Church History Our foreparents found time and courage to come together in the Lord's name  underbush shelters to worship. Similarly, a few dedicated believers in Christ, Rev.  Truman C. Dixon; Deacons Joseph Dixon, Frank Jones and Roland Suggs;  Trustees Edward Johnson, James Dixon, and Robert Dixon; Mothers Elizabeth  Johnson, Claretta Dixon, Mary Berry,Mamie Suggs, and Laura Suber; members  Juanita Johnson, Minnie Jones, Olga LeeBlount, Nancy Barnes, Julia White,  Luvenia Cameron, Alice Berry, Blanch Berry, Leighton Berry, Reginald Berry,  Melvin Berry, Jon Berry, and William Peterson, met on a chilly night on Chillum  Place, N.E., Washington, DC, for the purpose of organizing a Free Will Baptist  Church. Following that eventful evening, the St. John Free Will Baptist Church was  born, and Senior Bishop R.D. Pridgen of the United American Free Will Baptist  Conference installed our officers.  Having made the vision of an organized church a reality, the group got busy looking for a place to hold worship  services. Guided by the light of the Almighty, they were directed to a storefront location at 520 8th Street, S.E.,  Washington, DC. The first services were held on the first Sunday in January 1963, and it was a glorious day as we  assembled in the name of the Lord.  Needing a place to accommodate the growing membership, Mrs. Sarah McLean informed the church that Jones  Memorial Church on Benning Road, N.E., Washington, DC, was for sale. Following negotiations, the church marched  from the McBrides parking lot blocks away to its new home at 4270 Benning Road, N.E., Washington, DC. In  December 1979, the last payment was made on the church's second mortgage. Blessings never ending, Sugar Ray  Leonard made a financial donation in 1981 to repair, refinish, and cushion the church's pews and pulpit chairs. With the  support of the membership, officers, and dedicated work of the Trustees, the church sanctuary was remodeled. In  December 1981, the first mortgage was paid off, and on Sunday, January 3, 1982, the Mortgage Burning Ceremony  was held. During 1985, the church acquired the property on the corner of 44th and Benning Road, N.E., Washington,  DC, to be used for the church's parking lot.  On Saturday evening, October 18, 1986, God called our beloved Pastor, Truman C. Dixon, home to rest from all his  labor to his reward. After the death of Bishop Dixon, Deacon Edward Leon Hackney and the Board of Deacons were  instrumental in standing in the gap until God would send us another pastor. At the  Quarterly Conference of the church in December 1987, the church body approved the  establishment of a Pulpit Search Committee.  In January 1989, the Pulpit Search Committee brought forward three anointed men as  pastoral candidates. Our Pastor, Reverend Kevin V. Gresham, Sr., "The Happy Glad  Preacher" of Baltimore, Maryland was elected by the church membership on April 9,  1989. Installation services were held on June 4, 1989. During the first eight months of  Pastor Gresham's leadership, one hundred new members joined the church. During  the first two years of his leadership the church grew immensely. The music  department was expanded and our Youth became an active/integral part of the  worship service. Knowledge of the Word of God was increased and the membership's  spirituality was heightened.  During Pastor Gresham's third year, two Deacons were ordained, one Mother and one  Trustee were consecrated, one Associate Minister was called to pastor a church, and  two vans were purchased for outreach. Because of the continual growth of the church, seven additional Deaconesses  were consecrated in 1992, and a 7:45 a.m. church service was added.  Outgrowing its present structure, the church made its third move by acquiring the church formerly occupied by the First  Baptist Church of Glenarden at 3311 Brightseat Road in Landover, Maryland. In 1997, with constant growth in  membership, the church acquired twenty-five acres of land along with a $1.4 million unfinished building in Upper  Marlboro, Maryland. On the fourth Sunday in November 1999, St. John Free Will Baptist Church moved via motorcade  to this site. The church has experienced new dimensions of spiritual awakenings and a deeper commitment to biblical teaching, as  reflected in its 2002 name change to Greater Saint John Church. With a new fire for sharing the Gospel, Greater Saint  John Church released its first recording project in that same year, aptly entitled, "Greater". After months of praying the  Prayer of Jabez, Greater Saint John Church of Waldorf, Maryland was planted in August 2004 with Pastor Nathan  Merritt at the helm. Greater Saint John Church has a millennium vision for making disciples throughout the world and maintains active  relationships with international ministries in Guyana, India, and Nigeria. In October 2004, they embarked on their first  missionary trip to Bartica, Guyana. Greater Saint John Church is a church that's constantly evolving and always growing, yet still making room. The  ground in Upper Marlboro was found fertile and the church membership has grown to more than 1700 active members,  with over 67 ministries to meet family and community needs. In October 2005, Bishop Kevin V. Gresham, Sr. and the  Greater Saint John Church dedicated our new 1500 seat sanctuary in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.  Bishop Truman C. Dixon Founder © Greater Saint John Church 2011 - 2015 Bishop Kevin V. Gresham, Sr. Bishop Kevin V. Gresham, Sr.   Senior Pastor