Where are we going today with church in a day?
Albert R. Skaggs, Church in a day promotions director

Where did it start? In 1983, Sarah Jackson started a Bible class in her home in Marvell, Arkansas, with an elderly couple. She had no thought of a church being birthed. After weeks of classes and more people attending, Wesley McClain, the assistant pastor of her home church in West Helena, Arkansas, (Pastor James Forman) came to visit the class and suggested they become an official church. Although many were coming into her home for class, when they became an official church on September 1, 1983 only the elderly couple with whom she started the class was committed to being a part of the church.

Sister Jackson knew there was a need for a church building. At times in the wee hours of the morning, she stretched out face down on the floor praying, "God please build a church. God if you gave us the money, I wouldn't know the first place to put a nail. God, just like you built the wall of Jerusalem build Apostolic Life Center Church. Just like you built the temple, build Apostolic Life Center Church." She never called anyone, she just prayed. James Lumpkin, her district superintendent, called her one day and said, "I feel like we need to build you a Church In A Day." The program was born.

Planning began with Diistrict Superintendent, James Lumpkin, District Secretary Forrest Hassell, District Home missions Director Ray Hasswell, and Home Missions District Secretary O. D. Crabtree. Two and one-fourth acres of a field were bought on Highway 49 in Marvell. In late summer of 1987 a concrete slab was poured in that field. The first Church In A Day was built on November 28, 1987

After that first CIAD was built, O. D. Crabtree took hold of the torch and carried it forward, spreading the flames across Arkansas.

Where is it today? Since then, Church In A Day has spread to thirty-three of our fifty-seven districts of United Pentecostal Church International in NOrth America with one hundred projects.

The state of Texas has built twenty-one CIAD projects and the state of Arkansas is second with nineteen new buildings.

Wow! What a story that keeps on telling.

In 2009 I was privileged to be a part of five new Church In A Day building projects, two in Indiana, one in Louisiana, and two in Texas.

At Bullard, Texas, I spoke with a pastor who was participating in his twentieth Church In A Day. His church staff was providing all the food and food preparation.

Greg and Tim Steele and their superintendents' team from the Texas District have assisted CIAD buildings in Indiana, Louisiana, Arkansas, California, Mississippi and South Dakota. They have also assisted in ten church builds in Belize, three buildings in Mexico, and one Liverpool, England. The Steele brothers haev been instrumental in the support of Church In A Day projects, assisting, instructing and training teams. They have been an inspiration and blessing to the UPCI Home Missions CIAD program.

What a story!

Several people have participated in more than twenty CIAD projects to date.

What is the plan? In 2003, the General Home Missions Leadership and Church In A Day for North America divided America into four quadrants. Northeast, Southeast, Northwest and Southwest. A Church In A Day coordinator and hands-on Church In A Day superintendent is appointed for each quadrant.

These key CIAD quadrant leaders work with each district Home Missions director to help within the district. Quadrant coordinators and superintendents work with the national field coordinator and superintendents work and the national field coordinator and promotional director to take Church In A Day to North America.

Our goal is to impact every district in North America in five years with this "Powerful Church Building Ministry."

Imagine what Church In A Day does for a Home Missions pastor and a local young assembly.

Imagine the effects on the community.

Imagine what it does to the people who get personally involved in the hands on planning and construction.

It is like a spark that ignites a flame that becomes a fire that cannot be contained! Holy Ghost fire, like tongues of fire, sat upon each of them and that day three thousand souls were added to the church. That event began the story we are still telling today. Join with us in adding to the stories that are yet to be told.