Our History

For a number of years people from Ballymena travelled 17 miles to worship in the Ballymoney Church of God.

In 1992 representatives from this group approached Pastor Taylor, the senior minister of the Ballymoney congregation, with a view to establishing a permanent church witness in Ballymena town.  He was sympathetic to the idea and said he would pray about it and discuss it with his church board of elders and deacons.  It was unanimously endorsed by the board.

Pastor Taylor very wisely advised against renting a room for services.  He proposed purchasing a green field site on which to erect a sanctuary.

After much prayer and searching of the area, God, in a miraculous way, opened the door to purchase from the Department of Environment a prime two-acre site on the main road for an unbelievable sum.

An architect was commissioned and plans for a building capable of seating around 200 persons, complete with toilets, kitchen, ministers room and nursery were drawn.  It was a giant leap of faith that the fledgling congregation by itself could not take.

The Minister, Church board and members of the Ballymoney congregation unselfishly agreed to financially underwrite the project to allow the infant church to pay off their debt which then stood at £250,000.

To their credit Ballymena Church of God had cleared all debt within thirteen years, a truly remarkable achievement. On the 19th June 1993 the building was officially opened by Mr James McCook, an elder in the Ballymoney congregation and an experienced builder.

At the opening Pastor Taylor who had successfully negotiated the purchase of the site, the bank overdraft facility and the construction of the building said that Today would be the first of many notable days in the congregations history.

Pastor Taylors words on that occasion were in many ways prophetic, as many notable and exciting days have followed during which God has changed many lives and blessed and encouraged many precious souls as He continues to pour forth His Holy Spirit upon His church in an unprecedented way.

On the 30th June 2011 the first Pastor of the Ballymena Church retired after 18 years’ service to the church.  Pastor Stewart Dunlop will always be remembered for his hard work and dedication to the congregation.