What We Believe
∙ In the death burial and resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, John 2:19
∙ In the baptism in the name of Jesus, Acts 2:38; 4:12; St. John 3:5
∙ In the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives the utterance, St. Luke 24:47-48; Acts 1:5, 8; 19:1-4; Matthew 3:11
∙ Jesus’ coming is nigh and we must compel everyone to be prepared for His arrival, St. Mark 16:15, Hebrews 10:37
∙ ALL scriptures are given by the inspiration of God, II Timothy 3:16
Our Vision and Mission
The Vision of Greater Bethlehem Temple is to encourage an atmosphere of Holiness through the Spirit love, praise, worship and the Word.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Those who are seeking refuge for their soul will be drawn to Christ in an atmosphere that is charged with a culture of excellence and expectation. “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that they may run that read it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it: because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
W.R.A.A.P.
Our Mission is to Win, Retain, Actualize, Activate and Perfect souls for the kingdom of God. We strive to minister to the total person’s physical, emotional, social and financial liberation by taking the church to the people and making Greater Bethlehem Temple the most trusted choice of ministry in the community.
II Corinthians 5:18,19 “And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
Church History
The Greater Bethlehem Temple Church was founded by Bishop Walter Jones, Jr. in 1973. The church was originally located at 480 W. Town St. in Columbus, OH. Continued growth made it necessary to seek out a larger facility, so the church relocated to 317 E. Hudson St. The call from the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith - PCAF organization to combine two of its churches to become The Bethlehem Temple Church Apostolic Holiness Church, necessitated the move to the current location at 1725 E. Main St. and has been a landmark in the community for over 40 years.
Our Founder: Bishop Walter Jones, Jr.
Walter Jones, Jr. was born on February 3, 1932 in Williamson Pike County, Georgia, the second eldest of four children born to the union of Mr. Walter Jones, Sr. and Annie Maude Jones.
Bishop Jones was saved and called into the ministry at the early age of twelve where he evangelized in the southern states with Mother Ella Mae Jackson.
In 1967, Bishop Jones joined the Bibleway Church of our Lord Jesus Christ of Columbus, OH under the pastorate of Bishop William C. Latta, where he served faithfully in the Ministerial Alliance until he was called into the pastorate.
In 1971 Bishop Jones was joined in Holy matrimony to Ruth E. Norman, daughter of the late Bishop Elzie W. Young. This union brought together his two sons; Daniel V. Jones and Richard V. Jones and her two sons Leon P. Norman and David E. Norman.
Bishop Jones was a man of the Word, prayer, fasting and faith. He went on to be with the Lord in 2005. His legacy continues under the leadership of our current Pastor, District Elder David E. Norman.
