Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church was organized in 1944, near the close of World War II. Many Black people had migrated from the South during and after the war. Families that worshipped together in the South began to meet together in homes and under tents to continue to praise the Lord.

Like many other Black Churches, Tabernacle began I the home, and later the members began to worship under a tent across the street from the present location. Later the present location was built and the first place of worship was the Ferrell’s Chapel area.

Description of Church – During the First Era

Though various interviews, these were some recollections:

• Two Weeks of Daytime Bible School
• Pastor’s Ferrell’s Birthday Parties where he celebrated with the children
• Fun Christmas Parties with Bags for all of the children
• Worshipping in Ferrell’s Chapel until the sanctuary was completed in 1947
• Upstairs area only a balcony and two prayer rooms
• Annual Banquets held in the church with women wearing their formal attire
• Church pews filled to capacity
• Radio broadcasts live twice per day with Pastor Ferrell singing “Touch Me Lord Jesus”
• Beginning of the Watts World Revival where the Church reached out to help a Community of newcomers and people struggling from years of Depression
• A church which was the center of the Black community’s social and spiritual life: Sunday School, BTU, two services on Sunday, Church socials

 

Hopes for the Future: Most members from this decade feel good about the Church’s emphasis on evangelism, in order to combat the problems of today’s world: drugs, crime, gangs, juvenile delinquency.

Summary: The Church has come a long way since our first era, and we have survived many trying times. We are confident that the Church is headed in the right direction, with a renewed emphasis upon spreading the gospel in today’s world.

 

 

Tabernacle continued its service to the community during the next decades of its existence. World War II ended, and our troops came home. Many Southern military men and women did not return to their homes in the South. They settled in California, found jobs to support their families and purchased homes in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Brought up in the strong spiritual life of the Black communities of the South, these new residents of Los Angeles chose churches, like Tabernacle, to continue to worship God.

Description of Church- during the second era

Through various interviews, these were some of the recollections:

• Two Weeks of Daytime Bible School continued with many o fthe classes held in the classroom buildings nest door to the church
• Commitment of Bible School Workers, who picked up children in their cars, took them to get food and carried them home
• Separate Sunday School for adults and youth where the youth were able to participate in their own devotional services and give their own reviews of the lesson
• Large Youth Church where Rev. Campbell and Rev. Hall served as youth ministers and other adults rotated working Youth Church
• Continuation of the Radio Ministry every morning and evening. Many people said that they came to Tabernacle to visit and joined after hearing Pastor Ferrell on the radio
• Visitation of Rancho Los Amigos every 2nd Sunday where the youth conducted services for the residents of the facility
• A Missionary Department with circles that met in the home
• Community work by the Missionary Department where members went to the homes of the sick and shut-in to help them with personal needs, cleaning, shopping, bathing, etc.

Hoped for the future: Most members from this decade would like to see the Youth Sunday School involve the young people in learning God’s word and participation in the devotion and reviews. They would like to see the older women of the Church serve once more as spiritual mentors to the young women.

Summary: The Church grew in this era, spiritual and numerically. The members interviewed are confident that the Church continues to grow in the right direction.

 

 

This was the Era of change in our country. President Kennedy had just been assassinated, and the United States would see three more political assassinations which would significantly change our world: the assassination of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. The rumblings of Watergate would drastically change our national government. However, the real changed occurred in our own community with the Watts Riots of 1965, a stunning blow to racial and ethnic harmony and a wake-up call that all was not well in our community. Through all of these changes, the Church on the corner of 114th and Central stood tall, showing that what God builds man cannot destroy. Our pastor responded to the events by becoming involved in the political life of the state and pressing forward to exert his influence to make life better for the Black people of Los Angeles, in general, and the Watts community, in particular.

Description of the Church-during the third era
Through various interviews, these were some of the recollections:

• A devoted and hardworking Deacon Board and Mother’s Board, where the older mothers taught crafts and mentored the young women
• Sunday Night Services and the Radio Ministry
• Ferrell’s Academy which was a viable academic school
• A strong role in the community with many political leaders who worked with the pastor to bring needed resources to our community
• The beginning of the Praise Dancers which inspired our young women
• Many improvements in the Church building and facilities
• A warm compassionate ministry and counseling and a well attended Sunday School
• A strong Youth Church which was self sufficient with a large, spirit filled Youth Choir
• A congregation filled to capacity every Sunday morning

 

Hopes for the future: The members from the Third Era have hopes for a church with a stronger role in the community where churches come together to educate the Black community and improve the circumstances of the people. They hope for a more viable youth group, where young people are trained to really work in church and become the church of the future. They would like to see more cultural outings for the young people and etiquette sessions which teach young men and women how to dress, act and walk like young Christians. They would like to see session where the young people can talk and express their ideas and where adults will really listen to them. They would like to see more warmth and personal touch, where all members will feel they are important to the church ministry.

Summary: The Church continued through the Third Era strong and unified as it grew in its commitment to God and the South Los Angeles Community. Tabernacle has maintained a warm, family oriented ministry with strong emphasis upon community

 

 

This decade saw the growing power of the Black population in the city of Los Angeles. The first Black mayor, Thomas Bradley, gave the community much pride. The communities began to rebuild after the Watts Riot. Black home ownership began to rise, and Black education levels improved. However, there was still much unrest in the Black communities, as gangs increased in strength, and drugs spread throughout our Urban communities. During these trying times, the Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church stood firmly, on the edge of the Watts Community, a beacon of light and hope in a world beset by urban problems.

Description of Church-during the Fourth Era
Through various interviews, these were some of the recollections:

• The last decade of Pastor Ferrell
• A warm spirit-filled church that welcomed and opened its arms to all who came to worship Christ
• An atmosphere which showed us with the spirit of the Lord
• The strong academic school which educated our youth
• The growth of the Watts World Revival which reached out to help the community
• A Church filled with hope for the lost and those overcome by worldly problems
• Complete renovation of the church classrooms
• Continuous growth of the Youth Church

 

Hopes for the future: Most of the members of this era wanted to see further growth in the Church membership and more outreach into the community. They wanted to see the Church help to feed and clothe the community with weekly feeding programs, a pantry filled with food, a clothes closet and regular food basket given, not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also wanted to see more youth, teenage and youth adult involvement, for the children are our future.

Summary: Tabernacle continued to move and to be spiritual alive during the fourth era. Urban unrest, gangs, drugs and poverty permeated the Los Angeles area during these years. However, Tabernacle of Faith continued to be a place of rest, peace and refuge for a sin-sick world. Our Church educated our youth, strengthened the faith of our adults, and reached out to the South Los Angeles Community with the hope of Christian

 

Throughout the era of the 1980’s, the Los Angeles Black Community began to make progress in education, home and business ownership and political power; however, the Rodney King incident reminded our community of the injustices which still existed. Following the LA Riots of 1992, the Black community again began to feel the weigh of discrimination and second class citizenship. Gangs and drugs rampaged in our community, but we had a leader who reminded our people of the grace and mercy of God who accepts us unconditionally, loves us in spite of our sins and saves the lost and sin sick souls. Tabernacle of Faith grew in wisdom and strength as a church that reached out to bring lost souls to the Lord.

Description of Church-during the Fifth Era
Through various interviews, these were some of the recollections:

• Lots of love in the Church
• Feeding of the hungry in the community, as well as Skid Row
• A strong Youth and Young Adult Choir
• Young people active in the Church and excited about the church in their lives
• More outreach in the community
• Counseling of Church members by Pastor Mims who understood our weaknesses and encouraged members to change our lives and work to please the Lord
• Building of self esteem with a pastor who taught us that we are God’s people and God loves us as His children
• Testimonies of truthfulness which helped members t confess and clean up our lives

 

Hopes for the future: Just as members of all of the other era’s, these members dreamed of more young people in our Church to help rebuild and strengthened our hopes for the future. They also hoped for more evangelism to help save lost souls of our community, so that our community can rebuild some of its pride and dignity.

Summary: The members of this era experienced the gang wars, riots and drug wars of this era, but their trust in Christ, the love of their Church family, and a leader who cared all gave them strength and encouragement to hold on to God’s Unchanging Hand.

 

 

The world of technology has arrived, but also a world of continuous gang and drug problems in our community, a world of poverty in the midst of an affluent society and a world of outsourcing of jobs, where the poor are suffering while the rich are getting richer. The Bible predicted “wars and rumors of wars.” This prediction has certainly arrived today with the Israel Conflict, Afghanistan, and the War in Iraq. September 11, 2001, awakened the nation to a new kind of war, the War on Terrorism. However, our Pastor lets us know we should not worry about those worldly events, for we, as Christians and members of Tabernacle of Faith Baptist Church do not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future in His Hands.

Description of the Church-during the Six Era
Through various interviews, these are the recollections:

• Adjustment to death of our leader, Pastor Mims
• A change of leadership with the coming of Pastor Leffall
• Holding fast our Christian faith during a challenging time in our Church
• A Church growing again and welcoming new members with outstretched arms
• A Missionary Society on the rise again with the circles rebuilding their memberships
• A Sunday School filled with learning and an anointed superintendent
• A new emphasis on evangelism with the first graduating class of 2004
• Discipleship classes which help new and continuing members understand the true meaning of being a Christian and following His Great Commission
• A Vacation Bible School which meets the needs of our young people
• An active Youth Church
• A church which reaches our to the community, evangelizing and feeding the hungry, physically and spiritually
• Timely sermons which feed us spiritually, enlightening us with the Good News
• Beautiful, melodious music, especially the organ and saxophone which soothe our souls
• Praise Dancing which involves the young people as they praise the Lord through dance
• The opening of the Church Library

 

Hopes for the future: These newest members of Tabernacle would like to see the Evangelism and Discipleship graduates really put their studies and spiritual inspiration to work and serve as spiritual counselors, mentors for the young people, and missionaries in the communities and help others to become really “Fired Up for Christ.” They would like to see the period between Sunday school and Church filled with spiritual music.

Summary: The Church is growing in the right direction, with emphasis upon saving souls. New members are filled with love and peace and feel welcomed to the Church family. Christian education is taking place for both the young people and the more mature members. The Church is on the right path and holding fast its Christian leadership.