| History |
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Current Worship Center that opened in December 2007 For many years Rev. C.R. and Dovie Dale operated a summer camp where children and youth could come regardless of their ability to pay the "registration fees." From these humble beginnings, God has covered the earth with the gospel through the many who were called into the ministry. Hundreds of spirit filled pastors, teachers, denominational leaders, deacons, evangelists all point back to their attendance at the Wildwood Youth Camp and the Wildwood Chapel/Wayside Chapel. Today Fred's Hickory Inn Restaurant on North Walton Avenue in Bentonville, AR occupies the property. After several years of camp, a group of believers decided it was time to begin a new Spirit-filled church in Bentonville.
September 1951- After the summer camps were over in the fall a group under the leadership of camp directors Rev. C. R. and Dovie Dale began holding services in the cafeteria. The name Wildwood Chapel was chosen, named after the Youth Camp location. Camp director C.R. Dale was selected to serve as the first pastor of this new nondenominational, Spirit-filled congregation. He and his wife led this fellowship until 1965.
Only remaining building on the original campgrounds from when the church was founded in 1951 June 5, 1958- Land was purchased at 915 West Central Avenue. The land was cleared of brier bushes and plans where developed for a new building. The men of the church worked long and hard to see the vision become a reality. During good weather tent meetings were held on the grounds until a permanent structure was completed and renamed Wayside Chapel. On this location many testify of divine healing, deliverance and being set free from sin. Two building additions were completed on this property,a two story annex on the east end and a one story annex on the west side.   Founding Pastor C.R. Dale & Family Pastor Dale with Sam Walton
FIVE MEN HAVE SERVED AS PASTORS:
  Pastor Dale in Prayer Pastor Dale with children & grandchildren April 17, 1993- The name was changed to Radiant Life Church of Bentonville, AR Inc. to more appropriately reflect the new vision. March 18, 1998- God miraculously provided land. Three years previous to this time, God began calling our pastor, Galen Pearcy, to pray around the church building on Saturday nights. Then God began to direct him to pray around the block. As he would pray in the Spirit week after week, he begin to realize what God was doing in the spirit realm. The family who had owned the property that adjoined our current property on two sides called one day and asked for a meeting. The family of the Harold Ring estate, had already met and decided to offer Radiant Life the property for 1/3 of the original asking price for the property. They said, "We know that mom and dad would have wanted the church to have their place." The church had no savings and was operating from week to week to pay its normal bills, but knew this was from the Lord. After the church agreed in prayer and spent a season in fasting and prayer, they went before the president of Arkansas National Bank (now Iberia Bank) with the request to purchase the property. President Dan Dykema responded with a resounding YES! We further explained we had no down payment, no funds for a survey, or even an appraisal. For around $356 for the filing fee, we became owners of this prime commercial real estate. Mr. Dykema and Pastor Pearcy laid out a plan to rent out the two existing structures and the mortgage payment was made from the rent of the homes. The day came when the board of advisers felt led of the Lord to utilize the property for its intended function- "The work of the Lord." Without the financial means necessary, they took a leap of faith and began to use the mobile home on the property as staff parsonage and held children's classes in the 1,600 sq. ft. home. It was determined that we would need $700 a month to "finance" this project. Just before the first mortgage payment was due, a letter came in the mail for a man from another state who had visited once over a year previous. He stated that he wanted to give an offering to our church- $700. Every month right before the mortgage payment was due we received a check for $700. As the Lord provided the financial resources, the day came when the mortgage was paid off and become debt free. On that month the regular check came with a note attached: "This will be our last gift, the Lord is leading us to redirect our offering". God had miraculously provided until the need was met. September 16, 2001- Our "Year of Jubilee" celebrating our 50th anniversary as a church body was officially launched with the blowing of the shofar and the releasing of hundreds of colorful balloons. Two of the three children of Pastor Dale (our founding pastor) attended and ministered at the celebration. On this day all attendance records were broken. Raymond Allen, our oldest and longest tenured member, physically broke a painted over LP record symbolizing the breaking of our attendance "record." December 29, 2002- We celebrated the burning of the mortgage on the Children's Center and property. The church became totally debt-free! July 1, 2003- We celebrated the grand opening of the Community Thrift Store. After a season of prayer in January of 2003, the Lord spoke to our pastor, Galen Pearcy, that he was going to give our church a certain resale shop in the downtown area of Bentonville. Pastor wrote down all that the Lord had instructed as to how to transform this resale shop into a non-profit ministry to feed the hungry and cloth the naked. But he "pondered these things in his heart" and told no one. Six months later, the owner of that same resale shop called on a Saturday morning to say "This voice keeps speaking to me that I am to give you my business. All I know to do is obey." They met and she handed over the keys to the business including all fixtures, inventory and equipment. The Pastor quickly went to his prayer journal to retrieve his instruction from the Lord. Today, Community Thrift Store is a non-profit downtown ministry to those in need--providing food, clothing and other household items. The public schools in Bentonville and most churches receive vouchers so that when families in need come to them they can bless them with what they are in need of. Each year God has provided so that we are able to give away over $100,000 in clothing, shoes, furniture, food and personal care produces to those in need. Currently, about 30+ families each day we are open are fed through our Community Food Pantry which is located inside CTS at our 706 South Main Street location in Bentonville. April 9, 2006- Official groundbreaking ceremony for our new 10,000 sq. ft. Worship Center. The congregation assembled on the property where our new worship center would be located. The board of advisors to positions on the corners of the future building, and we together dedicated to the Lord this property. Our team was: Honoring the past; Celebrating the future. We honored the oldest members of the congregation to place the first shovels in the ground and then had several of the pre-school children to assemble and turn over the next shovels of dirt. This building is founded on the past but built for future generations, until the Lord returns. March 8, 2007- We launched our Mobile Kidz Blast! Sidewalk Sunday School Ministry taking the gospel to the housing complexes in Bentonville. Each of the last three years over 350 decisions for Christ have been made and annually over 1,200 boxes of food distributed to those in need. December 2, 2007- Official Dedication of new Worship Center. God has so blessed this ministry with our current 5,000 sq ft building on the corner of West Central and SW "J" that building has served this congregation so well for almost 50 years. We are indebted to the many who sacrificially gave to make our first building a reality. As we have grown and the building could no longer house the many expanding ministries of the church. With growth, comes change. On dedication day we met in the former sanctuary and reflected on the many baptisms, baby dedications, salvations and weddings that had occurred over the years. Then we marched from the old building to the new, led by our pastor who carried high the Word of God. Selected members carried with them symbols to reflect that we were not leaving the past, but taking it with us. Members carried a cross- symbolizing salvation, a lit candle- symbolizing the fire of the Holy Spirit; a bowl of oil- symbolizing the healing power of God; a crown- symbolizing our soon coming King. The congregation together all marched into the new worship center and sang praises to God all along the way. The songs began with the old hymns of the church and concluded with modern worship songs. June 25, 2008- Grand Opening of our Mother's Day Out program, which provides a loving Christian learning experience. May 19, 2009- Launched of our Bible College in conjunction with Victory Bible Institute, Tulsa, Oklahoma. October 2010- Instituted the International Ministries of Radiant Life Church led by Stephen and Ivonne Romero from Peru. |
