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Rev. Joseph Roswell Flower

Assemblies of God

1888 ~ 1970

Reverend J.Roswell Flower was born in 1888, Belleville, Canada, to George Lorenzo and Bertha Rice Flower. While still a young man, Flower's parents and grandparents came into contact with followers of John Alexander Dowie. In 1902 the family moved to Dowie's community in Zion City, Illinois. Disillusionment, however, prompted the family to move to Indianapolis, Indiana where they soon identified with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. When the Pentecostal message came to Indianapolis in January 1907 through the ministry of Glenn A. Cook, it strongly impacted the congrgation of the Gospel Tabernacle.

As the revival continued, Flower surrendered his life to Christ (April 14) and shortly after became active in the ministry. In 1908, Flower spent one month in St. Louis, Missouri at the "Faith Home" operated by "Mother" Mary Moise where he experienced the power of the Holy Ghost.  In 1911, J. Roswell and Alice Reynolds were united in Holy Matrimony.

In 1913, Flower began his first pastorate in Indianapolis. Over time, he became friends with Elder G.T. Haywood. In that same year, the first World-wide Pentecostal Campmeeting was held in Arroyo Seco, California. It was during this campmeeting that the name of Jesus was given special attention, especially after Rev. Robert McAlister mentioned that none of the Apostles ever baptized using the "Titles" Father, Son and Holy Ghost, but that they always used the shorter formula, "In the Name of Jesus". This enlighenment brought about such turmoil until it divided many of the Pentecostal preachers of that time.

The Assemblies of God was formed (in April of  1914) after the Arroyo Seco meeting, and as the issue of baptism in the Name of Jesus intensified among these Pentecostal ministers, J. Roswell Flower became set in the defence of his trinitarian position. He had been elected to serve as the first General Secretary of the Assemblies of God, and because of this position he had great influence on the acting members of the General Board. At this time the Assemblies of God had their headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri on 2800 Easton Avenue, and some of the officials from this organization were living in Mother Moise's home.

One day, Glenn Cook visited Mother Moise's home on a friday evening. He was on his way to Indiaiapolis, Indiana, but stopped in St. Louis to visit his friend Ben Pemberton. That day, Mother Moise and Brother Pemberton spoke with Brother Cook concerning the Oneness doctrine. Brother Cook stayed at the home until Sunday afternoon, because Mother Moise had asked him to preach for the Sunday morning service. At this particular service were E.N. Bell and Roswell Flower. Brother Cook chose Acts 2:38 as his text and preached water baptism in Jesus' name. Brother Pemberton being convinced of the sermon, asked Brother Cook to baptize him.

After his victory in St. Louis, Brother Cook traveled to Indianapolis in an attempt to persuade G.T. Haywood to accept baptism in Jesus' Name. J. Roswell Flower wrote Haywood a letter, warning him that Cook was on his way with a disruptive doctrine, and not to accept it. Little did he know that Cook had already arrived in Indianapolis ahead of the warning, and after listening to Brother Cook, Haywood, accepted the message and was re-baptized in Jesus' name, and afterward led his entire congregation into the Apostolic formula of baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Haywood wrote Flower back saying, "Your letter came too late. I have already accepted the message, and have been baptized."

Charles Rodney Free

Apostolic Ministers Fellowship

1933 ~ Present

Charles Rodney Free was born November 16, 1933 in the home of William and Sudie Free, in Silsbee, Texas. The last of eight children, he was enrolled in Silsbee School District, and attended there from grades 1 to 12.

Rodney was converted in the First Baptist Church in Silsbee at the age of nine with a very personal experience. His first sermon was "The Net Gathered of Every Kind" preached August 17, 1947, in the First Baptist Church.

He was baptized in Jesus' name by Rev. Kimble Watson, on September 2, 1948, and received the Holy Ghost on September 22, 1948 at the First Pentecostal Church in Silsbee, Texas, where the late E.W. Stanley was pastor.

Charles and Herbert Free began their first revival together with Brother M. E. Burr at Batson, Texas. There was a phenominal outpouring of the Holy Ghost, a wonder to all. Other revivals followed, with thrilling results and signs and wonders by the Holy Ghost. At age 17, Rodney preached a revival with signs and wonders for Brother Robert LaFleur in Oakdale, Louisiana. Brother Eldon Reves was saved in that meeting. Next came meetings for C.C. Kirby, Royal Oak, Michigan, and Brother Silvernale in Bay City, MI, and Brother McFarland and Brother Fraze in Illinois.

October 30, 1951 was the wedding date for Charles Rodney Free and Bonnie Marie Cook. They were a team, in all classes of gospel work, and walked step by step and hand in hand, for 57 years, at this writing.

Charles Rodney Free assisted the late Corlis Dees in Texas, and continued evangelizing, including Brother Escar Dillion, Brother V.A. Guidroz, Brother Hennigan, Brother Fred Olson, Brother Marvin Cole in Bay City, Sister Mildred Deville, Brother Herbert Phillips, Brother J.T. Pugh in Port Arthur, and Brother M.C. Gree in Leesville, Louisiana, and had a great revival in South Bend, Indiana with Carl Ballestero. A 13 week revival with Brother O.R. Fauss of Houston, Texas still lives on today. One of the most exciting of all the revivals was in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with the great J.W. Evans. The revival in Bakersfield, California for Brother Ike Terry was a truly great move of God, with so many being saved. And there were many more.

Fruitful Ministry Foundation was formed in 1970. "How To Revive Any Church In 90 Days" was the theme, led by C.R. Free, Ray Majors, C.M. Duplissey, Verbal Bean, and M.C. Green. 

Apostolic Bible School, led by Brother Verbal Bean, invited Brother Free to teach a course on "Communicating Your Message".

Brother Free pastored in Grove, Texas from 1954 to 1961, and built the great work there. Several Ministers were trained and deployed into the work of the Lord from there.

He assumed the pastorate at First Pentecostal Church of Sulphur, Louisiana in July, 1970. Brother Bill Cranford built that work up until his stroke and disablement. 

The Apostolic Ministers Fellowship formed in Baker, Louisiana in 1968. Brother Free served as General Chairman for two terms.

In February of 1970, the late great evangelist and pastor Verbal Bean lost his life in a tragic auto accident. It had been his request that Brother Free would take his church. In May, 1970, Brother Free accepted that responsibility and labored faithfully for 13 years at that church. He led in the construction and complete pay off of a grand new building. Revival was constant, and attendance reached over 1,000 before his resignation. Several ministers and missionaries trained and were deployed during that time.

In 1985, Brother Free preached, "Evangelist Meets Dogmatist" during the General Conference of the UPCI in Fort Worth, Texas. Until today, ministers testify that it was the one message that changed their lives and directions.

Brother Free resigned in 1989, and spent 6 years building and operating 325 acres of tree, sod, and catfish farming in Chambers County, Texas. It was a time of work and refreshing for the Frees. Retired (they thought) they moved to Los Banos, California after recovering from a series of surgeries, to be with daughter Lori and her husband Doug Young. When Doug and Lori left, in 1999, the church voted 100% to ask the Frees to stay, and they did. And what a revival broke out. 100 were baptized in 3 months, and the church quickly grew beyond their strength to cover all the basess. Doug and Lori returned, and the blessing was everywhere.

Lori died in 2000, leaving her husband and two small children. Lauren, 7, and Anthony, 5.

The Frees also were blessed with the birth of Charles Randall Free in 1958. He is now the pastor of Crossroads Church in Denton, Texas.

The Frees now live in quiet retirement, preaching at special occasions, and researching and writing, in Spring, Texas. He serves the body in consulting and in conflict resolutions. Audio Recordings of C.R. Free are available in the audio library of the Apostolic Archives International.

Elder William Perry Foree

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

1931 ~ 1988

Dr. William P. Foree, the son of Jesse and Etta Gullian Foree, was born February 2, 1932 in New Castle, Kentucky. He attended grade school in New Castle and high school at Lincoln Institute, Lincoln Ridge, Kentucky. He attended Kentucky State University, Southern Baptist Seminary and Simmons Bible College where he graduated in 1959. He served in the United States Army from October 26, 1953 to October 25, 1955.

On October 17, 1953, he was united in Holy Matrimony to the late Roberta Thomas Foree. To this union were born two children. William was baptized in the Name of Jesus and filled with the Holy Ghost in1957 under the late David T. Schultz. After serving faithfully in his home church for a number of years, he was called to the ministry and was placed in a church to pastor by the late Bishop Schultz.

He pastored Bethel Star Apostolic Church in Lebanon, Kentucky for nine years. In 1971, a vacancy occured in the Pentecostal Assembly Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and he was called to pastor there. In May of 1973, he was called home to assure the pastorship of his home church due to the death of Bishop David T. Schultz. He served many years as Chairman of the First Apostolic Council of Kentucky and Middle Tennessee and was currently the Vice Chairman. He was on the Board of Directors at Aenon Bible College, Indianapolis, Indiana, operated by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and was currently serving as Vice Chairman.

He believed and stood on the Word of God and was a dynamic preacher, teacher and loving pastor. Many souls were saved under his ministry. On July 27, 1985, he was united in Holy Matrimony to Bobbie A. Talley from Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. William P. Foree departed this earthly life on January 30, 1988 at the age of fifty-five years old.  Audio Recordings of Dr. William Foree are available in the Audio Library of the Apostolic Archives International.

The Pearl Harbor bombing by the Japanese December 7, 1941, would again drastically alter the Foster familys future. The father would become an officer sailing in the Merchant Marine. The brother would be a US Navy Gunners Mate aboard merchant ships. The mother and sister would work in the shipyards in Richmond, CA.

At the age of 16 years and 2 months, Fred Joined the US Navy in March 1943. He served, after electrical school, aboard the minesweeper USS Vigilance. After leaving Pearl Harbor they were catching up with the Pacific war in the Gilbert Islands.

The US, then pushed on through the Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, to the strategic Ulithi Atoll Port, and on to Peliliu in the Palau Islands. Fred left the ship then for Military Government School at the Presidio, in Monterey, CA. They were learning Japanese and readying for the November 1945 invasion of Japan.

President Truman and Military Leaders thought the loss of life (estimated at 75,000-200,000) for the invasion too high, so the decision to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was made. This ended the war in August 1945.

While going to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and participating in the athletic program, Fred and his future wife, Pat, came to God the same night, April 1948, in the pastorate of W.H. Massengale during an A.W. Hicks revival.

Fred, feeling a call to preach, transferred to Pentecostal Bible Institute in Tupelo, Mississippi.

P.B.I. summer school students, 1949, held a brush arbor meeting. After two weeks they were going to close it down, so Fred and another student decided to continue with many coming to God. They resolved to start a church. Pat joined in this endeavor after marriage September 10, 1949. This was the beginning of Cedar Grove Pentecostal Church. Fred and Pat went back and preached the 50th Anniversary.

In September 1954, because Albuquerque had tripled in size, Fred and Pat founded Calvary Pentecostal Church.

While here in his late twenties, God called Fred to begin a bible college in the Texas District where he had never ministered. For this to be done, miracles and a few years, had to happen. (Read the story in Mary Wallaces book, Miracles Still Happen.)

The unknown Fred and Pat in 1958, through the miraculous, became pastor of the great Orange, Texas Border Street Church (now First United Pentecostal Church). Sizable growth and a Saturday Bible School for area preachers was developed. Fred and Pat went back and preached both the 75th and 85th anniversaries of the Orange Church.

Fred was founding president of Texas Bible College and it was a phenomenal success from its beginning. Gods rich blessing, with the great Texas District leadership, and the most effective faculty and staff that could be assembled, struck a cord that within a few years had over 400 students. This, amazing all time U.P.C.I. record, was seen through the Fosters last three years.

A whos who of Pentecost comes from those 6 years Pastors, Evangelists, Missionaries, Sectional, District, Conference and Camp Speakers, and International Leaders. The ones we name from the faculty and students are only the International Leaders and District Superintendents.

From the faculty: The sitting Texas Superintendent, V.A. Guidroz, J.T. Pugh, James Kilgore, Arless Glass, O.W. Williams, and E.L. Holley. From the Students: David Mathis, Tommy Hudson, Wayne Huntley, John Grant, Jimmy Hayes, James Sandy, Norman Mills, Leonard Westberg, Charles Bolinger, Edwin Harper, and those now serving as Superintendents, Patton Williams, Mark Jordan, Mike Conn, and Royce Andrus.

Fred and Pat and family were elected pastor of First Pentecostal Church, West Monroe, Louisiana in January 1970. Following the retiring E.W. Caughrons, the first Sunday they had 379 in attendance. The great congregation was poised for wonderful revival and growth over the next 28 years. The church grew to average between 800 and 1,100 with a high of 2,608.

A number of talented young preachers, pastoral assistants, and music directors were mentored during this time. College of Pentecost, which developed into Twin Cities University, blessed many preachers and teachers including several missionaries.

The Fosters made sure the church was U.P.C.I. all the way, by the church giving liberally to all departments, district and international.

After relinquishing the pastorate to his son Mark, Fred redirected to other works of ministry; writing, speaking, etc. He was also challenged by his three years at Jackson College of Ministries, and enjoyed the presidency of that college.

Fred and Edwin Judd were unexpectedly called to the platform by General Superintendent A.T. Morgan, during a business session, as the first General Conference Parliamentarians in 1965, at Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is Freds 40th year to serve that position.

Fred has felt privileged to serve on a number of committees, boards, and offices since his first license in 1950. He has also authored 10 books. He has four earned college degrees.

He and Pats three surviving children serve U.P.C.I. pastorates Mark, West Monroe, Louisiana; Tom, Dallas, Texas; and Debbie and her pastor husband, Steve Saiz, Torrance, California. They have one deceased son, Tim.

The Fosters feel this is a privileged day after all these 61 years, and appreciate serving God and His work, through the U.P.C.I. Audio recordings of Fred Foster are available in the Audio Library of the Apostolic Archives International.

Elder James Phillip Foster

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

1921 ~ 1972

Elder James Foster was born July 9, 1921, in Little Rock, Arkansas, the second child of Joseph and Dora Mae Foster. At the age of 18 months, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, with his family where he was reared as a boy. He was reared as a Catholic and attended Catholic School. He often spoke of how he served as an altar boy and helped serve mass many times.

He enlisted in the Army in 1940, and served for 3 years. While in the Army he married Gloria Davis in Kansas City, Kansas. To this union were born five sons two of which preceeded him in death, and four daughters. On June 29, 1948, he was baptized in Jesus' name, twenty days after his wife's Baptism and received the Holy Ghost. He was saved under the Pastorate of Lula I. Hornbeak, in Kansas City, where he served faithfully. It was from this church that Elder Foster preached his first sermon, and it was here that God in his infinate wisdom and knowledge saw fit to allow Pastor Foster to preach his last.

In 1952, Elder Foster heard the call of the Lord Jesus, and moved to Omaha, where he had his first experience as a Pastor. His first church was a store-front at 24th and Cuming St. later he moved to North 28th Avenue. Sometime after that he moved to another store-front at 20th and Lake St. In 1955, he was lead by the Lord to a small rundown church building at 2316 N. 25 St.

The Lord continued to bless souls to be saved under Elder Foster's ministry and he, having the vision of the Lord before him, enlarged and remoldled this church. As the Lord continued to work through Pastor Foster and souls continued to be added to the church, Elder Foster had a desire to build a temple for God's people. In 1970, Elder Foster broke ground, and started the construction crew to work on the new temple.

On May 13, 1972, District Elder James Foster was called from labor to reward by our great God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was attending the anniversary services at Pentecostal Assembly Church in Kansas City, Kansas with his pastor, Sister Lula Hornbeak. On that Saturday night Elder Foster stepped to the rostrom in his usual manner, and began his first discourse. His thought was "the seven orders of the first resurrection", God allowed him to deliver his message beautifully, and then as the congregation of about 300, looked on Elder Foster finished his course and went on the be with the Lord. Elder Foster died in the place he loved best, in the pulpit preaching the word of God. Audio Recordings of Elder James Foster are available in our Audio Library.

Talmadge French

Worldwide Pentecostal Fellowship

1955 ~ Present

Rev. Talmadge L. French, was born November 7, 1955. began his preaching ministry in 1976. After evangelizing first for four years, and serving as an assistant pastor for three years, he went to the Chicago area in 1983 to establish a new church in Wheaton, Illinois. He served for a time on the UPCI Illinois District Board. Commuting to Indianapolis, Indiana starting in 1994, he began as an Instructor of Bible, Theology, and Biblical Languages at Indiana Bible College. He became Dean of the Department of Biblical Studies in 2000 and moved to Indianapolis as full time Dean and Instructor. Then, from 2005-2007 he served as the Executive Vice President of IBC, as well as fulltime instructor. After leaving IBC in May of 2007, he became Provost of the Apostolic School of Theology, Sacramento, California, as well as an instructor of biblical languages at Patten University, Oakland, California. With AST's collaborative "Institute" partnership with hope International University in 2008, he also became the Director of the fully accredited Apostolic School of Theology Graduate Institute.

He and his wife, Rebecca, reside in Elk Grove, california and have three sons, Ryan, Jonathan, and nathan. In addition to serving as AST Provost, and teaching fulltime in the areas of Biblical studies, languages, and theology, he is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Birmingham, England. Completing his degree in 2009 in the Department of Theology and Religion and the Research Unit for Pentecostal Studies, his Doctorial Dissertation is entitled "Garfield Thomas Haywood and the Rise of Oneness Pentecostalism in Indianapolis."

Educated at Apostolic Institute (St. Paul), Crighton (Memphis), and Wheaton College and Wheaton College Graduate School, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ancient language (Greek) and a master of Arts degree in New Testament Theology. His master of Arts Thesis at Wheaton College Geaduate School on the history of the Oneness Pentecostal movement has been published as Our God Is One: The Story of Oneness Pentecostals. He's also author of the laminate booklet doctrinal series, currently including the titles The Oneness and Jesus' Name Baptism. Audio recordings of Rev. Talmadge French are available in the audio library of the Apostolic Archives International.