How It All Got Started

The story begins with a desire in the hearts of a group of people to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  This group had a longing to have church during the first weeks during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Facing many unknowns then Pastor Gary and Melissa held their first service online Sunday, March 22, 2020 launching On Target Church.  A local gal, Lea Larew seeing the need, offered their community building up for rental space.  At that time, Pastor Gary, Melissa, and Salah along with 25 other people moved this community building in Thornton, WV. On Target Church held their first service here, Sunday, March 29th 2020.  We found our numbers gaining weekly and we spent two months in the community building before we received a call from Mr. Kenny Shahan owner of Mystic Views Campground and Fishing Ponds.  His call was to offer the use of the campground pavilion for Sunday services. We purchased a FM transmitter and started having services in April under the pavilion. 

It was during the season Covid-19 so many people were sitting in their cars listening to us on the radio. The blessing of the Lord was on us and winter was coming and we continued to grow in attendance.  We knew God was building a church and we needed a permanent building. Kenny then offered the church 2.5 acres to build its new home. His donation was so awesome and his testimony was that he desired to have a church build on his land!  We now have land, but no building. We prayed and was led by the Lord to have a 60’ x 104’ pole building erected. Why a pole building?  The pole building theme was a vision Pastor Gary had many years prior.  He wanted to have a place that was inviting to our community. Thought the look of the building would be fit our community well. We found ourselves about $20,000 short to purchase the building.  We found ourselves not able to retain a bank loan due to the short time On Target Church was established.  Pastor Gary sought the Lord for direction and the Lord sent him out to the community to find someone who could loan us the money.  The Lord brought to us a wonderful local businessman and he provided us with a loan that would the first amount.  This was enough to get us started.  Winter was approaching, so we needed another temporary location during the winter while the church was being built.  October 11, 2020, we moved into the old route 50 truck stop now owned by SandHill, another local family.   This family was an integral part of OTC and graciously gave us the space to use for the winter months.  It was awesome to be in a warm, dry space.  Also, up until this time we had to haul sound equipment and necessary service items and set up and tear down for every service.  We will never forget our humble beginnings!  

They started construction on our new building November 20, 2020, and was completed January 20, 2021.  We needed another miracle to complete the interior of our new building. God moved once again, on the heart of the same local businessman, and this time to offer us a personal loan for $100,000.  This would allow us to finish the interior of our new building. A 5-year loan interest free!  Who does this?  Just never count God out.  We truly believe that if God is for you then who can be against you!  God kept blessing us financially through our church family and other community businesses!  We were able to pay the loan off early! We made the final payment on the loan December 2022. Our journey at OTC is just starting but we have so many wonderful testimonies of those that have supported us.  So many ways our church family showing up, day after day, building, painting, cleaning, cooking, praying, giving in so many ways!  The donations that have come in is truly amazing!  We have had supplies donated, a playground for the kids was donated.  The stories go on and on!  Our church family truly believe in the work God has done and they are looking forward, desiring to be apart of what God will do through OTC.  We have just recently started a new construction project of building additional classrooms on due to the amount of children God has been blessing us with!  The new addition will also include a kitchen!  We invite you to come be a part of this exciting journey with us!  Our services are amazing times of anointed Praise & Worship and Word that desires to honor and give God the Glory.  We believe we are taking our community and families back, all for the glory of God and we are better together!

Vision 

Our vision is to build a church that is on fire for the Lord with a passion to know Christ and to make him known throughout our community! We are a church that believes in the entire Word of God and one that honors The Holy Spirit. Our mission as a church, is to Love God, win souls and develop leaders. A church that is a blessing to your family and this community!