CHURCH HISTORY
On Pentecost
Sunday, May 31, 1998 God allowed Pastor and Co-Pastor Carpenter to birth the Philadelphia Prayer, Praise
& Worship Center Church in the basement of their home. The first message
was “What The Church Can’t Forget” Matthew 28:16-20. Each
Sunday thereafter God continued to bless the ministry both spiritually and physically.
Before long the church
outgrew Pastor/Co-Pastor’s basement and house, but God opened another door in July 1998, The Kirkbride
Center, where we held Bible Study and Sunday Services until June 2002. The Church was incorporated in the
State of Pennsylvania on July 31, 1998. The Church subsequently was accorded 501(C)(3) status as a charitable
organization by the IRS and was granted exemption from sales tax by the State of Pennsylvania.
On December 10, 1998 the Thursday night Kirkbride Spiritual Enrichment
classes started for the Kirkbride members.
Praise Bible Institute started certified classes on Wednesday, September
8, 1999, Pastor Carpenter, Instructor.
PPP&WCC Tape Ministry started on October 10, 1999 and as
of May 7, 2006 sermons were also available on CD. In January of this year the messages became available at
the church’s website to listen, download, email or podcast.
March
2001 the Breakthrough Ministry at Kirkbride was started.
July 2001 PPP&WCC signed an
agreement of sale to purchase Ezekiel Baptist Church, 230 ½ S. 51st
Street, Phila. PA and on Sunday, June 30, 2002 God allowed us to march into our first church building.
Wednesday, July 3, 2002 the first PPP&WCC Bible Study was
held in our new church on 51st St with thirty-one members in attendance.
Sunday, July 7, 2002 we had our
first morning service at our new church on 51st St. Pastor Carpenter’s
message was entitled “Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?” and Rev.
Kevin Padgett held the first morning service after we moved to our church building at PPP&WCC Kirkbride Outreach
Ministry. His message was entitled “Can You Hear Me Now?”
The first baptism at our new church was on October 27, 2002. Twenty-two members were baptized.
On February 10, 2004 CorrectBible.com was
launched as a comprehensive Christian website containing PPP&WCC's Adult Bible Study lessons, Bible quizzes
and answers, Christian devotionals, resources, poems, humor, headlines, jobs and counseling for pastors and ministers.
With the grace and blessings of Almighty God, He allowed us to pay off our church mortgage in
less than two years on April 5, 2004.
On May 6, 2004 PhilaPrayer.org was added
as the Church's information center and resource for other churches and ministries worldwide. Within 2 years God blessed the
sites to receive almost 1,000,000 visitors and to be ranked among the most frequently visited Christian sites on
the web.
On January 28, 2006 under the mentorship of Co-Pastor Carpenter the Young
Adult Ministry was started.
On April
28, 2006, PPP&WCC joined with the “Chosen 300 Ministries” to feed the homeless in
the City of Philadelphia while bringing them the Good News of Jesus.
On Wednesday October 5,
2006 we started our Pre-Bible Study Course on Wednesday nights. Co-Pastor Carpenter, Instructor.
In 2006 we awarded our first scholarships to our students who were graduating,
and were continuing their education in an accredited college or trade school.
March 2007 the Men’s Choir began. Also the church’s
Bookstore should be opening sometime this year.
On Friday, March 30, 2007, God allowed Pastor Carpenter to
resign from S.E.P.T.A. after 26 ½ years to focus more on full-time Pastoring/Ministry.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
