The Story BEHIND THE $10 CHURCH

the ten dollar church

When God moves, it’s always in God’s timing and in His choosing. It was the first week of 1999 sitting at McDonalds with another brother in Christ, Richard Hillman, that God revealed a possibility. We were talking about churches in and around Angier, NC when he asked me, “Why don’t we start a new work for the Lord?” I quickly answered, “Well, the Red Sea will have to part again!

Well, little did I know, God was going to part the Red Sea again.

It’s hard to believe but it did happen. The day it occurred was Thursday January 7, 1999. I had just inquired to Jim Burgin, another friend in Christ, to find out if he had a vacant rental house that I may use to talk with a few people about why we should not start another church. Jim quickly let me know that he had nothing available, but a gentleman he had just talked to has a vacant church building in Buies Creek, just one mile north of Campbell University.

Well, the next phone call was about to change this preacher and his wife’s destiny. The meeting had been set between Pasty and I and the late Joann Grimes and her brother, the late Sherwood Barbour with retired Highway patrolman, Harry Ennis.

I didn’t know what the church would look like. As we pulled up to the church, there sat a picture post card country church and a man who was wearing a coon hunting outfit. After introductions Harry led us inside. As I looked at what I saw, I felt like a lump had grown in by throat. I saw wooden bleachers that folded up that use to be in my high school auditorium. It would seat 100 people and a big room in the back.

Then we were told the history of the church. It was built in 1815 in Barclaysville. The township of Barclaysville was a railroad community. After the railroad closed the usage of the rails, the township dissolved.  A farmer donated land one mile near Buies Creek, one mile north of Campbell University. The members then in 1875 moved the building some 6 or seven miles to 174 Boykin Rd establishing Pleasant Plains Methodist Church. The church closed its doors in 1970.


the miracle church

All I can think about at that moment was what I said at McDonalds days before, “The Red Sea would have to part before I would start another church. The Lord was squeezing my heart so I asked Harry, “Do you want to sale or lease the building?” He replied, “What we are looking for is a Christian group that would be able to use the property to spread the good news to the community. “How much are you asking for rent?”, I asked. He replied, “Oh, $10 dollars a month.” I had only three dollars and seventy-five cents in my pocket so I quickly said, “We’ll take it.”

It’s hard to explain, but it was like I could see and hear Charlton Heston hold up his rod in the Ten Commandment movie and saying “Behold the hands of the Lord.”

On January 10, 1999 we established Pleasant Plains Community Church as a mission. The next month on February 28th we officially chartered as an independent Bible Believing Baptist Congregation.

It was truly a miracle to all of us. God had planned a church building that was built in 1815 to be available for us to continue his work. Truly this is evidence of His providential hand.

After six years our leadership team decided it was time to invest in land for the future. So, I agreed that on Monday I would do some research concerning the matter. Little did I know what was about to happen. By Thursday evening God had provided 3 acres behind the church, grading for the new property, bathrooms and all the plumbing at no cost. By Monday the next week we were provided blueprints for the new building and site plans not for $35,000 I previously was quoted but for $6,000.

Wow, another providential move of God’s hand.

The Lord is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

The prince of preachers from the past, Charles Hadden Spurgeon said, “Our future is as bright as the promises of God’s Word.” The power behind that quote is truly evidence of the providential hand of the Lord.

Click to Give On-Line to Help Save our Building.



By the fall of 2006, we celebrated our first service in our brand-new facility. Over these 26 years we have glorious memories of having the privilege of being involved in seeing lives changed by the power of God. We have seen worship, fun and fellowship God’s way


This new year, 2025 looks very promising with over 500 homes being built within a three-mile radius of the church. It was though God was directing to our backdoor ponds filled with new prospects. It brought me back to the truth that Go wanted us to be fishers of men. Our theme for the new year had begun with the mindset, “Not I, but Christ!” As always, we were looking forward to February 23, 2025, we had planned a big day as we had hopes of celebrating our 26th anniversary as a gospel preaching church. But two week earlier on February 9th we were facing an issue with our new building. We had major truss issues with our roof that had occurred over the years that we were not aware of. After having an engineer to examine we had to shut down the use of the building until repairs could be made.


It was only one thing to do! In three days, our church family moved back into the older building and continued what we were called to do. We celebrated our 26th anniversary and what a service it was. Over half our congregation had the opportunity to experience the earlier years of a pioneer spirit. It truly brought back wonderful memories of how God had his hand on His ministry.


Because of the nature of the damage, it was determined that the truss failed not because of design but weak connection of at least one truss that caused a domino effect of adjacent truss. Our insurance declined our claim. Concerning the new building we have no alternative. Now we are faced with saving our new facility by faith, Forsaking All I Trust Him.


After thorough investigation by three engineers and builders within the church, we are faced with the challenge to replace the roof and many of the truss. The estimated cost is around $150,000.


As pastor and founder of Pleasant Plains Community Church I am determined to see us through this temporary storm. God has allowed me the honor to oversee our challenge because of the realization that PPCC is His church. I’m asking our church family and all my friends to heed to the Apostle Paul as recorded in God’s word to “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7


Nineteen years ago, I was reading about the penetrating of the Great China Wall. China had installed Gatekeeper’s at the entrances of the China Wall to prevent enemies to enter through to China. It had been penetrated several times because of dishonest Gatekeeper’s who were paid under the table to allow the unwanted into China. For the last four weeks I have been praying, “What am I to do?” For weeks God laid on my heart, “Tim, I need honest gatekeepers to be involved by faith, so the community knows that I’m not dead.  I am that I am who still saves to the uttermost.”


For you that don’t know it was the Gatekeepers of 2005 in the first month that contributed over $30,000 toward the 2005 project to get started and through the years others joined to help pay off the 15-year loan in 14 years. So, you can see how Gatekeepers helped financially to proceed in building our new worship facility.


I’m asking for twenty people to become a 2025 Gatekeeper by Sunday May 6, 2025. A 2025 Gatekeeper is one who will invest a minimum of $2,000 to meet the challenge.  Of course, we need the money as soon as possible in full or in part to be donated in full by Sunday December 7, 2025, on Chest of Joash Sunday. At the present we need $25.000 dollars by May 6, 2025 to take care of immediate cost for “Phase One – Preparation to be ready for new truss and roof replacement.”


When it comes to prayer, the Bible in James 5:16 instructs us that “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” The Lords model prayer in Matthew 6 begins in verse 8, “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. That means His work is exactly that, His work and may His will be done through the ministries of Pleasant Plains Community Church.

 

As you join Patsy and I in prayer for guidance and wisdom may you experience His joy and peace. If God leads you to participate in becoming a 2025 Gatekeeper or to participate in investing any amount toward saving our building, we would ever so thankful. Make all checks payable to PPCC and mail to Pleasant Plains Community Church P.O. Box 1119 Buies Creek, NC 27506 or you may go on line to Pleasant Plains Community Church and click on GIVING to donate on line. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at 919-818-1652.

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Your prayers and support are very much appreciated and Patsy and I are looking forward to growing and serving Christ together with all of you.


Not I, but Christ,

Pastor Tim Batten

Pastor Tim Batten


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