Our Story

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As an Assembly of God minister, My Grandfather pastored in Wilmington over 50 years ago. I believe that we still have a heritage that calls, enables, and pushes us to minister to those around us today.  Wilmington is where my Father, Donald Lloyd Smith, met my Mother, Carole Faye Southerland.  They married and raised their family in Wilmington, NC. 

We are a Southern Charismatic Baptist style church sharing our faith in the hearts and homes of those around us. We are physically, emotionally, and spiritually pointing others to the salvation message of Jesus Christ. You may not have heard of that style of church but I think it describes us very well. We are very robust with our worship but also very rooted in our faith.

In April of 2013, I felt the call to lead a church in the Wilmington area. Pastor Parsley suggested when I was I my 20's, that if I could do anything other than Pastor a church, and live, do so. Well for the past 30 years, I have done that. I have done as much as I could do in those 30 years, but nothing ever allowed me to live. So when God spoke to me in April of 2013, I knew it was time.  

The Cape Fear region was named so because of the shallow shoals off the coast. The shoals that lie just beneath the waters made it very hazardous for ships to enter the port. Therefore, the area became known as the Cape of Fear. Captains feared that they would run aground and lose everything. We have an opportunity to help others find faith in this place of fear.  

February, 2016, God dropped Winnabow in my spirit. At that time, I knew very little about Winnabow other than a post office and a softball field. They are both still here. I felt from the beginning we would be on Ocean Highway but I didn't know the exact location. I looked throughout the region waiting for God to direct our steps. We waited for Winnabow.

My wife, Gretchen and I are a blended and adoptive family with 10 children. We have followed the call of God and moved to Winnabow, NC to grow a church. We followed the call to lead a group of believers to establish and grow the kingdom of God. I am originally from Wilmington, NC and Gretchen is from Indiana.

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Pastor Keith Smith