Why do I need to belong to a church?
This is a question people often ask. A church is more than a building; it's a family. When you're hurting, when you're in need, when you're discourage, where do you go? You go to your family. We are to fellowship with those of like precious faith (II Peter 1:1). And as we do, we are blessed, others are blessed, and the will of God is accomplished in the earth.
Faith Temple is a family church where everyone feels both welcomed and loved. Our desire is to not only provide a ministry that meets the needs of those that fellowship with us, but to teach and train our members to meet the needs of others. That is accomplished through teaching the uncompromised Word of God, and through various ministries in the church.
Our Purpose and Vision
To bring people to Jesus and Gather them into the local body; help them to Grow into Christ like maturity; teach them to Give of themselves and their abilities in ministry; to Go into every man's world with the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to break through the pains of humanity and to Glorify God.
In addition to this purpose, the Lord told T.R. that we were to "Feed the babies and heal the sick." We accomplish this through basic, yet annointed teaching and preaching designed to help us grow up in Christ. Also, by teaching and preaching on God's will for all to be healed. We have seen many miracles and healings take place as a result of our obedience in this area.
The Faith Temple Staff
Our Pastor, T.R. Harper and his wife Michelle are graduates of Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They have a son, Michael, a daughter-in-law Brandi, and a daughter, Heather. They also have three grandchildren, Jordan, Kirsten, and Payton. T.R. was saved in 1977 at a home in Weaver, Alabama at the age of 19 and Michelle was saved in 1966 in St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 8. Since the time of their "new births" they both have had a desire to do whatever God wanted them to do. In 1979 both of them felt God was leading them to Rhema. That first year they met and then married. T.R. completed a second year at Rhema and upon graduation they returned to Alabama where they helped Pastor Smith at Faith Temple. Two years later they felt that God had called them to pastor a church. They pastored two other churches before returning to Faith Temple to lead the congregation when Pastor Smith retired in 1996. Michelle is also the praise and worship minister at the church.
Our youth pastors are Mark and Angela Boswell.
Our children's pastors are Frank and Kim Reid. Frank and Kim have been menbers of Faith Temple since the beginning of the church. They both attended and graduated from our Christian school. After graduation, Frank attended and is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center. In the fall of 1989 they returned to Faith Temple as children's pastors and have been here ever since. They have three children, two boys and a girl.
All financial records are handled by our bookkeeper Jan Hughes. Jan started out as a part time employee in 1993 and has since become full time. Her duties go far beyond the calculator. She is definitely an asset to our staff.
There are many other volunteer staff and ministers at Faith Temple. They are vital to the success of this church. Come visit us and get to know them.
