What began as a Bible study in someone’s home evolved into what you see now Greater Evangel Temple Baptist Church. David and Mary McClintic started the Bible study. They desired to start a church under Continental Baptist Missions.
In 1993 a group of 13 believers joined missionaries Bill and Terri Jenkin. Together they signed a Covenant of Purpose. This established Evangel Baptist Fellowship.
Evangel’s first Sunday morning service occurred in May 1993. It took place at the Sun-N-Fun RV Resort’s Garden Room. That October Evangel moved. It relocated to the Women’s Resource Center in Sarasota Florida. There they began meeting on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.
In May 1995 the members made a resolution. They wanted to form Evangel Baptist Fellowship into a local church. This would give it all the rights and privileges of a New Testament Church. The Constitution and Statement of Faith were adopted. Officers were elected.
The congregation began using the Out of Door Academy in 1996. An AWANA program was established at Greater Evangel Temple Baptist Church. God allowed the church to grow. Individuals accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The property on Lorraine Road in Lakewood Ranch was purchased in 1998. Building plans started in October of that year.
Greater Evangel Temple Baptist Church was recognized as an independent Baptist church in 1999. The church moved to Haile Middle School. This allowed for further growth. God brought in families to oversee areas of responsibilities. These were all signs that missionaries Bill and Terri were working themselves out of a job.
Under the leadership of Continental Baptist Missions’ missionary builders construction began in August 2002. Volunteers also helped. The first service in the new facilities was held on March 30 2003.
In 2004 Pastor Brent Hockema was called to be the pastor. He served until 2007. Pastor Andy Goad was called to Greater Evangel Temple Baptist Church in January 2009.
The New Evangelistic Temple Church formerly known as Evangelistic Temple has a glorious spiritual heritage. It was founded in 1916 by Raymond T Ritchey and his father Eli. Raymond Richey became a very famous American healing evangelist. He was a mentor to Kathryn Kuhlman and John Osteen. John Osteen was the founding pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston.
Because of Raymond’s evangelistic anointing Evangelistic Temple grew. It ministered regularly to thousands. The current Senior Pastor of the newly named New Evangelistic Temple Church is Tom Moffett. Intercessors associated with the church have been praying for restoration of the great miraculous healings. Pastor Tom desires to see this not in its original manifestation as in the days of Raymond Richey when he was the sole instrument of the miracles but in a form in which the Lord uses ordinary believers to heal the sick.
At the NET church the weekly Sunday Evening Healing Services are going on. Incredible testimonies include healing of cancers of the lung and of the liver. No sickness scares us any longer. Senior Pastor Tom and I leave the ministry for the believers to do every Sunday after a short fifteen minutes of teaching on the authority of believers to heal in Jesus’ Name.
Greater Evangel Temple Baptist Church has a rich history. It continues to serve its community.