Victory Church is proud to celebrate its 50th Anniversary on Sunday, November 20 with guest speaker Jantzen Louder from Church on the Rock in Lubbock and a church-wide Thanksgiving lunch immediately following the service.

Victory Church was founded on September 13, 1972 by a group of 12 people who began hosting prayer meetings in their homes, believing that the Lord wanted to birth a church that embraced the work of the Holy Spirit.

When one of the original 12 members was asked why the name Trinity Church was chosen they responded, “We knew about the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, but we did not know anything about the Holy Spirit. Since meeting the Holy Spirit, we now know the Trinity. So, the name Trinity Church was chosen to recognize and embrace the entire Godhead… the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

In the Spring of 1973, Harold Hearn and his wife, Sharon, were chosen to pastor the newly formed Trinity Church. Four acres of land was purchased on College Street (current location) for a church building. The church applied for a loan from the local bank to build the building, but a few days later decided that the Lord wanted them to build the church by faith. Out of obedience, they did this with tithes and offerings, and the men and women of the church built the building. This original building is still used today as the youth building.

As Trinity Church continued through its early years of the 70’s and 80’s, the “Spiritual DNA” of the church took shape. Three prominent values emerged in those years that are still relevant today for Victory Church. These values are (1) Embracing the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. (2) A heart of “giving and serving others.” (3) Supporting and being involved in Missions, both local and world-wide. Many trips were made in the early years to Mexico in an old bus loaded with Bibles, clothes and medical supplies. Also, people just passing through Canton or living in Canton found compassion and help from the people of Trinity Church. In all of its efforts, the Holy Spirit was always welcomed with His gifts, signs and wonders.

In June of 1991, Mike and Janet Burns relocated to Trinity Church from Cathedral of Praise in Arlington, Texas to begin their first position as Senior Pastors. As a former resident of Canton, Mike was welcomed back to the area and ready to see God move in a community that was close to his heart. Two years later, in 1993, Burns vision came to reality when Victory Christian School was formed. The school began with grades K-1 and later expanded up to grade 8. VCS became an accredited educational institution. This school was a blessing for many who desired a private education in the Van Zandt County area for more than 15 years. For economic reasons, the school was closed in 2010.

In 1994, Pastor Mike and the Elders believed that the focus of the church was not only on the work of the Holy Spirit, but also included the work of God’s Word in the life of the believer. To reflect this focus of the Spirit and the Word, the name of the church was changed to Word of Victory Outreach Center. Today, the church is called Victory Church.

In May of 1995, an additional four acres of land was purchased adjoining the original four acres and two years later in February of 1997, building plans were drawn up for a multi-purpose building and construction began on a $1.1 million building. In October of the same year, the first service was held on the slab of the new building.

Eventually the building was finished and much of the interior work was completed by the Victory family. This process birthed a great season of faith in the church body. In 2001 and 2002, a great harvest was seen as the new building was able to host the production “Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames” as one of the first major events housed in the building. Over the years, the church has been able to help with many outreach opportunities, including housing some 200 evacuees of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Pastor Mike and the current ministry team at Victory Church are honored to carry on the vision and spirit of the original Trinity Church of 50 years ago. They desire for people to Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference.

This vision ignited with a single step of faith in the journey of three families desiring to see people saved, healed, set-free, discipled, equipped, empowered and serving. Victory is still that church as they seek the Lord’s direction for the future and watching God’s plan unfold for the surrounding community and God’s Kingdom.