EVANGEL CATHEDRAL
The Story
Evangel Cathedral is an interesting ministry with an interesting background. It is really a hybrid of two separate churches, Evangel Temple and Cathedral of Praise. Evangel Temple was the name of a church founded by Dr. McDaniel in the late 1960’s. Approximately ten years later I came on the scene through an invitation. Let me explain…When I was in High School I came out of my homeroom one day on my way to first period and across the hall standing against the wall, obviously waiting for someone, was the prettiest girl I had ever seen…
I was invited to Evangel Temple. I gave my heart to the Lord and began following Him with all my heart. There was a passion in me to know Him and His word. I consumed the Bible. Although there was much I did not understand I kept reading and reading and reading.
My growth continued as I became involved in ministry at the church. I was drafted into the music ministry and began singing in the choir. I then got involved in bus ministry and canvassing the neighborhoods and knocking on doors. I started as an apprentice in Sunday School, being mentored by teachers who taught kids the Word of God. I then taught 4th grade boys. From there I got involved in all sorts of ministry and immersed myself in kingdom work. People began to say things to me about ministry. I listened but stayed focused on seeking the Lord and on serving Him. After several years the tug at my heart was undeniable and I began to go through the process of preparing myself to become a minister. I began preaching wherever I could to whomever I could. In 1981 I became the Youth Pastor of Evangel Temple Church of God. I was on staff for seven and one-half years and during this time my role changed as I took on more responsibility. In 1988 God began to shake things up…
In the Spring of 1988 my wife and I began to feel a “tug” to plant a church. On September 18, 1988, Cathedral of Praise was born and was organized into a church in January of 1989. We started in a hotel room with a band of faithful pioneers. We went from room to room, eventually changing locations to an amphitheatre and finally a church facility we could call “home.” On December 20, 1996, during a Youth Christmas Banquet, the sanctuary accidentally caught fire. The fire quickly spread to a thirteen-alarm fire, which completely destroyed the sanctuary. “The church without a home” caught the attention of the local media and a businessman heard our story on the news. Knowing we were without a place to hold worship services, the businessman contacted me that week and offered warehouse space to us. We gladly accepted and work began on changing the warehouse to a worship house. We were in the warehouse for several months and the Presence of God met with us in a very special way. God’s Presence can turn anything and any place into a holy place. During those months we had plans drawn to erect a new sanctuary on the property where the fire had taken place. My father-in-law and mentor, Dr. E. Lamar McDaniel, pastor of Evangel Temple Church of God and Principal of Evangel Christian Academy, approached me about our plans. We met every morning at the warehouse for prayer and sought God’s direction on the future. It became very evident to us that God had another direction. The first Sunday in June of 1997 Evangel Temple and Cathedral of Praise merged together to form Evangel Cathedral. A new chapter of church life was about to be written. We immediately began plans to build a new sanctuary adjacent to the Family Life Center. In November of 1999 we dedicated the new 1500-seat sanctuary at 7000 Rossville Boulevard on 39 acres of prime property. Since then the congregation continues to grow and we are presently enjoying a powerful move of God. He deserves all the praise, honor and glory!