A former Columbia nightspot will see its first church service this weekend.
Faith of Deliverance Ministries is busy renovating the former Double D Bar N Grill on Mississippi 13 North near the Columbia city limits.
Pastor Rodney Smith said volunteers have been tearing out what remained of the bar and Delightful Discards, a secondhand store that opened following the bar’s closure two years ago.
“I felt the Holy Spirit moving on me when I talked to Debbie Dukes (former owner),” Smith said. “We purchased it from Debbie. It’s been two years in the works.”
Smith spoke about the ministry as he stood by a ladder on the former bar’s dance floor, which will now be the church’s sanctuary.
“Faith of Deliverance Ministries is inviting everyone to our church,” he said. “This is not just a one-color church. The purpose God put in me was to invite everybody. Anybody whosoever will, let them come.”
Faith of Deliverance Ministries is not new to the area, according to the pastor.
“We started a church at the Union Hall, and we’ve been looking for a building,” Smith said. “We’ve been there six years. The foundation has been built and now we’re getting ready to get a building. We’ve got a growing membership, and there are some more people wanting to join. We’re looking to fill this place up.”
The first service will be Sunday at 11:30 a.m., and though the building won’t be finished, Smith is excited to host a service there.
“We’re getting the basics ready,” he said. “We’ve got lights, we’ve got some chairs and we’re going to get in here and we’re going to have church.”
A lot of people having been stopping by to see what’s going on in the longtime barroom, according to Smith.
“This is history here,” he said, standing on the stage where many artists, such as Columbia’s own Jeff Bates, have performed. “Some of them want to come and be a part of this. We welcome them in. We’re also working on the other rooms. We’re going to be having feasts. In the old days, they had feasts. When our visitors come, we’ll have somewhere to sit down and dine.”
Faith of Deliverance has services every Sunday and also has Wednesday night services at 7 p.m. and will soon have a Sunday night service.
“We’re going to start a Sunday night service back at the first of the year,” Smith said. “There’s something different about Sunday nights.”
The building needs many renovations to become a church, and Smith said the church is fortunate to be able to work on them.
“We’re getting the basics done now,” he said. “God has blessed us. We see there is a lot room here and we plan on fishing – on drawing people. I see most places that when the church comes, it’s good. It was a bar, but God has all power. We have a good purpose.”
The church is non-denominational, according to Smith.
“I came from the Baptist denomination,” he said. “But I preach Jesus. We believe in Jesus name. Some say I’m Pentecostal, but I believe in having it this way. We’re non-denominational, we’re mixed in. One lady asked how long our services last because her back bothers her. If your back bothers you, get up and walk around.”
Neighbors have stopped to see Smith and his volunteers.
“We’ve got neighbors coming to welcome us and give us a hug,” he said. “We welcome anybody to come worship. Everybody who wants to come, come on.”
Pictured Above: Pastor Rodney Smith points to work being done at the new home of Faith of Deliverance Ministries, which is inside the former Double D Bar on Mississippi 13. | Photo by Mark Rogers
