Our History
Apostle Samual Thomas & Mother Anne Thomas
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Apostle Samuel Thomas and Mother Anne Thomas left Church of Our Lord Savor Jesus Christ in the year of 1978, located in Southern Pines, North Carolina. They left with their family, Flossie and Leslie Redding and Sharon Buchanan.
Prayer and Wednesday night Bible Study was held in the home of Apostle and Mother Thomas’ living room. Sunday morning services were held at Douglas Center located at Pennsylvania Avenue, in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Through many prayers, fasting, seeking the Lord, fundraising and Mother Anne Thomas selling her grandmother’s antiques, the property on 1300 West Illinois Avenue, in Southern Pines, North Carolina was purchased. The church was named True Apostolic Deliverance Center. In July of 1980, Apostle Thomas was moved by God to start an association of churches, and it was named True Apostolic Evangelistic Association, Inc. The name “True Apostolic” originated from a powerful Prophetess of God Melissa Buchanan McNeill, the Mother of Mother Anne Thomas. Prophetess Melissa Buchanan McNeill prophesied before her death to Apostle Thomas that one day he would be an Apostle and have his own ministry. Apostle Thomas and Mother Anne Thomas along with their board had the ministry Incorporated.
The Lord spoke to Apostle Samuel Thomas to go Sanford, North Carolina to conduct a two-week tent revival. In obedience to the Lord, he came to Sanford and put up a tent that would seat 150 people on the corner of Washington Avenue. In those two-weeks many souls were saved accompanied by many miracles, signs and wonders. The word spread throughout Sanford and Lee county about this man who prophesied over people with such accuracy of truth, laid hands on the sick and preached with compassion and love for people. In the last week of the tent meetings Apostle Samuel Thomas met Ira McCormick who came to the meeting searching for truth and freedom from alcohol addiction. It was doing the preaching of the message that Ira McCormick ran to the altar and surrendered his life to the Lord and the following night brought this whole family to hear the message of Jesus love and grace.
During this time the Lord spoke to both Apostle Samuel and Mother Anne Thomas in 1980 to start a church in Sanford, North Carolina and moved there. They did not know where to go, but Mother Flossie Redding found out the old Jonesboro School located at that time on Darlyrample Street was available for rent. The building needed a lot of repairs. Mother Flossie Redding used her Lowe’s credit card to purchase materials to repair the building. True Apostolic Deliverance Center was launched that year. Doing those years of ministry in the old Jonesboro School, the Lord used Apostle Samuel Thomas to disciple and teach on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, equip the saints for the work of ministry and church plant throughout North Carolina. Today his ministry work has reached thousands and equipped many five-fold ministries who are continuing in his legacy of preaching the gospel of Christ.
Through the work of Apostle Thomas and Mother Thomas, along with the saints in Sanford, the first Homeless Shelter and Feeding program was started. Apostle Thomas started the School of Prophets which developed into True Apostolic Bible College a four-year accredited institution. For over 50 years, Apostle Thomas and Mother Thomas labored together in the ministry teaching, preaching and letting the people know that they needed a personal relationship with God.
One of the pillars of the Thomas’ ministry was their outreach to women who they believed were chosen for great ministry work. This was during a time period when women didn’t have an influential role within the church culture. Mother Anna Thomas was a matriarch to the ministry. She made numerous sacrifices to uphold the standards of being a kingdom woman. Mother Thomas saw so many women broken, depressed and without direction and hope in the community of Sanford. Because of this, she founded ‘WOMAN TO WOMAN”, a ministry to empower women to be the hands and feet of Jesus and taught their role in the Kingdom of God. She embraced women of every race, culture, and socioeconomic background.
True Apostolic Deliverance Center has impacted many lives and the legacy of Apostle Samuel and Mother Anna Thomas will continue as their oldest grandchild Pastor Jacques D. Thomas looks to renew the vision and mission of his grandparents. Pastor Thomas became the successor of True Apostolic Deliverance Center and the Overseer of True Apostolic Evangelistic Association in 2016. Under his leadership and direction of Pastor Thomas, his objective will be to SHIFT True Apostolic Evangelistic Association into a global ministry organization that reaches and influences thousands. Through this vision, True Apostolic Deliverance Center will become known as Overcomer’s City Church, with the mission of upholding the Great Commission Matthew 28:16-20.
