Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ
Encyclopedia
Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ was founded March 6, 1975 by the late Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson
in Memphis, Tennessee
. The church's current pastor is Milton Hawkins, nephew of the founder. The Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ is one of the largest churches in the city of Memphis and the Church of God in Christ
denomination, with over 6.5 million members worldwide. The same name is also used by a church located in Topeka, Kansas
. That city is notable as the location where the Pentecostal movement had its origins in 1901.
Gilbert Earl Patterson was born September 22, 1939 in the parsonage next door to the Church of God in Christ
in Humboldt, Tennessee
. He was the son of the late Bishop William Archie Patterson Sr. and Mary Louise Patterson. He was the brother of the late Elder William Archie Patterson Jr.; evangelist Mary Alice Patterson Hawkins; Tennessee 4th Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women Mother Lee Ella Patterson Smith and evangelist Barbara Patterson Davis. He became a Christian in May 1951 at age 11 at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, where his father was the pastor. At that time, a revival was being held by Elder Johnny Brown.
In May 1952, the Patterson family moved to Detroit, Michigan
. While in Detroit, at age 16 Patterson was baptized on September 16, 1956 at his father’s church (New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ). One month later young Patterson also felt called to the ministry
, and he preached his first sermon on January 22, 1957. The sermon text was Isaiah 59:9; his subject was “We Wait For Light, But We Walk In Darkness”. He was licensed by his father in March 1957, and ordained by Bishop J. S. Bailey on August 28, 1958.
In Detroit Patterson graduated from Hutchins Intermediate and Central High School, and attended the Detroit Bible Institute
. As a teenager Patterson was a choir member, lead singer in the New Jerusalem Ensemble and a part-time national evangelist
. While still a teenager, he spoke at the National Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ
and the International Youth Congress. On two occasions, he preached before Bishop C. H. Mason
.
In December 1961 Patterson returned to Memphis
as co-pastor of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, and to attend LeMoyne College. At that time, Holy Temple had 80 adult members and only a few children. From December 1961 to June 1964, Holy Temple experienced no growth. However, in June Patterson led the congregation in three days and nights of abstinence, fasting and prayer. This was followed in July with a 30-day tent revival, held two blocks from the church. During the revival, 55 new members were added to the church. In 1965, Patterson became known as "God’s young apostle" because of his ability to gather large crowds. At that time, he also planned to establish missions and organize churches. He continued as co-pastor of Holy Temple, and the church grew between July 1964 and December 1974.
In 1969, following the death of Tennessee Bishop A. B. McEwen Sr., a rift began in the Patterson family. Many pastors in western Tennessee wanted Patterson’s father to return from Detroit to full-time service in Memphis as the bishop of West Tennessee. Presiding Bishop J. O. Patterson refused, using the Catholic Church as his example. He felt that the Presiding Bishop
of the Church of God in Christ
should be the bishop of Memphis, as the Pope
is bishop
of Rome
. Gilbert Patterson attempted to champion his father's cause, but failed. During the Convocation of 1974 the General Board supported the Presiding Bishop, and prepared to move against Bishop W. A. Patterson, Sr. and his son to remove them from Holy Temple. In an effort to end the feud and any further efforts against his father, Gilbert Patterson resigned from Holy Temple effective February 23, 1975.
In the meantime Gilbert Patterson purchased and remodeled the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church on Mississippi Boulevard, and opened Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of Bountiful Blessings, on March 6, 1975. On that day, 436 people joined the church from every denomination
and religious organization in Memphis. The congregation outgrew the church almost immediately. In less than three years church membership grew to over 2,000, and immediate plans were made to build a larger place of worship. On October 8, 1978 (three years and seven months after its opening), Temple of Deliverance entered its new building. At a cost of $1.2 million, it was the first church built by African American
s in Memphis at a cost more than a million dollars. By 1984, the 1,200-seat sanctuary could no longer accommodate the 11:00 am worshippers. After filling chairs in the aisles the crowd frequently overflowed into the fellowship hall downstairs, where the worship could be viewed on a closed-circuit television
screen. On July 5, 1987, Bishop C. D. Owens dedicated a new wing, seating approximately 600.
In September 1986, during a telephone conversation with his uncle, Presiding Bishop J. O. Patterson expressed a desire to see his nephew return to active membership in the Church of God in Christ. As a result of that conversation, the Presiding Bishop had Gilbert Patterson’s name added to the General Board’s agenda for the Convocation of 1986. Many board members had waited for this day, hoping for Patterson’s return. Board members such as O. T. Jones Jr., F. D. Washington, J. D. Husband, LeRoy Anderson and C. D. Owens were supporters; the most vocal was Patterson’s lifelong friend, Bishop Chandler D. Owens (who had not yielded to pressure to break ties with Patterson). During the November 1986 General Board meeting, the board voted 11–0 to invite Patterson to return to active ministry in the Church of God in Christ as a Jurisdictional Bishop in Memphis. The meeting was chaired by Bishop L.H. Ford, in the presiding bishop's absence. Therefore, the general board's November 1986 action was not executed by Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. until January 29, 1988 at the Bishops' Conference in Jacksonville, Florida
.
Bishop G. E. Patterson was elected to the General Board in 1992, and reelected in 1996. After conceding the last election for Presiding Bishop (which he lost by one vote), he was elected on November 14, 2000 by more than 900 votes. In 2005, Patterson announced that he was battling prostate cancer
. Patterson died on March 20, 2007 at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.
It is the home church of the former Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ. Its services are carried on satellite by Black Entertainment Television
, Trinity Broadcast Network and The Word Network. The church also owns radio station WBBP (1480 kHz) and Podium Records.
Gilbert E. Patterson
Bishop G. E. Patterson was an American Pentecostal-Holiness, Charismatic minister who served as the international Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ , Inc....
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. The church's current pastor is Milton Hawkins, nephew of the founder. The Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ is one of the largest churches in the city of Memphis and the Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
denomination, with over 6.5 million members worldwide. The same name is also used by a church located in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
. That city is notable as the location where the Pentecostal movement had its origins in 1901.
History
G. E. Patterson founded the Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ as the Bountiful Blessings Temple of Deliverance in 1975. The Church became affiliated with the Church of God in Christ in 1988.Gilbert Earl Patterson was born September 22, 1939 in the parsonage next door to the Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
in Humboldt, Tennessee
Humboldt, Tennessee
Humboldt is a city in Gibson and Madison counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 8,452 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1,015 in 2000. It is the principal city of and is included in the Humboldt, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Jackson,...
. He was the son of the late Bishop William Archie Patterson Sr. and Mary Louise Patterson. He was the brother of the late Elder William Archie Patterson Jr.; evangelist Mary Alice Patterson Hawkins; Tennessee 4th Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women Mother Lee Ella Patterson Smith and evangelist Barbara Patterson Davis. He became a Christian in May 1951 at age 11 at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, where his father was the pastor. At that time, a revival was being held by Elder Johnny Brown.
In May 1952, the Patterson family moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. While in Detroit, at age 16 Patterson was baptized on September 16, 1956 at his father’s church (New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ). One month later young Patterson also felt called to the ministry
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith. 2003's Encyclopedia of Christianity defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", indicating that it is "conferred on each Christian in baptism." It is performed by all Christians...
, and he preached his first sermon on January 22, 1957. The sermon text was Isaiah 59:9; his subject was “We Wait For Light, But We Walk In Darkness”. He was licensed by his father in March 1957, and ordained by Bishop J. S. Bailey on August 28, 1958.
In Detroit Patterson graduated from Hutchins Intermediate and Central High School, and attended the Detroit Bible Institute
William Tyndale College
William Tyndale College, often simply Tyndale, was a nondenominational Christian college located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Named after Protestant scholar William Tyndale, the college was founded as the Detroit Bible Institute in 1945, and became accredited by the American Association of Bible...
. As a teenager Patterson was a choir member, lead singer in the New Jerusalem Ensemble and a part-time national evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
. While still a teenager, he spoke at the National Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
and the International Youth Congress. On two occasions, he preached before Bishop C. H. Mason
Charles Harrison Mason
Bishop Charles Harrison 'C.H.' Mason was an American Pentecostal–Holiness and Charismatic, denomination leader. He was the founder, Chief Apostle and first Senior Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. He was also the grandfather of Bishop J.O...
.
In December 1961 Patterson returned to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
as co-pastor of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, and to attend LeMoyne College. At that time, Holy Temple had 80 adult members and only a few children. From December 1961 to June 1964, Holy Temple experienced no growth. However, in June Patterson led the congregation in three days and nights of abstinence, fasting and prayer. This was followed in July with a 30-day tent revival, held two blocks from the church. During the revival, 55 new members were added to the church. In 1965, Patterson became known as "God’s young apostle" because of his ability to gather large crowds. At that time, he also planned to establish missions and organize churches. He continued as co-pastor of Holy Temple, and the church grew between July 1964 and December 1974.
In 1969, following the death of Tennessee Bishop A. B. McEwen Sr., a rift began in the Patterson family. Many pastors in western Tennessee wanted Patterson’s father to return from Detroit to full-time service in Memphis as the bishop of West Tennessee. Presiding Bishop J. O. Patterson refused, using the Catholic Church as his example. He felt that the Presiding Bishop
Presiding Bishop
The Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America :The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the...
of the Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
should be the bishop of Memphis, as the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
is bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Gilbert Patterson attempted to champion his father's cause, but failed. During the Convocation of 1974 the General Board supported the Presiding Bishop, and prepared to move against Bishop W. A. Patterson, Sr. and his son to remove them from Holy Temple. In an effort to end the feud and any further efforts against his father, Gilbert Patterson resigned from Holy Temple effective February 23, 1975.
In the meantime Gilbert Patterson purchased and remodeled the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church on Mississippi Boulevard, and opened Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of Bountiful Blessings, on March 6, 1975. On that day, 436 people joined the church from every denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
and religious organization in Memphis. The congregation outgrew the church almost immediately. In less than three years church membership grew to over 2,000, and immediate plans were made to build a larger place of worship. On October 8, 1978 (three years and seven months after its opening), Temple of Deliverance entered its new building. At a cost of $1.2 million, it was the first church built by African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s in Memphis at a cost more than a million dollars. By 1984, the 1,200-seat sanctuary could no longer accommodate the 11:00 am worshippers. After filling chairs in the aisles the crowd frequently overflowed into the fellowship hall downstairs, where the worship could be viewed on a closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
screen. On July 5, 1987, Bishop C. D. Owens dedicated a new wing, seating approximately 600.
In September 1986, during a telephone conversation with his uncle, Presiding Bishop J. O. Patterson expressed a desire to see his nephew return to active membership in the Church of God in Christ. As a result of that conversation, the Presiding Bishop had Gilbert Patterson’s name added to the General Board’s agenda for the Convocation of 1986. Many board members had waited for this day, hoping for Patterson’s return. Board members such as O. T. Jones Jr., F. D. Washington, J. D. Husband, LeRoy Anderson and C. D. Owens were supporters; the most vocal was Patterson’s lifelong friend, Bishop Chandler D. Owens (who had not yielded to pressure to break ties with Patterson). During the November 1986 General Board meeting, the board voted 11–0 to invite Patterson to return to active ministry in the Church of God in Christ as a Jurisdictional Bishop in Memphis. The meeting was chaired by Bishop L.H. Ford, in the presiding bishop's absence. Therefore, the general board's November 1986 action was not executed by Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. until January 29, 1988 at the Bishops' Conference in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.
Bishop G. E. Patterson was elected to the General Board in 1992, and reelected in 1996. After conceding the last election for Presiding Bishop (which he lost by one vote), he was elected on November 14, 2000 by more than 900 votes. In 2005, Patterson announced that he was battling prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
. Patterson died on March 20, 2007 at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis.
Ministerial design
Bountiful Blessing Television BroadcastsIt is the home church of the former Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ. Its services are carried on satellite by Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
, Trinity Broadcast Network and The Word Network. The church also owns radio station WBBP (1480 kHz) and Podium Records.
External links
- http://www.bbless.org/onechurch3locations.html
- http://www.bbless.org/gePatterson.htm