CHURCH HISTORY

History is a series of events pertaining to persons, nations, and/or organizations recorded over a period of time.

Let us turn the pages back to the beginning of a work of Christ, by a people, in a place in time; called Temple of Faith Baptist Church, in 1968, God gave Pastor Rochelle Davis, Jr. a vision to develop a people to glorify God. God also gave him a motto (a spark that continues to spark will one day become a flame). Temple of Faith Baptist Church was revealed and planted in the heart of Pastor Davis long before it became a reality. In the home of Pastor and Mrs. Rochelle Davis, Jr., 14016 Wisconsin, in the city of Detroit, State of Michigan, United   States of America, Temple of Faith Baptist Church became a reality.

There were 5 persons present at this historical meeting: Pastor Rochelle Davis Jr., Mrs. Mariah Davis, Bro. and Sis. Grover, and Sis. Orangie Robinson. Temple of Faith Baptist Church did not come into existence from a church split, but from a vision God gave to Pastor Davis to share with others who were willing to participate in developing a people to glorify God and advance His Kingdom on earth.

To minister to the total person according to the available resources and personnel, to be involved with the associations and conventions that are mission-minded for the purpose of evangelizing and congregationalizing people from all ethnic backgrounds.

The first church building was located on Grand River at Wyoming. It was an old dilapidated building with a defective furnace that we were unable to utilize. The second building was located on Fenkell at Mendota where we held our first public worship service the second Sunday of March 1969. Rev. Dale Cross, Director of Missions, Greater Detroit Baptist Association, preached the morning message. Dinetra Sams, a youth, accepted Christ and became the first member of the congregation. 

Sis. Everlena McElroy (Larkin),  Sis. Edna Murray, Bro. Jimmie Capers and other became members of the church at this location. The Church had to relocate because of a decision the owner made to expand his business, so we were forced to move. We identified an old abandoned ice cream parlor at 14810 Wyomingat Eaton. With the help of George Madison and W.T. Moore, Director of Black Church Relations for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, members of the congregation pitched in to help clean up the filthy little building in order that we might continue our worship services. The church grew to 30 members; the building only held 40.

Jack Elliott of the Church Training department of the State Convention noticed in the area where he lived that a congregation was declining. In the early 1970’s, we met with Rev. Butler who was the Pastor of this congregation to negotiate the purchasing of this facility. We were not able to come to an agreement so the negotiations broke down. Rev. Butler gave us another call several months later and through this time of negotiations, we were able to obtain the building at 17188 Greenfield with 70 members, mostly children. The church was constituted April 4, 1971 and we held our first worship service in the new facility on Greenfield, September 1971. At this location, the church grew and ministries were added until we did not have room to accommodate our ministry.

Sis. Betty Johnson informed Pastor Davis and the congregation about an available facility on W. Chicago, owned by Nativity Lutheran Church. On July 17, 1983, 13 members attended the last prayer service held at the Greenfield site and motorcaded to W. Chicago to begin our Sunday school and Worship Service. Once settled into the new building, Temple of Faith made its presence felt in the community by conducting surveys, door to door visitation, Vacation Bible School, participation in sports activities and opening a Daycare Center.

Since 1983, we have accomplished additional ministries, such as Temple of Faith Baptist School; sponsoring new missions in the metropolitan area, as well as, in Kenya; the Urban Training Christian Institute that is training our people in all phases of ministry; and the “Spark to Flames” tutorial program. Temple of Faith has touched the lives of many people in this country, as well as, other countries.