Claude P. Kilgore

United Pentecostal Church International

1919~1959

Reverend Claude P. Kilgore was born on July 5, 1887, in the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas. His mother died when he was only five years old, and his father, who ran a saloon raised him. There was not much to hope for for this young man who lived in the hills of Arkansas, but when he was 29 years old, Roxie Huges held a tent revival in the hills for a second summer.

Claude's wife, Ella Lee, became interested in the meetings, but he wanted no part of it. He even took the family by foot on a vacation to visit his brother across the mountains to keep his wife from attending the services. After one night of visiting, he was ready to go home. Once back home, Ella Lee quietly laid out his clothes, and prepared his bath so that he would have no excuse for not attending the tent meeting. God brought conviction to his heart, and he was filled with the Holy Ghost. He stated that he "felt like he was walking on air" for fives days afterward. Claude immediately began to share the gospel with other people, and was given the revelation of Jesus' name baptism.

Claude entered the ministry in 1919. He was licensed with the Assemblies of God for two years. Before he received the revelation on the Oneness of God, he had baptized two men in the titles. A Brother Reed in Hot Springs, Arkansas witnessed to him about Jesus being the Mighty God, and baptism in Jesus' name. Sometime after his conversion, while conducting a baptismal service along a creek bank, the two brothers showed up, and Bro. Kilgore re-baptized them in Jesus' name.

Claude worked operating a crane that loaded pine logs onto boxcars. fter he received the Holy Ghost, it seemed to him as though each log was a soul. He has a passion to win the lost and tell others what he had experienced. In 1919, the Kilgore family began to travel extensively throughout North America, evangelizing in a wagon. Later, they were blessed with an old car, and finally they acquired a car, and a trailer. They traveled through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, California, and Missouri. Ella Lee was a constant support as she prayed, worked in the altar, and kept him encouraged.

C.P. Kilgore built brush arbors, made tents for tent revivals, and traveled extensively in order to spread the gospel. He pioneered 15 churches, but never settled down in pastoral work. He was a prayer warrior, a faith preacher, and he had a passion for winning souls to Christ. Brother Kilgore preached for 44 years, averaging one sermon a day for those 44 years. He baptized over 10,000 people. The last church he built was in Morris, Oklahoma. Brother Kilgore passed away in 1959. Claude P. Kilgore was inducted into the Apostolic inisterial Hall of Fame in 2001.

William Joseph Garrett

Apostolic Ministers Fellowship

1928~Present

Reverend Bill Garrett was born October 19, 1928 in Sulphur Springs, Texas. He attended High School in Orange, Texas where he was the captain of the Bengal Tigers football team. Bill was given a scholarship to attend Stephen F. Austin University to play footbal, but chose rather to enter the military, thus he joined the United States Marine Corp. On September 17, 1948 he married his high school sweetheart (Mickey Chatellier). To this union was born four children.

After attending a Pentecostal church just one time, Bill received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. His Spirit baptism came on May 8, 1950 during a cottage prayer meeting. His home church was the Gospel Lighthouse, located at 801 Border Street, Orange, Texas, pastored by J.H. Stanton.

Shortly after receiving the Holy Ghost, Bill accepted the call to preach. He was licensed by the United Pentecostal Church in 1952. He evangelized for one and one half years. In 1955, he became the pastor of the United Pentecostal Church in Boling, Texas. In 1956, he became the pastor of the United Pentecostal Church in Del Rio, Texas. On Memorial Day weekend in 1957, Elder Garrett became the pastor of the United Pentecostal Church in Joplin, Missouri. The church had been started by Brother Irvin Baxter Sr., in 1947.

In the year 2000, Elder Garrett celebrated his 50th year in the ministry. His unique style of preaching has given him a reputation of being a preachers, preacher. He is an avid reader, and uses various illustrations in his sermon presentations to hold his captive audience spellbound. Today, Elder Garrett's dynamic ministry remains in great demand. In 1968, he became a charter member of the newly formed Apostolic ministers Fellowship at Baler, Louisiana. He was honored to serve two terms as the General Chairman of the AMF. Reverend William J. Garrett was inducted into the Apostolic Ministerial Hall of Fame in 2001.

Frank Bartleman

Apostolic Faith Movement

1871~1936

Reverend Frank Bartleman was born in 1871. He was an early Pentecostal evangelist, and the primary chronicler of Pentecostal origins in Los Angeles. On October 15, 1893, Bartleman was convertd. The following summer he received his call into full time ministry, and began formal preparation by attending Temple College, and briefly at Moody Bible Institute. He also ministered with the Salvation Army, the Weslyn Methodists, Piller of Fire, and the Penial Missions while working at a number of tent making jobs.

The tragic loss of his first child in 1901, had a profound effect on Brother Bartleman, and as a result, he reaffirmed his commitment to the ministry. Brother Bartleman attended the Azusa Street Mission, and prayer meetings led by William J. Seymour from 1906-1908. He seldom remained at one address for very long. Bartleman preached as an iternerant evangelist for 43 years.

Theologically, Bartleman was always looking for the latest work of God. He wished for more unity among Pentecostals, and he wrote a book on the deity of Christ, arguing for liberty of conscience in the Jesus' name baptismal formula controversy. Brother Bartleman died on the afternoon of August 23, 1936.  Frank Bartleman was inducted into the Apostolic Ministerial Hall of Fame in 2001.