Brother & Sister Banks circa 1960

  It all began with a word from God, "go to the highway and build for Me a house". This was the beginning of a miraculous journey that would try every bit of faith, discipline and endurance that two people would have. Those two people were Rev. James E. Banks and his wife Anneitta, who everyone called Anna. The year was 1966 and Brother Banks was on a 21 day fast. On the seventeenth day of the fast, God spoke to Brother Banks those words. It was not the first time he heard God speak to him. It would not be the last.

  Finding the property on highway 49 in what was then Lyman, he walked into the wooded area and knelt down and anointed it with oil. He had $1 and no congregation except his wife to begin this great commission. God began performing miracles and soon he had an option on the land and in a short time had it paid off. God spoke that His house should never be in bondage of debt but if Brother Banks would be faithful and follow His instructions, He would supply the finances to build His house.

  He and his faithful wife started clearing the land with shovels and axes and lawnmowers when they needed bulldozers. Soon a small block building was erected and God poured out His glory upon a small congregation. Brother Banks was called to many fasts, and God spoke the details for the tabernacle, the waterfall and other buildings.

  With a poor congregation and less than $200 coming from the outside world, God instructed him to buy many different materials from all over the world. He would wait for God to tell him when to order the materials, including freight car loads of marble, tons of milk white quartz and granite, quartz crystals, precious and semi-precious stones and even pure gold. In every case, God would multiply the finances as the fishes and the loaves and everything was paid for without debt. These, and many more miracles God did until all the buildings were complete. The house God wanted built is here today.


  Brother Banks pastored the work until his death at age 80 in January 1995.  Before his death, he set in Sister Banks to be the pastor and she has pastored this work since then.
Read a testimony of Bro. Banks  he prepared as a pamplet in 1977.