Our History

The roots of the First Pentecostal Church lie in a humble beginning in the late 1930s.  As the years of the Great Depression dragged by, a small group of Pentecostal-believing families from different walks of life began assembling in an old store-front building at 501 East Washington Street in North Little Rock, Arkansas.  The group later moved to another store-front building and then, after a tent revival where many were saved, they purchased an old two-story house at Second and Buckeye in North Little Rock.

The late Bishop A.O. and Sister Agnes Holmes began pastoring the church in May of 1946.  Brother and Sister Holmes preached the message of repentance, baptism by immersion in Jesus’ Name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.  Bishop Holmes baptized many people in Lake #7 in Lakewood. In 1949, a rock-front building was built at Second and Buckeye, and a concrete block building was added in the mid 1950s to accommodate Buckeye Christian School. During the 50s and 60s, the church sponsored the a children’s home and nursing home.  Using the airwaves to reach the city, FPC produced a weekly radio broadcast on KGHI station.

In 1969, at the age of 59, Rev. A.O. Holmes had a debilitating stroke.  His nineteen year old son, Rev. Joel Holmes, assumed the pastorate.  A few years later, Rev. Joel Holmes married Janet Burr from Port Arthur, TX.  Together, they provided leadership for the church from 1971–2014. When the church at Second and Buckeye was destroyed by fire in 1970, a new facility was built at #1, 52nd Place, North Little Rock.  Throughout the twenty-two years in which the church met at this location, it experienced continued growth.

As the building in Park Hill filled to capacity, the congregation began raising funds to purchase property on which to build a new sanctuary. It was at this time that Sister Agnes Holmes saw a vision of a large footing.  She described it as the largest footing she had ever seen. The opportunity arose in 1988 to purchase ten acres on Interstate 40. In 1989, we began having morning prayer at the church.  Within three years a new sanctuary was built on Interstate 40. On November 22, 1992, First Pentecostal Church moved into its new facility at 1401 Calvary Road. During the 1990s, FPC experienced tremendous growth while staying true to the Acts 2:38 message.