Dr. E.C. Fulcher, Jr.

My name is Dr. E C Fulcher Jr. I am the Pastor of Truth House Ministries Church Inc. in Abingdon, Md. I have been preaching full-time for over 50 years. I came to Maryland in the mid-’70s. Abingdon was not where I landed, but Harve De Grace. In November 1975, with a small nucleus of believers, I rented an old bar in Havre de Grace, Maryland, and with the nucleus of believers, I had been preaching to, established the foundation of a ministry that was to become capable of launching the message to the world via short-wave radio and eventually Internet Television.  It became known as Truth House Ministries™, and my magazine changed from Crusade for Truth to The Present Testament Magazine.  Some of the goals of Truth House Ministries Church Inc are to:

1) Preach the message of grace and freedom to people who are bound by religious tradition and opinions of man, and:

2) To show that, even in today’s world, a Christian can be an intelligent, educated, and completely normal person, capable of fitting into any part of society.  All they have to do is put God first.  Christians do not have to speak in tongues or quote Bible verses to people.

By the early 2000s, it became clear that we needed a bigger space to accomplish our goals.

3303 Emmorton Road was a piece of property that was first owned by a United Christian Pentecostal Denomination. The Pastor had put a slab of concrete down and wanted to start building. Unfortunately, he did not get the county’s permission to build and was therefore shut down for not following procedures. During the same time as that, the Pastors wife had an affair leaving the Pastor feeling as if he should leave his position. He felt that since his wife had an affair, and he had not ruled over his own home, that he should not be ruling over a congregation, so he gave the property to another man, Mr. Mitchell.

Mr. Mitchell had made plans for the property, but they never came to fruition. It’s funny because years prior to this, I had actually looked at this property and thought the price would be out of reach, so I moved on. During the time of Mr. Mitchell taking ownership of the property and deciding what to do with it, I was across town looking at another piece of property. I actually put a down payment on a property. During the inspection process, it was discovered that the property was unsafe and would not be a good purchase, so I withdrew from that and continued looking.

At some point, I came into contact with Mr. Mitchell and he visited my church that was located in Harve de Grace at the time. A very small building but filled with the Word. Mr. Mitchell said to me, this place is way too small for what you have going on here, you need a bigger place. So we talked and he decided to sell me the property that he was given by the other Pastor. The beginning negotiations were a little rocky and financing had not been made available at the time. Between Mr. Mitchell and I trying to work out something, he had gone back to Florida and I was here in Maryland. At some point, we spoke and continued with negotiations. I said to him, “ You have seen where I am and have acknowledged that I need a bigger space, so you acknowledge I am in need. Now the bible says in 1 John 3:17 “But if a man has this world’s goods, and sees that his brother is in need, and keeps his heart shut against his brother, how is it possible for the love of God to be in him?”  Mr. Mitchell was at a loss for words, he expressed that no one negotiates like that, at which I pointed out I do. He had nothing left to say except, ok. Let’s work something out. He came back to Maryland and we came to an agreement. I put down $100,00 with no idea where or when financing would come. I just trusted God.

At this time, the property was ours and we began working on immediately in the month of November. Instead of hiring a construction crew and spending thousands of dollars, the men, the brothers of the church answered the call to come and build a house for the Lord. Yes, we all know that we individually are houses of God, but when we gather to meet we need a physical place to do so, hence building a house for the Lord. Just like the bible says we should.

Haggai 1:2-5, 7-8 “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built. (3) Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, (4) Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? (5) Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. (7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. (8) Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

I always thought it slightly comical how God gave the property to a man that never did anything with it, and I had to buy it from that man. But besides God having a sense of humor, it goes to say that God will give the opportunity for His word to come to pass. Think about it, Haggai 1:7-8 states, “(7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. (8) Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. His word doesn’t say to buy him a house, it actually tells us to go, bring wood and build the house. So maybe we had to purchase the property in order to build the Lord’s house so that His word would come to pass…..

Even if that wasn’t the case, the fact that the brothers of this church built this building, God’s House with their own hands, gave their heartbeats to fulfill this endeavor is a true blessing and testament to the love and dedication to God’s Word.

I remember the opening day celebration and service. It was surreal. My ministry is called Truth House Ministries Inc, but I dedicated this building to God and during the first service, read a verse of scripture that resonated so powerfully that it became the basis upon which the building was named the City of Truth.

Zec 8:3 “Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain.”