Our History

In 1972, Bishop W. L. Porter founded Greater Community Temple Church Of God In Christ. The church was located in an area of Memphis that desperately needed a true God-sent ministry. Even though the initial congregation consisted of Bishop Porter’s immediate family only, Greater Community Temple was recognized as the largest COGIC building in the city. Newspapers across town jokingly stated the church had “Everything… but members.”

Greater Community Temple (GCT) became a beacon of hope for North Memphis, providing physical, mental, and spiritual nurturing for many families. In 1991, after years of watching God move miraculously, Bishop Porter appointed his son, Brandon B. Porter, as the pastor of this great ministry. Since Brandon Porter’s appointment, GCT has grown tremendously in membership and service towards the community, therefore, continuing the standard of excellence established by Bishop W. L. Porter.

Bishop Brandon and Mrs. Porter, along with the GCT family, are continuing to “Impact the Community to Change the World.” Like North Memphis, Hickory Hill was another community in need of a “soil-breaker.” Brandon Porter was sent by God to enrich this area by planting an ever yielding Word of God to people hungry for the truth. In 1999, by acquiring our East Memphis-Hickory Hill property, we became “One Church in Two Locations.” Even our Family Life Center flourishes as a “Beacon of Hope,” compelling the saved and unsaved to come in and fellowship.

Greater Community Temple offers many avenues of ministry for the community, which includes television, radio, and the worldwide web, seen and heard throughout the week. The cutting edge and progressive efforts of Greater Community Temple Ministries have fortified its commitment to “Build a Greater Community” by breathing life, prosperity, and spiritual vitality into the depths of Memphis and the Mid-South.