Greater Christ Temple | History
THE HISTORY OF GCT
Christ Temple Church was founded in 1941 by Elder James B. Clark of Dayton, Ohio. The first gatherings were street meetings and eventually moved into a member’s home. With the help of the Lord, Pastor James and Lady Ethel Clark commuted from Dayton to Lima for three years before moving to Lima. Elder J.B. Clark pastored Christ Temple Church from 1941 to 1961. He passed away in 1962. His widow Ethel, served as Church Mother, until she went home to be with the Lord in 2007.
In 1987, Elder Michael Cooper, a native of Columbus, Ohio, residing in Springfield, Ohio, became the pastor of Greater Christ Temple. Pastor Michael Cooper brought youth and a new vision and image to the church. Under Elder Cooper’s ministry and administration, much progress and growth has been experienced, both natural and spiritual. In late 1989, a new roof was put on the church and a remodeling program began. In June of 1990, the church mortgage was paid off. In 1992, Elder Cooper was elevated to the office of District Elder by The Ohio District Council and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. He was further elevated in 2017 to the office of Suffragan Bishop. Bishop Cooper transitioned to glory on July 29, 2023.