Bethlehem Temple Church
of the Apostolic Faith
Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light
Bishop Marvin Mitchell
Pastor
2526 Gratiot Ave , Port Huron Michigan 48060
HERITAGE AND HISTORY
Samuel Nathan Hancock, who was born 9 November 1883 in Adair County, Kentucky, came to Indianapolis, Indiana with his family at the age of 5. In1914, Samuel Hancock began attending services at G.T. Haywood’s church at 11th and Senate. On the 5th of September 1914, he received the Holy Ghost and was water baptized. In 1916, Samuel Hancock was amongst the 465 members of Christ Temple who submitted to rebaptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, following Glenn Cook’s fortuitous campaign throughout the Midwest spreading the message of the mighty God in Christ.
Bishop Virgil H.Oates, D.D.was born September 19, 1920 in Louisville, Kentucky to the late Virgil and Lillian Oates. He married Willie Mae Spencer on January 18, 1941 in Louisville. She died May 9, 2005. Bishop Oates and Willie Mae relocated to Detroit in 1948 where he began a 35-year career with Chrysler Corporation. They became members of Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple Church, under the leadership of the late Bishop Samuel N. Hancock. After being in service there for many years, the Lord moved them to Bethlehem Temple, New Haven. In 1974, the Lord once again moved them to pastor a church in Port Huron, which later became Bethlehem Temple Church. Soon after, they began the Lord's work in helping start an organization of believers known as the Apostolic Assemblies of Christ, Inc., in which Bishop Oates was named the International Assistant Presiding Bishop.
Apostolic Assemblies of Christ, Inc.
The Apostolic Assemblies of Christ was formed in 1970 by former members of the Pentecostal Churches of Apostolic Faith led by Bishop G. N. Boone. During the term of Presiding Bishop Willie Lee, questions of his administrative abilities arose. In the midst of the controversy, he died. In the organizational disaray the church splintered, and one group formed around Bishop Boone and Virgil Oates, the vice-Bishop. The new body is congregational in organization and continues in the doctrine of the parent body, since no doctrinal controversy accompanied the split.
Membership: In 1980 the Assemblies had approximately 3,500 members, 23 churches and 70 ministers.
currently The Apostolic Assemblies of Christ, Inc have approximately 100 churches .
Bishop Marvin Mitchell was born in Port Huron, MI in 1951.As a young child he was baptized and later in March of 1970 he received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Bishop Mitchell accepted the call to ministry in August of 1993. Since then he has worked closely with and under the ministry of his former Pastor, Bishop Virgil Oakes. He served as the Assistant Pastor of Bethlehem Temple Church for many years.Bishop Mitchell was installed on November 12, 2006 as the Pastor of Bethlehem Temple and served as an auditor for the Apostolic Assemblies of Christ. He was then elevated to the position of District Elder and from District Elder he was elevated to Suffragan Bishop and then to Diocesan Bishop of the Apostolic Assemblies of Christ. Bishop Mitchell currently serves as the Apostolic Assemblies of Christ Organization as the National Treasurer. Many have been blessed by the faithful ministry, leadership, teaching and preaching of this great man of God.