Five people. A home on Wisconsin. That’s where it all began. This is Temple of Faith Baptist Church. In 1968 Pastor Rochelle Davis Jr had a vision. He wanted to build a community to glorify God. His motto a spark that would become a flame. This wasn’t a split from another church. This was a new beginning. A vision.
Temple of Faith Baptist Church started small. Very small. Just five people gathered in the Davis home. Pastor Rochelle Davis Jr his wife Mariah and the Grovers and Sis Orangie Robinson. They were the foundation. The first stones of this church.
Their first church building was far from ideal. An old dilapidated building on Grand River at Wyoming. The furnace was broken. They persevered. They moved to Fenkell at Mendota. Their first public service was there. March 1969. Rev Dale Cross preached. A young girl Dinetra Sams accepted Christ. She became their first member. The church grew. More people joined. Sis Everlena McElroy Sis Edna Murray Bro Jimmie Capers and others.
Growth brought challenges. The landlord wanted to expand his business. Temple of Faith had to move again. They found an old ice cream parlor. 14810 Wyoming at Eaton. Members cleaned the place. They made it their own. The congregation reached thirty members. The building only held forty.
They needed a bigger space. They found a church declining in the area. Negotiations were tough. Finally they acquired the building at 17188 Greenfield. This was in the early 1970s. Seventy members mostly children. The church was constituted April 4 1971. Their first service in the new building was September 1971. Ministries grew. The church outgrew the building again.
Again a move was necessary. This time to a building owned by Nativity Lutheran Church on West Chicago. July 17 1983 thirteen members attended the last service on Greenfield. Then they moved to their new home. Temple of Faith continued to expand its reach. They conducted surveys. They visited homes. They started a Vacation Bible School. They got involved in sports. They even opened a Daycare Center.
Temple of Faith Baptist Church. This is more than a building. It’s a testament to faith perseverance and community. It’s a story of growth. It’s a legacy built on a vision. It started small. From five people in a home. It grew. It’s a church that has touched lives in Detroit and beyond. This church. Temple of Faith Baptist Church continues its mission. A testament to a vision. A spark that became a flame.