History of New Destiny

  In June 1950 a small body of believers formed Morningside Assembly of God church on South McGuire in Monroe, Louisiana.  They were pastored by Sister Uber Arrington and later by Brother Bob Kerr.  The church was incorporated in 1959 as College Town Assembly of God church and Brother E.J. Graves, Sr. became pastor.

     In the late 1950s the property on South McGuire was bought by the State of Louisiana to be used in building Highway 165.  The congregation agreed to purchase property located at 3918 Harrison Street, owned by Trinity Lutheran church.  The quaint little clapboard chapel was used for a few years as Sunday School rooms even after the sanctuary on Harrison was completed in 1961.  During the following years several pastors ministered to the congregation, among them were Brother F.C. Chamberlain, Brother John Parker (1968-1972), and Brother Charles Reed (1973-1983).

      In May 1983 Brother Dan McLure became the pastor of College Town Assembly of God.  Under his faithful guidance, and with the help of the church family, and the blessing of the Lord, many things were accomplished under his ministry.

      In January 2005 Reverend Jim Ragsdale took over as pastor  of College Town Assembly of God that became New Destiny Assembly of God until December 2012.

      The church membership voted in October 2007 to pursue relocation to the north side of Monroe.  The church on Harrison Street was put up for sale and a contract was achieved within three days. The sale of the property was closed in December 2007. 

      With the change of location the congregation voted to change the church name to New Destiny Assembly of God, and began meeting at Christway Church on Highway 165 North the first Sunday of January 2008.  In that same month, land on Finks Hideaway Road was purchased and plans for a new church to be built on that site were underway.

     The church met at Christway at 2 o’clock on Sunday afternoons for fourteen months, until moving into the Covenant Church building on Sterlington Road in mid-March of 2008, when thankfully we were able to go back to “regular” service times.

      Construction on the present facility was started the first week of June 2009 and we had our first service in the new church on October 4th, 2009.

      In December 2012, Reverend Mikey Cheshier became lead pastor of New Destiny Assembly of God and served until September 2017. 

      A playground was donated and  installed on the property in March 2018.

      On May 6, 2018, Reverend Mike Howell became lead pastor and served until retirement on July 26, 2020.  Joe Hooter was appointed associate pastor of New Destiny Monroe on January 2020 and later the same year began serving as interim pastor on August 2, 2020. 

Reverend Joe Hooter was later elected as lead pastor on January 26, 2021.

   We thank God for what He has done with our congregation and it is with great anticipation that we look ahead to the future and to what we know that our Lord God is going to do with us and through us.