Bishop Samuel N Hancock Founder of the PCAF Presided 1957-1963 Bishop Samuel Nathan Hancock was born in 1883 in Adair, Kentucky. He was saved in 1912 in Indianapolis, Indiana, under the ministry of Bishop Garfield Thomas Haywood. Bishop Hancock was called to the ministry in 1914, and he served as Assistant Pastor of the Apostolic Faith Assembly, located at the corner of Eleventh and Senate Street in Indianapolis. From there he moved to Detroit, Michigan and became the Pastor of a small mission that was under the supervision of Elder Levi Miles. Under Bishop Hancock s leadership, the Greater Bethlehem Temple Church grew to a membership of more than 3,000 parishioners. Hancock was ordained as Assistant Pastor to Bishop Haywood in 1917. Bishop Samuel Hancock was elevated to the Bishopric of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World in 1927. He was the Diocesan Bishop over the states of Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa. He served in this capacity until 1931, after which he became one of the leaders who consummated the merger into the Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ. In 1957, Bishop Hancock and the late Bishop Willie Lee, who at the time was Pastor of Christ Temple Church of Indianapolis, Indiana, left the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World for good. Together, along with other ministers, they organized the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith until Bishop Hancock s demise in 1963. Bishop Hancock served as the Presiding Head and Bishop Lee served as his assistant. Many miracles, signs and wonders were witnessed during Bishop Hancock s fearless, faith-filled 42 years of divine leadership. Bishop Hancock beseeched us through all his endeavours, his message and demonstrations by his own life to be saved and to walk circumspectly before God in love.
Bishop Heardie Leaston Assisted in Founding the PCAF 1957 Heardie Leaston was born in Milledgeville, Georgia, September 7, 1885. He moved to Detroit in 1912 and united with the Hartford Avenue Baptist Church. He remained there until 1929. This same year he was baptized in Jesus Name and filled with the Holy Ghost in accordance with Acts 2:38. In 1918 he was united in Holy Matrimony to Miss Beacher Sapp. No children were born to this union. Beacher preceded him in death. In 1943 Elder Leaston established the Apostolic Faith Mission at the corner of Wyoming and W. Eight Mile Road. The Lord added souls to the church and the Mission continued to grow. Elder Leaston and the saints then started building a basement in order to establish a permanent place of worship. Elder Leaston realized the Mission location was not adequate to house the saints, so he and the saints agreed to purchase two lots at the corner of Reimanville and Pasadena. On April 30, 1949, Bishop Leaston was united in Holy Matrimony to Rebba Wyatt. No children were born to this union. In 1960, the Church was awarded a certificate for outstanding improvements in the community of Royal Oak Township. For many years Bishop Heardie Leaston was a pillar of strength to the saints of Zion. Bishop Heardie Leaston assisted in founding the PCAF as one of its incorporators and was a long serving member of the Board of Bishops.
Bishop David Collins Assisted in Founding the PCAF 1957 Bishop David L. Collins was born on February 12, 1900, to the union of William and Rose Collins in a log house near Yazoo City, Mississippi. He was the third child of a family of six. At the age of twelve, early in the year 1912, his father died after a long illness. Recognizing his responsibility to his mother, Bishop Collins went to work to support her and the family. He continued working in Mississippi until 1921, when he left and traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, and gained employment there. Then, in 1923, Bishop Collins left Kansas City and came to Detroit to work at the Packard Motor Company. In the mid twenties, David was united in Holy Matrimony with Viola Smith who preceded him in death. In 1930, while working for an automobile company, his cousin led him to Clinton Street Bethlehem Temple Church, located at 2238 Clinton Street in Detroit, Michigan, where Bishop S. N. Hancock was Pastor. It was there that Collins received the water baptism in Jesus name and on March 13, 1930, he received the gift of the Holy Ghost. In the later part of 1932, Bishop Collins was called into the ministry at Clinton Street Bethlehem Temple Church. His ministry was threefold: establishing churches, teaching, and conducting Bible classes under the leadership of Bishop Hancock. He assisted Bishop Hancock in establishing churches in New Haven, Michigan; Port Huron, Michigan; Monroe, Michigan; Jackson, Michigan; Delray, Michigan; and finally, the Bethel Church in Detroit, Michigan. He continued his work of establishing churches until the year of 1952, when Bishop Hancock appointed him as his Assistant Pastor of Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple Church. In 1957, he was one of the founders of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith. After Bishop Hancock s death on Sunday, August 18, 1963, Bishop Collins assumed full responsibility as Pastor of Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple Church. By this time, the church had relocated from 2238 Clinton Street to 2900 West Chicago Boulevard on March 10, 1963.
Bishop Willie Lee Presided 1963-1964 Bishop Willie Lee was married to Maggie Taylor Lee. They were the parents of two children. Bishop Willie Lee served as Assistant Pastor to Bishop Hancock at Clinton Street Bethlehem Temple in Detroit. In 1938 he became the Pastor of Christ Temple Church in Muskegon, Michigan and pastored for approximately 10 years. In 1954 he became Pastor of the Mother Church of Pentecost, Christ Temple Church of Indianapolis, Indiana and served as Pastor until his death in 1969. After the resignation of Bishop Poole, he served as Diocesan Bishop of the Illinois State Council. In 1954 he assisted in organizing the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith. He served as the Assistant Presiding Bishop to Bishop Hancock. After the demise of Bishop Hancock, Bishop Lee became the organization s Presiding Bishop. He eulogized the Home Going Service of Bishop Hancock where more than 20,000 people attended.
Bishop Elzie W. Young Presided 1964-1989 Bishop Elzie William Young was born on October 13, 1913 to Julia and Levite Young in Fayette County of Lexington, Kentucky. While a young child, approximately 8 years old, Elzie was baptized in Jesus name at the First Pentecostal Church (Lexington, Kentucky), under the leadership of Mother Murphy. It was a very cold winter night when Elzie was baptized and since baptism clothes were not provided, Elzie had to walk home wet. On March 28, 1932, he met and married Ruby Eggleston of New Orleans, Louisiana. They moved back to Lexington, Kentucky and lived with his mother. Eventually, all of them relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio. In 42 years of marriage to Ruby Young, nine children were born. In 1955, one daughter, Billie, passed away at the age of 21. In 1932, Elzie Young received the gift of the Holy Ghost. He tried to continue working at the race track, but it became difficult. He had very limited work experience, so the rich horse owners would give him work to do on their farms. Finally, he decided that the race track was no place for him. He acknowledged his call to the ministry. From 1937 to 1945, Elzie attended Christ Temple Church located at Bark Street, under the leadership of Elder Gatewood. In 1946, Bishop Young moved to the First Pentecostal Church, where he became the Church Leader, until the members elected Elder Owen Carter as the Pastor. In 1950, still evangelizing all over the country, Elzie Young secured permission from Elder Jasper Phillips and started his own church. Its members consisted of Elder Young as Pastor, his wife, Mrs. Ruby Young, his mother, Ms. Julia Burton and Mrs. Lola Bradshaw. In 1957, Elder Young became a District Elder of the State of Ohio. In 1958, he became a Bishop. In 1962, he became the Assistant Presiding Bishop to Bishop Lee of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. A short while later, a new organization was started. In 1964, he became the Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. Every three years, he was re-elected to be the Presiding Bishop. During Elzie s tenure as Presiding Bishop of the PCAF, it was decided that he should remain Presiding Bishop, until his death. It is also noted that when he started presiding over the organization, there was $5.00 in the treasury and by the end of his tenure, the organization was worth over $1,000,000.00
Bishop D, Rayford Bell Presided 1989-2000 Bishop Dennis Rayford Bell was born on July 9, 1923 in Mississippi. In April 1949, at the age of 26, he first heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and began a new life. Bishop Bell came up through the ranks of Christ Temple Church in Chicago, serving in such positions as Sunday School Teacher, Assistant and Superintendent of the Sunday School Department, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Youth Department, Trustee Assistant Pastor and became the Pastor in 1958. He is the Founder of the Christ Temple Apostolic Church in Joliet, as well as the Founder and President of the Midwest Apostolic Bible College in Chicago. Bishop Bell is also the Founder of the Samuel Barnes Christian Academy, a K-8 th grade school named in memory of his Pastor District Elder Samuel Barnes. Both schools are housed in the Dr. D. Rayford Bell Educational Center, located at the Christ Temple Church complex. Bishop Bell is the creator of the Mother Darlene Bell Scholarship Fund to help further the educational dreams of deserving students. Dr. Bell served as Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith from January 1990 July 2000. He also served as the Assistant Presiding Bishop for 19 years under his best friend the late Bishop Elzie W. Young. As senior pastor of Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church for 49 years, his motto is He is Apostolic across the fence, behind the barn and everywhere. Bishop Bell s life has been one of serving the church and the community. He s also a Chaplain for the Chicago Police Department. His primary joy is sharing the life and saving grace of Jesus Christ with others. Bishop Bell has preached the Gospel from the street corners of Chicago to 49 states in the Union; more than 50 Countries on five Continents to the Isles of the sea. Bishop Bell is a firm believer that salvation along with education is the road to true freedom and success. He completed high school at Chicago s LaSalle University. He received a Bachelor s Degree in Religious Studies from Oklahoma s Southwestern College. At American Bible College (Florida), he was a straight A student pursuing his Master s in Theology. In August 1979 from Toledo Bible College, he received his Doctorates of Theology and Philosophy. Accolades were lavished on him for being the first person to receive 2 Doctorate degrees in one year. The sentiments of his heart play like the lyrics of this song, If I can help somebody as I travel along; If I can cheer somebody with a word or a song; If I can tell somebody that he is traveling wrong, then my living shall not be in vain.
Bishop Alfred Singleton Presiding Prelate 2000-2007 Bishop Alfred Singleton was born in Montgomery Alabama, on October 18, 1928. He is the third oldest of seven children that was born to the late Willie and Verona Singleton. Singleton served in the United States Army, and while he was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, he served as an Assistant Pastor under the leadership of District Elder Walls for almost two years. Bishop Singleton matured spiritually under the leadership of the late Bishop S. N. Hancock, who he served under, as an Assistant Pastor in Detroit, Michigan for 4 years. In 1958 God called him to California, where he founded several churches and served as the Diocesan Bishop of the State of California, the Eastern and Southern States, and the State of Wisconsin. In 1972 the Lord blessed Bethlehem Temple Church of Lansing, Michigan with the dynamic leadership of Bishop Alfred Singleton. Since 1974 he has served as the Diocesan Bishop of the State of Michigan. Bishop Singleton has been the Treasurer of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith since 1974 and is a Senior Bishop on the Board of Bishops. Bishop Singleton has studied extensively. He holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Theology and is the Chief Executive Coordinator of the Michigan Campus of the Midwest Apostolic Bible College. Bishop Singleton has been preaching for more than 50 years. He has been married to the late Mother Elizabeth Hawkins-Singleton for more than 50 years. They were the very proud parents of 12 children, 26 grandchildren and 2 great grand children. In 2005 Mother Elizabeth Singleton went home to be with the Lord. In March 2000, at the Midwinter Convention that was held in Atlanta, Georgia, Bishop Singleton was elected and voted upon by the Board of Bishop s and District Elders as the unanimous choice, for the seat of the Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith Association, Inc. In March 2001 at the Midwinter Convention in Florida, Bishop Singleton was installed as the Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith Association, Inc.