CT Townsend
CT Townsend | |
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| Born | February 24, 1982 Charleston, South Carolina |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | United States of America |
| Education | Business degree |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation |
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| Spouse(s) | Becky Hurte Townsend |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | cttownsend |
CT Townsend is a Christian pastor, evangelist, author, singer, and songwriter. He is the lead pastor of Victory Baptist Church in North Augusta, South Carolina, founder of CT Townsend Evangelistic Ministries, and the author of Revival: The Stories & Miracles of Burlington. Townsend has written or co-written several Gospel songs, and along with his wife, Becky, he has recorded and released multiple Southern Gospel albums.
Townsend and his wife, Becky, married in 2005. The couple has four children, Tucker (9), Cashton (deceased), Syler (5), and Everlee (4).
History
Growing up as a pastor's son in Charleston, West Virginia, CT Townsend had no intention of becoming a preacher. He respected his father's work but had different plans for himself. After he graduated from high school, those plans led him first to Pensacola Christian College and later to West Virginia State University, where he pursued a business degree. However, after two years as a student at WVSU, Townsend came to a surprising realization. In January 2003, he felt a clear call to ministry that was as powerful as it was unexpected.
Sensing the urgency of this call, Townsend immediately began charting a new course. In 2003, he enrolled as a student at Victory Baptist College (VBC) in North Augusta, South Carolina. During his years at VBC, he worked closely with Dr. Larry Brown, the founder and pastor of Victory Baptist Church. As he trained to become a preacher, CT experienced another encounter that would have a profound impact on his life and ministry — he met his future wife, Becky. The couple married in 2005.
Even before they were married, the couple shared a mutual love for Gospel music. From the beginning of their relationship, CT and Becky enjoyed singing together whenever they got the chance. The more they sang together, the more encouragement they received to continue sharing the Gospel message through song. This small but important step would mark the beginning of their shared ministry.
Evangelistic ministry
After CT's graduation from Victory Baptist College, the newly married couple accepted invitations to sing in churches across the southern United States. Their popular music ministry began to open doors for CT to preach as well. While he originally pictured himself pastoring a single church, Townsend responded to the growing number of speaking invitations and formally established CT Townsend Evangelistic Ministries in 2007, a decision that provided organizational structure and financial accountability for his growing itinerant ministry.
Three years later, in 2010, CT accepted the invitation to preach at revival services at Golden Creek Baptist Church in Liberty, SC. Initially scheduled for four days, the services wound up running for eight weeks, with a nightly attendance growing from 150 to approximately 700 during that stretch. These services marked the first time that Townsend observed an overwhelming move of God that defied explanation, and the meeting set the stage for things to come.
In 2012, a winter revival meeting at Trinity Baptist Church in Asheville, North Carolina, led to an opportunity for Townsend to join the church's staff as an associate pastor. For the next year, CT had the privilege to work under the leadership of the church's senior pastor, Dr. Ralph Sexton Jr. During his time under the ministry of Dr. Sexton. After serving in the church for one year, CT decided to return to full-time evangelism in 2013.
In 2016, CT and Becky Townsend began revival services at New Hope Baptist Church in Burlington, North Carolina. The services were scheduled to last five days. As Townsend had seen several times before, God had different plans. Night after night, so many people were responding to the Gospel message and committing their lives to Christ that New Hope pastor, Randy Hobbs, met with Townsend and decided to extend the meetings another week. As the excitement and responses continued, the event began attracting attendees from across the country, as well as delegates from organizations like the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. A second service was added each day, and daily attendance numbered in the thousands.[1].
Due to overwhelming response, services were forced to move outside and into a massive tent borrowed from Townsend's personal pastor and mentor, Dr. Sexton. By the time it drew to a close, the five-day tent revival had lasted three months, drawn attendees from across the United States, and seen more than 1,500 professions of faith. The services were also broadcast online, drawing international viewers from New Zealand, Europe, Canada, and South America. Townsend shared his memories and reflections of this remarkable revival in his 2018 memoir, Revival: The Stories & Miracles of Burlington [2]
Arise youth conferences
In 2011, Townsend began hosting Carolina Youth Rallies and the Carolina Youth Camps. Each year, the attendance at rallies and camps grew as more youth groups attended. Over the next several years, Townsend and his team did their best to expand the event offerings, eventually deciding to conduct an annual summer youth conference on a much larger scale.
The first Arise Youth Conference took place in 2017, drawing thousands of middle and high school students and college-age young adults from across the country. Held in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, these four-day retreats allow young adults and volunteers to enjoy worship services, group activities, and breakout sessions. In 2019, the conference moved from the Gatlinburg Convention Center to the Leconte Center, an expansive event facility that allowed organizers to accommodate growing attendance.
Pastor and speaker
As Townsend continued his speaking engagements, he found himself preaching at Victory Baptist Church [1] in April 2019, afterwards, he was invited to pastor the church. After a unanimous vote from the congregation confirmed, Townsend was installed as the new Lead Pastor of Victory Baptist Church on September 8, 2019.
As he fulfills his role as the pastor of the North Augusta church, Townsend will continue speaking at conferences and religious events across the country. His itinerary will include Arise Youth Conferences, various youth rallies, and the National Quartet Convention, a musical event that regularly features performances by popular Southern Gospel artists such as The Hoppers, Legacy Five, The Collingsworth Family, and the Gaither Vocal Band. Townsend will also serve as co-moderator of the Smoky Mountain Jubilee, along with Dr. Sexton and Dr. Joe Arthur.
Discography
Hymns & Classics (2018) The Townsend's most recent album celebrates the timeless wisdom and beauty found in some of the Church's most beloved songs.
Faithful in the Valley (2017) Drawing on personal experiences, CT & Becky offer these heartfelt songs to remind brokenhearted listeners that God is faithful, even in life's darkest moments.
Faithful on the Mountaintop (2017) Recorded as a companion to Faithful in the Valley, this uplifting album features songs that praise God for his faithfulness and celebrate the beauty of His blessings.
A Townsend Family Christmas (2014) Sing along with some of the Townsend's favorite Christmas songs, including classics like “White Christmas,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “Mary Did You Know.”
Let's Go to Church: Live (2013) Featuring CT & Becky, Jared Dixon, Jesse Kragiel, and the Carolina Youth Rally Choir, this album captures the dynamic energy and heartfelt emotion of a live worship service.
Now More Than Ever (2013) The Townsend's second studio album features a collection of carefully selected songs of encouragement.
For the Children's Sake (2011) Produced by Southern Gospel veterans, Kim Lord of Sisters and Carl Partain of The Partain Family, this album overflows with heartfelt, soul-stirring, Christian music.
Books
Revival: The Stories & Miracles of Burlington (2018) In this soul-stirring memoir, CT Townsend gives readers a first-person perspective of what happens when God rewards the faithfulness of His people and moves among them as only He can.
In the media
References
- ↑ Townsend, CT (2018). Miracles of the Burlington Revival. The Brand Leader. ISBN 978-0-692-11433-9.
- ↑ Townsend, CT (2018). Miracles of the Burlington Revival. The Brand Leader. ISBN 978-0-692-11433-9.
External links
- CT Townsend on Twitter
- CT Townsend on Instagram
- CT Townsend on Facebook
- CT Townsend's channel on YouTube
- C T Townsend Sermons | SermonAudio
- Evangelist C.T. Townsend's Bristol Revival to run for two weeks starting may 21
- Sermon (Live) by Ct Townsend on Amazon Music - Amazon.com
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