Who We Are

Victory Dream Center

Our Vision:

Restoring Hope

    Jesus came to earth restoring HOPE. He described Himself in Luke 4 declaring: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

    What does that mean for us today? Everything! He is alive, bringing hope into the most hopeless situations. He loves, and He cares. He is willing to meet each of us at our greatest point of need whether we are hungry, broken, broke, angry, confused, depressed, oppressed, addicted, wounded, or sick. Our mission at the Dream Center is to be His hands, feet, and voice to Restore Hope in our community.

Renewing Dreams

     Life has a way of bringing disappointments, struggles and setbacks. But we do not have to be defined by our past! In Christ, we can dream again of a life that both glorifies Him and brings what Jesus spoke of in John 10 as the abundant life.  We are a community of Christ followers who earnestly desire to help each other run the race of life in His truth and His power so that our families can flourish, and our individual lives bear good fruit.

Rebuilding Lives

      We are a people excited to embrace change! God’s principles and ways work to restore our lives as His word gives us a firm foundation upon which to anchor our futures. No matter what age or stage of life, everyone can be free in Him to build lives that work. Today is a new day with new choices. At the Dream Center, we value all lives and strive to equip each individual with the practical and spiritual tools necessary for their daily success.

Victory Dream Center

Core Values:

Compassion  – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with    the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Service – Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:35

Share – And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16

Worship – O come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! Psalm 95:6

Justice – This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’  Zechariah 7: 9-10 

Unity – I in them and you in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:23

Freedom – So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Victory Dream Center

Our History:

A Living Room Start

A small group of worshippers nervously gathered in an upstairs living room in November of 1998. Pastors Doug and Lisa had heard a call from the Lord to plant a new church in Doug’s hometown of Carbondale, Illinois. They had finished their season of education and moved their growing family cross country that week on Tuesday and were eager to start something five days later Sunday. Many joke now about the simplicity of that first worship event. As a family of nine, they soon learned church planting was not for the fainthearted but was for the adventurous! With used sound equipment, a whole bunch of plastic tubs on wheels, and a single keyboard in tow, God graciously smiled on their efforts and within a few months the worshipping congregation named Victory Christian Center found its home at the Carbondale Civic Center.

Two Projects

In those early days, our selection of our first two church projects was surely significant:  a Wednesday night kids club for community children in need; and a crazy Christmas project which consisted of a rag-tag bunch of food supplies assembled into 200 food boxes delivered door to door into our community. Out of those humble beginnings would form our REALITY youth ministry that has impacted over 3000 kids and youth over the last 17 years and our Spirit of Love Christmas event that has served 200-350 families each Christmas with food, toys and hope.

Our history could most honestly be summed up with two phrases: God’s grace and His people’s service. 

Our New Building

When it was time for a permanent building in 2002, church members and volunteers labored long hours to convert our church property at 607 E. College from a warehouse into a worship center. The church on wheels was retired but the passion for being mobile in the community was not. Women’s conferences, drama teams, church dinners, men’s breakfasts, nights of worship, DC Café, Kids Klub rallies and youth meetings filled our calendar year after year. The Lord brought salvation, healing, and hope to His people. But deep inside we knew there was something more. The pain of our community was impressed on our hearts, and we yearned to respond with greater effectiveness. The little bags we kept in our back office with a few can goods and two boxes of macaroni were not enough.

Victory Dream Center

In August of 2010, the Lord made our new assignment plain. We were to change our name to Victory Dream Center and focus our efforts on Restoring Hope, Renewing Dreams, and Rebuilding Lives. But how would we do that with our limited budget and small group of committed members? It seemed impossible, but we can testify now that God had a plan to spectacularly supply the needs of His people. We went from having a little tiny bag of food to share with others to receiving massive shipments of food from the St. Louis Food Bank. It just so happened our area had been identified by Feeding America as a food impoverished community in great need of food distribution help. Isn’t it amazing how God can put together a plan? Isn’t it amazing how others in our community noticed what the Lord was doing at the Dream Center and began supporting our efforts with their gifts and talents?

8,000,000 lbs And Counting

Since opening our expanded food pantry, we have miraculously distributed over xxx pounds of food. Each week a loving and committed team of volunteers unload trucks, move food pallets, sort, clean, organize, and distribute cartloads of food to about 300 families. Week after week. Outdoors in a pandemic in the winter elements. No matter what and without fail. The love and presence of Jesus is so evident in these acts of service that we have become known in the community as the “food pantry that will also pray for you.”

Today

In 2023 we entered yet another new season. On Saturdays, we have the joy of sharing a hot meal with our community friends at Dinner Church. With a decorated theme each week and tables set up in our sanctuary, we worship together and grow closer as a community. Then on Sundays we gather with our church family in Grow groups for discipleship and cap off the weekend with a Sunday morning worship service. It is a joy and honor to serve our King each weekend and witness what He is doing in our midst.

Where will we go in the future? Only the Lord knows! But we look forward to holding onto Him through every twist and turn of His adventure.

Victory Dream Center

Pastoral Staff