Life Tabernacle Draws 1,246 People To Hooper Road for Sunday Service

Life Tabernacle Draws 1,246 People To Hooper Road for Sunday Service

CENTRAL — More than 1,200 people gathered at Life Tabernacle Church on Hooper Road during Super Sunday services.  The church has grown by leaps and bounds since it began its bus ministry to young people in the inner city of Baton Rouge.  A three-month Bible course provides youngsters the fundamentals of Christ’s message and hope for the future.

Last Sunday was Super Sunday at Life Tabernacle, 9323 Hooper Road, and another chance to reach more lost souls.  The church, which had never before topped 1,000 at Sunday services, counted 1,246 in attendance. It was a tribute to a growing outreach by the independent Pentecostal church led by pastor Tony Spell and his wife Shaye.

The church’s phenomenal growth has been fueled by its bus ministry, which has focused on reaching children who do not attend church in predominantly black areas such as Scotlandville, Zion City, Mall City, and Belaire.  However, the 15 buses in the church’s fleet go far beyond those confines and bring children from as far away as Hammond.

The church offers a three-month educational program, which culminates in Super Sunday.  Children who participate in the course and pass it successfully get to attend the festivities after church on Sunday.

The course offers a basic overview of the Bible and stories such as Jonah and the whale.  On Super Sunday, there is a candy drop, games, food, and entertainment.

“In the inner city today, the neighborhood churches are full, but they are full of gray-haired senior citizens while the children are on the streets without exposure to the Bible and the teachings of Christ,” pastor Spell said.

“Look at what’s happening. Louisiana Family Forum is a great organization that works down at the Capitol, but by the time the problem gets to the Capitol, it’s too late.  Our  public schools in many districts are in disarray and are part of the problem.  Law enforcement has to react to an out-of-control culture. It’s so obvious that the church has not been doing its job, and that the church holds the key to turning out country around,” he said.

Life Tabernacle has a Christian school with 85 students, and graduates earn the TOPS scholarship.

At 10 a.m. on Monday, June 10, the church will break ground on a new $1 million, 12,000 square foot  educational facility that will include 10 classrooms, gym, locker room, and kitchen.  That will supplement the nearly new 60,000 square foot church and offices, and the 7,200 square foot parsonage.

Life Tabernacle is revolutionizing race relations too.  The church has gone from being 100 percent white to 40 percent white, 40 percent black, and 20 percent Latin.

Life Tabernacle was founded by pastor Bervick Spell, now 86 and in good health.  Tony is his grandson.

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