Bethany World Prayer Center
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Bethany World Prayer Center is a megachurch located in Baton Rouge, LA. Larry Stockstill has been pastor of the church since 1983, taking over from his father Roy Stockstill who had founded the church in 1963. The church has grown enormously since that time.
Pastor Larry Stockstill was called into the ministry at the age of 16 and immediately responded to that call. After graduating in 1971 from Baker High School in Baker, Louisiana, he enrolled in Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, graduating in 1975 with a degree in theological and historical studies. Upon graduation, Pastor Stockstill continued at ORU as associate chaplain until 1976. At that time he and his wife, Melanie, moved to West Africa to serve as missionaries in Nigeria and Ghana. In 1978 they returned to Louisiana, where Pastor Stockstill joined the pastoral staff of Bethany World Prayer Center, the church his father, Roy, had founded in 1963.In August 1983, Roy Stockstill retired as senior pastor of Bethany, and the mantle of leadership passed to his son, Larry. Both Stockstills emphasized simplicity, sincerity, and sacrifice as the guiding principles for the church, and Larry built upon the foundation laid by his father in the early years of Bethany. By 1985, two years after Pastor Larry Stockstill assumed leadership, the church had increased from 2,000 members to 5,500 members, thus necessitating the need for a larger sanctuary. The current structure on Plank Road in Baker resulted, capable of seating 6,000 people.
During the ensuing years, Bethany continued to grow and prosper. In 1999 another campus was added to Bethany when Plaquemine Christian Assembly in Plaquemine donated its facility to Bethany. Known as Bethany West, the congregation of 300 is thriving under the new leadership. In 2001 yet another branch of Bethany was opened, this time in the south part of Baton Rouge. Called Bethany South, this congregation rapidly grew to approximately 5,000, and plans are already being formulated to construct a larger auditorium facility there to accommodate the growth. The new building will seat approximately 9,000, and construction should begin sometime in the next 12 to 18 months.
When Bethany was founded in 1963, giving to world missions was established as a cornerstone mark of the church, with the first check ever being written designated for missions. Each year has seen an increase in missions giving, both local and foreign, with nearly $3 million given in 2003. Currently Bethany supports over 50 ministries and 2 local nonprofit organizations. In 2003 Bethany planted 800 churches around the world through the Global 12 Project (an international church-planting venture) and over 1,200 churches in 35 nations since the beginning of the project in 2001.
Another trademark of Bethany is its emphasis on small group involvement for its 10,000+ members. Realizing the need to make the large church personal and accessible to its members, Pastor Stockstill, in 1993, began the transition of Bethany from a program-based church to a cell church. In this capacity, members meet weekly in small groups in homes throughout the city and surrounding area. The cell group ministry began with 54 cells and now has 1,371 cell groups with 6,142 members.
In addition to his role of senior pastor, Pastor Stockstill is president of Heartbeat of Louisiana, a coalition of pro-life ministers. He also serves on the board of directors of Global Strategy Missions Association, a fellowship of missions-oriented local churches linked together for the purpose of world evangelization, and on the board of directors for Church Growth International in Seoul, Korea. Pastor Stockstill also hosts two television programs: “Lifeline with Larry Stockstill” and “Encounter with Larry Stockstill.”
Pastor Stockstill and his wife, Melanie, have six children and live in Baker.
Not to be anticlimactic but his son, Joel Stockstill took over the grandfathered church located in Baker, La. He now leads the "gospel" centered church and the youth group who has a goal to reach 10,000 and are soon on their way. Their cell-centered youth has reached the high schools of the East and West Baton Rouge Parishes. The students are responding to the "cross-centered" teaching, and it is sure a success. It will only be a matter of time before 10,000 in cells are reached.
