon God a new location was purchased. This being at 51 st Avenue and
Wyoming Avenue, seven blocks south of the original location. The Ladies Auxiliary of the
church purchased a new Grand Piano in November 1961 for the new church which is to be
constructed. This piano adds much to the services. On April 18, 1962, plans for the new church
were presented to the membership and accepted.