Our Church History
The Church of God in Minot started very differently than was the norm for other churches of the denomination begun in the Dakotas, Montana or Western Saskatchewan. The common start of a church was for a leader to go into a community and seek out followers, however in Minot, the flock found the leader. Even those who were there at the beginning can not clearly point to the time the church started but what is known is how it began. Rev. Fred Frank, who was leading the small congregation asked Rev. Paul Walker to hold a revival in Minot, which led to the founding of the Minot Church of God. With the revitalized fellowship, Walker became the first pastor the Minot Church of God. There are reports of meetings being held in several locations before the first church was built.
In nineteen thirty, a very successful revival was held in a tent just south of the current Minot State University. At the close of the seven-week revival, the group purchased a lot on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Fourth Street NW. The members then dug a basement and developed a church. The basement church served for a period of years possibly into the early forties before the structure was placed above it. This building now houses the Minot Youth for Christ Program. The congregation, realizing the need for a larger facility, broke ground for a new church on Sixteenth Street NW on August 29, 1971 and dedicated the current church on December 3, 1972. There have been two additions to the structure since that time leading to the current facility.The name of the church evolved over time. Originally the congregation was known as the Minot Church of God, but with the organizing of the East Side Church of God in 1959, the name was changed in 1962 to the West Side Church of God and finally in the late sixties to the current name West Minot Church of God.
The names of most of the saints who founded this church and sustained it for the many formative years are lost to history. Our God knows them and will reward them accordingly. Rather than listing the names in these limited writings, we ask those families who have descended from our church forefathers to continue an oral history of their faithfulness and the contributions each made to bring our church to its present position. Any listing of early church leaders would omit some very deserving pioneers. Let each of us remember those we have known or heard about, but understand that we owe a debt of gratitude to many we cannot name.The pastoral leadership of West Minot Church of God has been wonderful. For a church of this size, it has truly been served by more that its share of church leaders. The first pastor, Paul H. Walker, served many years as an Overseer as well as a number of years as Executive Secretary of Church of God World Missions in charge of missions work around the world. T. D. Mooneyham returned to a very successful mission assignment after leaving our church. No less than nine former pastors went on to lead the church as Overseers. They include The Reverends Walker, Logsdon, Frank Lemons, DeVore, Boatwright, Pratt, Triplett, Hathaway and Popejoy. The shortest-term pastor appears to have been Bartley Hicks, a member of the Church of God Executive Council who stayed only about three weeks, as he couldn't stand the cold weather. Two pastors served ten years each. They were Alan O. Hathaway and Ray Hurt. From our first pastor, Paul H. Walker, to our most current pastor, Jeff Heber, appointed August 29, 2004 we have been well served. The Lord has blessed us!
