Our Story...
The Story of Greater Life Church begins with the story of Garr Memorial Church birthed out of a revival that begin in a tent on Mothers Day, May 11, 1930. Dr. Alfred G. Garr, after being baptized in the Holy Spirit in the revival at Azuza Street, had shared the power of God to transform lives all over the world, when God led him to Charlotte, NC. Hundreds were saved, healed and filled with the Holy Spirit in the nightly meetings, and over the next few months the crowds out-grew the tent.
A Wooden Tabernacle...
As winter approached, God made a way to accommodate the crowds in the cold weather. The people worked together to build a Wooden Tabernacle from lumber acquired from the bleachers of the old Charlotte race track. God recycled broken lives to build a church, and His church recycled broken materials to build a Tabernacle! They even recycled old crankcase oil to burn for heat. Wheel chairs, crutches and canes hung from the rafters as testimony of the many healings. And the Tabernacle soon filled to it’s capacity of 2500 people, but God would provide again…
The Garr Auditorium...
The Charlotte Auditorium was for sale for $225,000, but these were the years of Great Depression, and this new born congregation did not have those kind of resources. Yet, Dr. Garr believed God had told him that building would be theirs. Eventually the city demolished the building and the church purchased the dismantled building materials from the demolition contractor for $2500. Miraculously, the original building plans which had been missing for 26 years were found, and property was purchased on Tuckaseegee Road. So the people hauled dismantled framing materials and old bricks to the property site, where families cleaned off the bricks, and women prepared meals for the workers who rebuilt the auditorium at 200 Tuckaseegee Rd, Charlotte. Again, broken, discarded things were recycled to build the House of God!
Though it would take another 10 years to complete the interior, the Garr Auditorium opened on June 18, 1933!
JUNE 18, 1933
JESUS SAVES...
In the early 1940’s a lighted sign proclaiming “JESUS SAVES” was erected on top of the Garr Auditorium becoming an iconic landmark for Charlotte! The sign was saved when the auditorium was torn down in 2010. It has been restored and is now displayed in the new Greater Life Church building.
On Sunday, September 5th, 1934 Garr Auditorium began broadcasting the Sunday Morning Services on WSOC Radio. Realizing that untold thousands could be reached for Christ in out-lying cities and rural areas, Hannah Garr began feeling a call to Radio Ministry, and on February 15th, 1937 the MORNING THOUGHT with Hannah Garr aired and would grow to broadcast on 19 Radio Stations! Click on the video below to hear one of the broadcasts.
CLICK HERE to listen to some additional broadcasts!
A video montage of a Morning Thought episode
GARR SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
Dr. Garr had said, “It is our ambition to spread the Gospel in a greater way” by starting a Bible School “where men and women can come and study the Word of God and equip themselves for work in the field.” In January of 1940 the Garr School of Theology opened with 75 students, and in seven weeks had grown to 150. Over the following three years hundreds were equipped and sent out with the Gospel! The school discontinued after the Graduation in May, 1943 when 133 boys/men from Garr Church were called into service in World War II.
The Mantle Passed On to Hannah Garr...
On July 23, 1944 the Lord called Alfred Garr home and his wife, Hannah, took over as the lead Pastor. When their son, Alfred Garr, Jr., returned from serving in World War II, he joined her as co-pastor.
Camp Lurecrest built...
Upon returning from the horrors of the Second World War in Europe, Alfred Garr, Jr. was haunted by memories of bombed-out cities and the desperate needs at home, of fatherless children and widowed mothers. In the midst of these emotions of grief and compassion, God planted the seed of Camp Lurecrest – a shelter where young lives could be renewed.
In 1947, the church bought 33 acres at Lake Lure for $6,500, and members and volunteers labored to clear roads to the mountain top, dig water lines and build facilities, and in 1948, Camp Lurecrest opened with 75 boys. In 1951, Alfred married Meryle Irvy. Meryle joined Alfred in full-time service with the camp and served as associate camp director, doing administrative work during the winter months and handling food service during the camping season. Thousands of young lives have been touched for eternity through the ministry of Camp Lurecrest through the years!
Youth & Christian Education…
Under Hannah Garr’s leadership, the church began to influence and impact young people with a strong focus on Youth & Christian Education. Shortly after opening Camp Lurecrest, in 1949, a Youth Building (Quonset) was constructed on the Garr Auditorium property. And in 1957, a Christian Education building was erected.
In 1960, the Junior High Youth of Garr Church hand wrote the New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs and it was bound in a 20” x 25” hardcover book that was acknowledged and honored by many national leaders! See a copy of it HERE!
Garr Memorial Church @ 7700 Wallace Road...
On May 11th, 1960, (the church’s 30th Anniversary), the congregation voted to change the name from Garr Auditorium to Garr Memorial Church. In June of 1973 the church broke ground on their new 40 acre property located on Wallace Road in East Charlotte. Just a few weeks later, on July 1st, Mrs. Garr retired from her position as Senior Pastor, and her son-in-law, Rev. Robert McAlister became Pastor. But he served only 3 weeks before resigning, and Alfred Garr, Jr. became Senior Pastor. Under his leadership, in August of 1976 the Garr Church family moved into their new facility named Garr Memorial Church.
Rev. McAlister served only 3 weeks before resigning, and Alfred Garr, Jr. became Senior Pastor.
Under his leadership, in August of 1976 the Garr Church family moved into their new facility named Garr Memorial Church.
PASTORS WHO SERVED AT 7700 WALLACE ROAD
ALFRED G. GARR, JR. 1945-1983
Alfred G. Garr, Jr., who had served as Co-Pastor in the old Garr Auditorium from 1945 to 1973, served as lead pastor from 1973 to 1983, leading the church in the building of the campus at 7700 Wallace Rd. Serving alongside Alfred Garr were Associate Pastors: Richard Guthmann, Youth Pastor; Dan White, Music & Administrative Pastor; and Robert “Bob” McSwain, Education & Seniors Pastor. Pastors Dan and Bob both retired in 1991 after 40+ years of faithful ministry at Garr!
During Alfred’s ministry Garr Playskool (a Christian Preschool) was birthed with Vickie Guthmann as the director, followed by Shelby Fullerton, who directed the preschool for over 25 years, impacting thousands of children and families through the years.
In 1983, Alfred Garr, Jr. retired as senior pastor and became the full-time Director at Camp Lurecrest.
EDGAR PALSER 1983-1985
Edgar Palser was selected as the new Senior Pastor. Rev. Palser was the first person outside of the Garr family to be pastor of the church. He was an Assemblies of God pastor from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Pastor Dan White and Pastor Bob McSwain continued to server alongside Pastor Palser, and in addition, Dusty Hammock was hired as the Youth Pastor. After three years as the Senior Pastor, Rev. Palser resigned on May 26, 1985, and started a new church in Charlotte—Christian Life Center. Dusty Hammock went with him. During the 16 month search to find a new pastor, Associate Pastors, Robert McSwain and Dan White led the church in the interim.
DR. KARL COKE 1986-1989
In December of 1986, Dr. Karl Coke was named as the new Senior Pastor. Dr. Coke was an evangelist, Hebrew teacher and television talk show host from Redding, CA., and He was no stranger to Charlotte. He had preached at more than 60 area churches and had vision for unity among Charlotte churches.
During Dr. Coke’s ministry, Dr. Nelson Melvin joined the Pastoral team as the Minister of Evangelism, and on May 1, 1988, Pastor Randy Briscoe and his wife Brenda joined Garr Church as Youth Pastor / Associate Pastor. The youth program exploded with new and exciting adventures reaching out to youth of the church and in the community. Discipleship and outreach were a focus with youth summer ministry trips to over a dozen states, Jamaica, Mexico and the Bahamas over a 10 year period. The outreach ministry team was called S.O.A.R. (Sold Out And Radical)!
Dr. Coke resigned in March of 1989 when God called him to a different ministry.
