Faith Temple Church of God of Kalamazoo, Michigan
In the Spring of 1967, Bishop Dr. T.D. Lockett, Pastor, Founder and Senior Presiding Bishop of Faith Temple Churches of God, Incorporated, had very strong stirrings to build a Church for God. The Faith Temple Church of God was organized in November of 1967 under the leadership of then, Evangelist Lockett, and worship services were held in a small house at 114 W. Allen Street in the Township of Kalamazoo. Many souls were saved, and there were many additions to the church membership. This little house, which had a seating capacity of seventy (70), soon became too small to accommodate the rapidly growing membership. On June 27, 1968 the blueprints were drawn up for a larger building.
On May 15, 1969, Faith Temple Church of God chartered with the Michigan Department of Treasury and registered in Washington, D.C. as an Ecclesiastical Corporation and became recognized as an independent organization. The basement of the Church was completed in September 1970 and dedicated to the services of the Lord during an official ceremony. Evangelist Lockett was inaugurated as Senior Presiding Bishop of the Faith Temple Churches of God, Incorporated on Sunday, September 26, 1971. Worship services were held in the basement of the Church on Allen Street until 1973. However, while construction continued to complete the upper portion of the church, additional property was purchased at 118 E. Patterson Street in 1973. Worship services were then held at this Northside facility until the “Temple” was completed, and the congregation returned to Allen Street in 1979.
Faith Temple is committed to community outreach and has operated New Direction Outreach Center (NDOC) since 2000. NDOC is a non-profit, 501C(3) federally approved organization, committed to impacting and improving the quality of life of those less fortunate, by offering a variety of programs and services to low income and at risk youth, adults, seniors and families. Two anchor programs include a feeding program for homeless and hungry residents, and a computer lab.
In April 2013, Faith Temple was blessed to acquire property at 402 S. Westnedge Avenue, downtown Kalamazoo. The first service in our new facility was held August 4, 2013. This larger facility offers 46,000 square feet of space, including a full-size gymnasium, which offers a great opportunity for future growth, and to better serve and minister to the needs of the community in a much greater way.
Under the leadership and vision of Bishop Dr. T.D. Lockett, Faith Temple Church of God has continued to grow and flourish. Many churches have comprised the name “Faith Temple Church of God, Inc., including Alabama, California, and throughout the state of Michigan. Through this ministry, Bishop Lockett has reached thousands via radio, television, and travel. He has formed firm friendships and fellowships with various denominations, both nationally and internationally. One of the highlights of his life was his travel “back home” on two occasions to the continent of Africa, where he ministered to 750,000 people during one service alone.
Faith Temple continues to be a family-oriented church dedicated to serving all of mankind. One of our great concerns continues to be the spiritual growth and prosperity of its members, and the welfare of the community. Since 1967, through evangelism, community outreach, and foreign missions, we have been blessed to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are lost. It remains our endeavor to continue to serve the needs of this community, and to reach those who do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, so that they too might be saved.
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