Red Bank/White Knoll, SC (Paul Kirby) – After an absence of more than three years, Life Springs Worship Center has returned to their 19-acre campus at 5630 Platt Springs Road near White Knoll High School. It was a homecoming of sorts as a core group of today’s congregation began that ministry as a church plant of the West Columbia Pentecostal Holiness Church in 2002.
Redemption World Outreach, a church based out of Greenville, SC, had most recently been operating the campus as Redemption Columbia. When it was decided that Life Springs would return, they did so last fall. Their first service was November 11th of last year and their relaunch service was held on January 20th. That was 17 years to the day of Life Spring’s initial launch.
Pastor Allen Thompson, 40, a native of Winnsboro, SC, has returned as senior pastor after serving the Johnsonville Pentecostal Holiness Church for over 10 years. He is married to Crystal Thompson of Camden, SC. The Thompsons have two children, Devin, 14, and Cassie, 5. They reside in the Crescent Ridge Community of Lexington.
Life Springs is not a satellite church and does not use a pastor in some other location beamed in on a big screen. It offers all the ministries you’d expect from a vibrant community centered church. Pastor Thompson served as associate pastor of Youth/Children for 4 years at Life Springs before taking the pastoral position in Johnsonville. He is a youthful style of leading a congregation. He knows that in order to thrive and grow, a church must serve the needs of the whole family; It should provide something for everyone. His style of delivering the message is bible driven but presented in such a way that people of all ages can learn the lessons of God’s love and grace in an exciting and vibrant way.
As was the case when Life Springs began, the praise and worship is integral to setting the atmosphere for Pastor Thompson’s messages. Those portions of services are led by Pastor Tim Morrison. He was the minister over the Fine Arts Program . To say Fine Arts Program is almost an understatement. Morrison studied theater in college, has produced many plays, dinner theaters, and other musical specials with an entertaining yet Christian based theme. He is an extremely charismatic and popular leader. His selection of music for services is tailored for each message and his team is always well practiced. A perfectionist in many ways, Morrison has the talent of being a demanding leader that makes the commitment required by each choir and team member both fun and exciting. He works his team hard but has also led them on trips to visit churches and see theatrical productions and hear music in New York City and other locations. These have been both fun and educational. Many praise and worship leaders in other area churches started under the tutelage of Morrison as teens.
Pastor Aaron Granade is Life Spring’s children's pastor. He has been ministering to children for over 20 years. According to his biography, he has a passion for turning kid’s ministries in the Bible Belt on their head. His passion has been building a generation of spiritual giants that isn’t boxed in by racism, poverty, and other cultural challenges. He is married to his wife, Jessica and the couple have one son, Corbin. They live in Lexington.
Life Springs has many opportunities to participate. On Sundays, they have Life Studies at 9:30 am and Worship Service at 10:30 am. Wednesdays at 7:00 pm they have a Family Night that includes a bible study and children’s ministries that are in the process of being reborn.
For more information about Life Springs, go to their website at www.lswc.com. You can also call the church Mon. thru Thurs. from 9 am-4 pm at (803) 957-2221 or e-mail them at lifesprings@lswc.com.
