MONUMENT OF FAITH CHURCH
Watch Apostle R.D. Henton share in his own words,
how the church began and see footage from inside the
church
Monument of Faith
Deliverance Center
Monument of Faith Deliverance Center was founded February 22, 1964, by Evangelist Richard D. Henton. Evangelist Richard Henton was led of the Lord to start a church. At this time, he held Deliverance fellowship Services every Saturday night at Holy Mt. Zion Pentecostal Church at 936-38 East 47th Street.
On Saturday, February 22, 1964, Evangelist Henton made his first appeal and opened the doors of Monument of Faith Deliverance Center. That Saturday evening, sixteen individuals came up to join the church. The first member to stand up was Brother Charles Jones, and the first member to accept the right hand of fellowship from the Pastor was Brother Oscar Whitley. Evangelist Henton continued his Saturday night services as the Lord directed.
6848 So. Racine, Chicago IL
In obedience to God, Pastor Henton began looking for a building to begin a work for the Lord. Having searched lengthy and conscientiously for a suitable site for the church, he felt led by God to 6848 South Racine in Chicago IL. There stood the old, closed and unoccupied Rex Theatre building.
After praying and meditating, the young evangelist knew beyond dispute, that this was the building that God had reserved for him and God's people. The abandoned Rex Theatre had been vacant for eleven years. Inside, looked like a building ruined beyond the state of repair. But Evangelist Henton, with his spiritual eyes had a vision, and looked beyond this dark mass of dilapidation and beheld the future beauty of God's church. He claimed the building for God. So, without waiting for the completion of the business transaction, he moved by faith and began cleaning out, fixing up and repairing the building.
See a rare collection of photographs of the
Monument of Faith Church on Racine
God blessed Evangelist Henton and sent help to aide in converting the old Rex Theatre into a Church for the Lord. They labored arduously day and night. Every seat was painted and upholstered in colors of gray and red. The floors were scraped, cleaned and painted. The walls were freshly painted and the rostrum displayed a pulpit built by Pastor Henton himself. At last God's house was ready, and God had given the energetic pastor the name for the church: The Monument of Faith Deliverance Evangelistic Center; a monument in the city of Chicago where people could come and receive deliverance for their souls and bodies.
On June 21, 1964, the church opened it's doors to the public for the first service with a seating capacity of over 500. People came from far and near to quickly fill those seats and to witness this momentous occasion. Pastor Henton's father in the gospel, Bishop E.E. Cleveland Sr., came all the way from Berkeley, CA and preached the first sermon in the church entitled "Dedicated" (1 Kings 8:63).
Building God a house
Growing by leaps and bounds
Since its inception Monument of Faith has grown tremendously. With prayer, supplication and dedication the church continues to grow as a testament to its name and purpose as given to Pastor Henton in its beginning. Within seven years the church exploded. Membership increased beyond the walls of the original edifice. Once again, Pastor Henton had to seek the Lord for the next move. Consequently, he was led to a building located at 7359 South Chappel in February of 1971.
7359 So. Chappel , Chicago IL.
It was previously the South Side Hebrew Congregation, a Jewish Synagogue with a seating capacity of 1,200. The property was purchased. On the day that the building was acquired, Pastor Henton stood in the empty sanctuary as he praised God for this new edifice God spoke to him and said, “one more move.” The mortgage for this property was burned within four years, in June of 1975
One More Move
The word of the Lord, “one more move” has been manifested. The new location at 2750 West Columbus Avenue was the last move of the Monument of Faith church. This 14 acre complex house the main sanctuary, bookstore, chapel, dining hall, television studio, classrooms, prayer room, office space, and telephone counseling facilities.
