VICTORY COMMUNITY CHURCH HISTORY
In 1984, after a decade of successful ministry in New England, the Reverend Michael Patrick Williams assumed the pastorate of the Antioch Baptist Church located in downtown Houston. Founded in 1866, this church was draped in history and prestige but it became a crucible for the launching of a ministry unlike any Houston had ever seen. After receiving and leading hundreds into an Acts 2 experience, Pastor Williams was led to midwife a ministry that was not birthed by human design or plan but by Divine Will!
In 1986, Pastor Williams led 800 followers to found JOY Tabernacle as they began to see their ministry through the lens of the Holy Spirit’s Truth and Guidance. JOY was a pioneer of the Charismatic Renewal in worship and in clear, textual preaching and teaching of God’s Word. JOY became nationally known through the powerful pulpit ministry of Pastor Williams which has touched 43 states and three continents. Pastor Williams is considered by many to be one of the great pulpit voices of his generation!
In Houston, JOY’s ministry was expanded through daily radio and weekly television broadcasts both live and pre-recorded. The music ministry of JOY has touched thousands across the nation through the three (3) album/cassette/CD projects it has recorded.
JOY was not only an impacting community of faith but also an impacting community resource. Through its community development corporation Helping Others Pursue Excellence (H.O.P.E.), JOY created award-winning social service programs for youth and families living in communities in crisis. One of its most life-changing creations was the Benjamin Banneker- Ronald McNair Math/ Science Academy, a charter school that offered a STEM curriculum to inner-city students pre-K-5th grade.
In 1998, JOY became the first African-American church to relocate to inner-city Houston for the purpose of witness, advocacy, and service. This bold and historic move was initiated to combat a devastating urban pathology and “reverse the curse” of urban flight! The building of a 12-acre campus, 15 minutes from downtown, and JOY’s powerful witness was recognized and rewarded by the renaming of a city street to “Dr. Michael P. Williams Plaza”.
In 2011, the year of its 25th anniversary, JOY Tabernacle re-branded to The Genesis Church. With the purchase of a 23-acre campus, 40,000 square feet of space for ministry and a new geographical location, God has given JOY a “fresh start!” The ministry of Genesis is built on the legacy of JOY. Genesis is poised for tremendous growth and impact in the urban and suburban communities that surround it.
In December of 2015, Dr Michael P. Williams planted Otis Petteway as a Campus Pastor of a new location Genesis Lake Jackson which held bible studies weekly in the lake Jackson area. During this time, the Bible Study was under the oversight of The Genesis Church in Houston, Texas where Dr. Michael P. Williams is Pastor. Weekly Bible Studies were held every Thursday night at 7 PM with Pastor Petteway as Campus Pastor of the Lake Jackson location. The Bible Study was affectionately known as “Thursday Night Live”. The first worship of service was a New Year’s Eve celebration in 2016. After much prayer, Bible Study was moved to the Lake Jackson Civic Center and was held every Tuesday night. It was at the Civic Center that the birth of some of Victory’s community outreach programs was formed. We had our inaugural “Trunk or Treat” and another New Year's Eve celebration service that was hosted at the Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Brazoria, Texas.
When Hurricane Harvey flooded the Brazoria County area in August 2016, we partnered with local churches to provide food, clothing and cleaning supplies to members of the community. In the summer of 2018, Pastor Petteway began to meet with Dr. Williams about the vision that God had shown him for a church lead by Pastor Petteway named Victory Community Church.
In September 2018, we began to host “The Victory Experience” services and through the Lord’s guides and many prayers on October 28, 2018, Pastor Petteway released the vision of the Victory Community Church. In November 2018, Pastor Petteway met with a group of believers to plan the 2019 launch of the Victory Community Church in Lake Jackson, Texas.
On Sunday, January 6, 2019, the Victory Community Church held its inaugural service. Pastor Petteway preached his vision of the ministry where we will place Jesus back at the center of the family and the community. At this service many families united with the Victory community church. Services were held at the Clarion Inn in Lake Jackson Texas for six months. While in a meeting with the mayor of Lake Jackson pastor Petteway received a call that a location in Angleton Texas was available and looking for a renter. Trusting God the leaders went to the location and began to pray and share this exciting news with the current congregation.
On Sunday, July 14, 2019 Victory Commuinty Church moved to 744 E. Henderson Rd. after being able to raise funds and get donations for all the equipment and furniture needed for the location. While on Henderson Road we held our first back to school giveaway, Thanksgiving giveaway, an angel tree Drive.
In early 2020 a lot change for the ministry and the world with Covid. For the first time we were moved from our physical location to completely virtual. What is the time seem like a major obstacle to overcome God continue to show favor in the ministry continue to grow. Families were added we were still able to give back to the community we hosted a food giveaway, mask drive and gave away school supplies during covid.
On Sunday, July 6, 2021 the ministry was on the move again moving to 202 Kiber St. in Angleton Texas. Unlike the children in the wilderness we feel like God has given us the promised land we plan to continue to grow and implement more programs and strategies to help grow the community as well as a ministry while possessing the land.
March 4, 2022 God called Dr. Williams home to be with him. It was a dark day for the ministry still rocking from the lost of our founder the leadership met to discuss the future of the ministry after many meetings and much prayer it was decided to bring Pastor Petteway back to lead both Ministries.
After much time in prayer and planning, it was decided to merge both ministries together under the name of Victory Community Church with the tag line “The Genesis of JOY”. On August 28, 2022, a service was held to Marry both ministries together and install Pastor Petteway as the Pastor of this new ministry.
JOY is a living legacy and the ministry of Victory is the visible and viable beneficiary. Victory is now the ministry face of JOY but they both stand on the same foundation of dynamic Worship, Word-centered Learning, Christ-focused Witness, and Kingdom Service. The spiritual DNA of Victory is JOY, anchored by the ministry of Pastor Williams and embodied in the hundreds that call it home. JOY is a gift that keeps on giving!