In the Autumn of 1965 Dr. Paisley held an Old-fashioned Gospel Campaign in Armagh City. From the outset it was signally blessed of God. Hundreds gathered night by night during its six week duration. Many found Christ as their personal Saviour and Christians were revived and blessed. On the final night the growing menace of ecumenism and the compromising move by major Protestant Churches to have union with the Church of Rome was presented in a powerful and moving challenge by the evangelist. As a result, a number of Christians, including most of those who had invited Dr. Paisley to Armagh to conduct the Mission, expressed a desire to form a witness that would stand unashamedly for the Reformed Faith in this time of declension and apostasy. Early days were filled with testing and adversity. The infant Church constituted in the gospel tent was given a week to find a new site. A small wooden structure was erected on a temporary basis on the Mall. Efforts were made by some in authority to close its doors. However, if God opens a door no man can shut it. The witness of Armagh Free Presbyterian Church remains. Since then God in His sovereign mercy has honoured and prospered its witness. In November, 1967, Rev. S. B. Cooke accepted the "call" to Armagh. He was installed on 10th December. The portable building, although enlarged on three occasions, was barely able to accommodate the congregations that gathered. In answer to prayer, the present permanent site in the centre of Armagh was purchased and in the Summer of 1972 the hillside site for the New Church was cleared and prepared for the building; planning started later that year. On 17th March, 1973, Dr. Paisley, Moderator of Presbytery, cut the first sod and in August of that year the building contractor, Mr. Desmond Biggerstaff, commenced erection of the Church. The new building was opened by Dr. Paisley on 4th January 1975. Built on two levels to take best advantage of the steeply sloping site, the Church is constructed in brick with a free standing Portal Frame. The seating capacity in the main Auditorium is 375 and in the Church Hall is 120. Dr. SB Cooke, for many years Deputy Moderator of the denomination, retired in 1994. Rev. Ron Johnstone then took up the ministry and laboured faithfully for twelve years until he was called to Newtownards in May 2008. In October 2010 Rev. David McMillan who was then the minister in Mullaglass FPC, accepted the call to the Armagh congregation. He was installed on 29th of October and commenced his ministry there on Reformation Day, 31st of October.
Primary Speaker: Rev. David McMillanRev David McMillan was brought up on a farm just outside Saintfield in Co-Down. He was converted to Christ in January 1979 under the ministry of Dr Ian Paisley. At twenty years of age he was called to the ministry through the words of Luke 1:76—80. He was the... | more..
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