VICTORY LIFE CENTER 
Formerly Marlboro Meadows Baptist Church

        The Marlboro Meadows Baptist Church was founded on September 25, 1977, by Artie L. and Reatha P. Polk. This was the result of two of God's servants' grappling with the Holy Spirit to have them recognize the gap which existed within the community and to accept the challenge set before them. During the spring of 1977, Brother and Sister Polk made initial contact with the Prince George's Baptist Association through Brother Ross Covington and Pastor Tom Gratton.  After several meetings, it was decided that a community religious survey should be taken of the Marlboro Meadows subdivision. This survey was designed to assess the interest in the possibility for a Southern Baptist Church to be formed in our development. 

  

          The Prince George's Baptist Association assisted us by providing two summer missionaries, Miss Yolanda M. Thurman and Miss Dorothy Burgess. Concurrent with the taking of the survey, Missionaries Thurman and Burgess conducted Backyard Bible Studies throughout the Marlboro Meadows subdivision for a period of two weeks during July1977.  The survey results along with the results of the study encouraged us to hold our first service on September 25, 1977. Representatives from the Prince George's Baptist Association and the Baptist Convention of Maryland were present to support us. Consequently, Rev. John Saunders of the Baptist Convention of Maryland preached our first sermon.  

  

          Brother Artie L. Polk and Rev. Tom Gratton visited Rev. Roy Moore, Pastor of the Bethel United Methodist Church to get permission to use Bethel's edifice to begin services.  Preliminarily, permission was granted pending approval by the official Board of Bethel.  On October 9, 1977, the congregation voted to name the church, Marlboro Meadows Baptist Church, a mission of a then unnamed sponsoring church. On October 19, 1977, by unanimous vote, the Berwyn Baptist Church of College Park, Maryland, voted to accept us as a Church Mission of that institution.   

  

          Chaplain Jim Bishop, Major, U.S. Army was selected to serve as Interim Pastor and on October 23, 1977, the following officers were elected:  Brother Artie L. Polk, Lay Leader Brother Albert A. Cooke, Jr., Treasurer, and Sister Edythe Nedd, Secretary. Calls for Charter Membership were made on November 6, 1977, and November 13, 1977 with thirty (30) persons coming forward on those two dates who became charter members.  In June 1979, the Church and the Baptist Convention of Maryland ordained Brother Artie L. Polk and Brother John Morris as our first deacons.  Since that first ordination service, the following have been called to serve on the Diaconate: 

 

Deacon Michael T. Brown 

Deacon Charles R. Brooks  

Deacon Ralph E. Cooper  

Deacon Selwyn K. Hammond (deceased) 

Deacon Henry Hill (Chairman) 

Deacon Jon Jones 

Deacon Xavier McGruder 

Deacon Roger Moore, Jr. 

Deacon Ralph Thompson (deceased) 

Deacon Michael Williams 

Deacon Eddie L. Bland III

  

          Since it's founding, the Marlboro Meadows Baptist Church has been served by the following pastors including any already mentioned: 

Rev. William Thomas, Jr. (deceased) 

Rev. Zaccheus B. Johnson 

Rev. Walter J. Newbill 

Rev. Darryl K. Williams 

Rev. Marcellous A. Buckner 

  

          Under the leadership of Rev. Darryl K. Williams, the church moved its place of worship from The Bethel United Methodist Church edifice in January 1993 to a temporary location in Melwood, Upper Marlboro. Rev. Williams was called in May, 1993 to pastor The First Baptist Church Of Loretto, Va. 

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During the interim, when the church was without a pastor, Deacon Artie L. Polk served as Spiritual Leader of the Church.  In August 1993 under Deacon Polk’s leadership, the Church moved to its current location on Old Marlboro Pike. Then, at the conclusion of a very deliberate consideration by the Search Committee and its recommendation to the church, Rev. Marcellous A. Buckner was called to Pastor effective March 1994.   

 

          Under Pastor Buckner’s leadership, the Ministerial Staff of the church has increased.  The   following consists of the list of licensed and ordained ministers:   

Rev. Damon Bray

Rev. Christopher Stephens 

Minister Dawn Stephens 

Minister Barbara Burl  

 

          God has given Pastor Buckner a vision, and he faithfully accepted the mission to make disciples by preaching and teaching the Word of Truth through diverse environments and settings. One such setting is the Wednesday Night Bible Study, which typically focuses on specific topics designed to deepen biblical knowledge and promote discipleship. Another is the establishment of the Board of Christian Education, which is charged with identifying the educational needs of all church entities and developing programs to effectively address those needs.

 

          In September 1997, the Victory Bible Institute was established. Under the leadership of Pastor Buckner and then–Board Chairman Deacon Charles R. Brooks, a Certificate Course Program was inaugurated with the pilot course, The Mind of Christ, taught by Rev. Kevin L. Jones. Since that inaugural course, Pastor Buckner has led those who desire deeper understanding on a series of transformative journeys, including Journey to Discipleship I and II, Journey into Christlikeness, Journey into Living God’s Way, and Journey into Victorious Living, among others. The desire for learning has been continually stimulated, as evidenced by increased enrollment. These journeys will continue, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.