Who We Are
On November 4, 2001, at 12:00 noon, no more than 100 persons gathered at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Hopie Strickland, Jr., for worship service. This service was necessitated because the church doors were locked at the Mt. Olive Baptist Church, where he served as Pastor, and the membership did not have a place to worship on that Sunday. This hour-long service consisted of scripture readings, prayers, songs, and a Word to empower the people of God given by Dr. Hopie Strickland. At the conclusion of the service, Dr. Strickland announced that the Lord was leading him to organize a new ministry, the Victory Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. He extended the invitation for membership and 83 persons joined.
Immediately upon organization, the church recognized the need for a place to worship. Beginning Sunday, November 11, 2001 and until October 12, 2003, Victory Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church worshipped at the Eagle’s Landing High School in Stockbridge, Ga. Several members were selected to begin foundational work for implementing the ministries that God had laid upon Pastor’s heart. The membership offered their homes and their businesses for ministry meetings and other activities.
From October 2003 until June 2008, we worshipped at 1126 McDonough Parkway. As God’s vision to our pastor continued to unfold, we learned to be steadfast and unwavering in our trust in God for all things. God rewarded our diligence by allowing us, after months of opposition, to prevail in our request to have 23 acres of land rezoned so that we might build Him a house. The purchase and payment for the land (which included a mortgage burning) was complete in 2006. On July 12, 2007, the organizing Pastor received his elevation into his eternal home.
On September 9, 2007, Michael A. Strickland became the pastor of the Victory Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. In July of 2008, the Lord blessed Victory Tabernacle with 13.5 acres of land of which the church occupies to date. He was elevated to office of Bishop on July 12, 2009 by Arch Ruth W. Smith, Presiding Prelate of Light of the World International Interdenominational Association.
Bishop Michael A. Strickland serves faithfully and diligently in leading this congregation to become the church that God is pleased with and smiles upon. The Vision that God has given him for the ministry is to “Increase…Impact…and Involve…”
It was in 2014 that God spoke to the Bishop and the name of the ministry was changed to Victory Tabernacle Church International, Inc.
It is our prayer that the ministry will continue to flourish and become the church that exposes God; Explores His Word for daily living and Exemplifies His character in the earth. Our corporate declaration: “…Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.”