OUR STORY

Reaching People for God's Kingdom

Holy Temple Church of God in Christ was originally established in 1950 by Elder L.B. Kirkland of Denver, Colorado, who then became the founder of the first Holiness Church in Levelland, Texas. Elder Kirkland would pastor the church for several years under the church’s original name: Church of God in Christ No. 1.

In 1961, the original building was sold and a new building, located at 1112 9th Street in Levelland, Texas, was negotiated by the late Elder Leroy Franklin. By order of the International Church of God in Christ, Inc. (COGIC) denomination, the late Bishop J.E. Alexander was overseer of the church and it was he that appointed Elder Birtis McDaniel as pastor of the church in 1967. Under Elder McDaniel, the new location was finalized and the name of the church was officially changed to Holy Temple Church of God in Christ. 

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Elder McDaniel served as pastor for 36 years. After his passing in 2003, then-jurisdictional prelate, Bishop William H. Watson II, took over the pastorate of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ until his eternal rest in 2012. Prior to his passing, Bishop W.H. Watson II, by certificate of appointment, named Elder Ben Alexander of Lubbock Texas, to Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in 2008. Pastor Alexander soon assumed the senior pastor duties and was officially installed on March 23, 2013 by the jurisdictional bishop in succession, Bishop William H. Watson, III.