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New Covenant
Fellowship began as a new work in November 1981. The Lord led its pastor,
Russ and Faye Porcella, to begin a regional charismatic church in North
Knoxville. During the first four years of existence, NCF was located in a
storefront building on Clinton Highway. The congregation began with a total
of 54 adults and children attending the first service. From the very
beginning NCF was a congregation that was a gathering of families.
Throughout the years NCF has maintained a slightly larger total number of
children and teens than adults. God slowly and steadily added individuals
and families to the congregation. The church office eventually moved out of
the storefront building to an office building one block away. All available
space was occupied before a permanent facility became a reality.
NCF was a
very busy congregation, ministering to children, doing good, building strong
families, writing Living Bread Curriculum Sunday School literature,
printing for missionaries and other ministries, establishing integrity and
experience as a caring congregation of committed people, and working
cooperatively with other congregations in Knoxville. They were very good
years, but the best years were still ahead. After numerous efforts to move
from the storefront to a permanent location, God miraculously opened 7.7
acres of land near Callahan Road on Central Avenue Pike. God miraculously
supplied the $70,000 to purchase the property through the small congregation
in the spring of 1985. The miracle of God's favor and provision continued as
the first building on the property was designed and built during the
remainder of that year. Many were the voices that said the project could
never by completed in the desired time span. The men and women of NCF did an
incredible amount of the work in the construction of the first building. NCF
continued to experience steady, consistent growth for the next five years of
its congregation history.
The $200,000
construction loan on the first building was paid off in five years. A new
addition was added to the property during that time period and completed on
a cash basis. The congregation continued majoring on the same qualities and
activities mentioned earlier. After nine years of existence, NCF began to
refocus its vision from becoming established to maintaining the qualities
and values around which it was built. In addition, NCF continued to develop
a significant outreach through both foreign missions
and local endeavors.
Despite considerable blessings and favor from the Lord, from about 1992 to
1995, the people of the churchy began to experience spiritual dryness and
self-centeredness. That is when Pastor Russ Porcella, after hearing of the
"Toronto Blessing," decided to go to Toronto to seek prayer for the Lord's
direction for the year. Although nothing seemingly happened at the time, he
soon realized that God had removed a deep-standing pool of bitterness, and
had softened his heart considerably. After returning home, he shared with
the congregation the following Sunday what he saw and experienced in
Toronto. At the conclusion of the message the Lord sovereignly chose to
pour out His Spirit there, much as He had done in Toronto. Our church was
soon turned right side up. It was a seeming replay of the chaotic and
life-changing day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2. Nearly half the
congregation was touched by the Lord in that service with tears, laughter,
shaking, visions and/or changed lives.
For a significant time
period, the church held approximately five renewal services a week, with the
Lord continuing to visit in a manifest way at each meeting. Although we
began with no ministry team, God soon raised a team of approximately 200 who
pray with and for others. Over the course of the last four years, He has
drawn thousands of people from the East Tennessee region who are seeking a
fresh touch from God, a fresh filling with the Holy Spirit. As prophesied
to us more than five years ago, the Lord has been releasing a river of Holy
Spirit refreshing, repentance, and power since March of 1995.
NCF today is a growing
congregation of over 500 active participants. In 1995, our new sanctuary
(the most recent addition) was completed. The Lord continues to draw to NCF
people who desire and/or value worship and a commitment to Jesus.
NCF has been involved in a
significant foreign short-term missions outreach in the Peten district of
Guatemala and an extensive involvement in Russia. We also support two
couples from our congregation who are full time on the mission field. We
believe our participation in these mission projects best describes the
proactive nature of what God has purposed for us to be invested in—at home
and around the world. |
