Church History

Our church had its meager beginning under the leadership of a man named Elder Miller.  The church was set on land that was donated to the church by a woman named Mrs. Hass, who resided here in the city of Bunkie. The church was called the Bunkie Church of God in Christ. It is uncertain how long Elder Miller was the pastor. He was followed by Elder James Edwards who pastored for ten years.  Following Elder Edwards was Superintendent A.C. Abram who began pastoring in 1938. Superintendent Abram pastored this church for 46 years.  As he grew older, he prayed that God would send a younger man. God led Minister Alphonso Denson to come to Bunkie to assist Superintendent Abram. Later,  Superintendent Abram told the church that God had led him to turn the church over into this young man’s hands. He talked to his jurisdictional bishop, Bishop W. K. Gordon, about this transition, but Minister Denson was not an ordained elder and could not be appointed pastor.   After much discussion, Bishop Gordon decided to place Minister Denson at the church as the minister in charge to see how he would do. They asked the church to work with him and on Sunday, October 7, 1984, with permission from Bishop Gordon, Superintendent Abram placed Minister Denson as the new minister in charge. Sometime later, Minister Denson was ordained and officially appointed pastor and has been the leader and pastor since October 7, 1984.  He called the church into prayer on Tuesday and Friday nights.  Not many met he and his wife for prayer, but they continued to come.  Elder Denson led by example.  He was a young sincere man who preached Holiness and lived a Holy life as he continues to do. Under Elder Denson’s leadership, we worked and renovated the old church at 308 North Elm Street, Bunkie, LA and on Sunday, April 29, 1990, it was rededicated and renamed the Abram Temple Church of God in Christ, in honor of our former pastor, Superintendent A. C. Abram.  In August 1993, we purchased the corner lot of land that was adjourning our property on Elm Street.  In July 1996, we were able to add a dining hall to our church, and in 1999 we purchased a church van and has since added a second van to transport the saints Elder Denson always told us that we needed more space for parking and a larger sanctuary.  He wanted to build a church from the ground up. In 2009, we had an opportunity to purchase nearly 3 acres of land with a building on it called the Dawn Fellowship Mission.  This was an outreach mission owned by the First Baptist Church of Bunkie.  It was located at 519 Pershing Highway in Bunkie.  This building had a small sanctuary for worship, an educational wing for training, a fellowship hall for dining, and most importantly plenty of space for growth. These were all of the facilities we needed.  However, the sanctuary was too small, and the building was in really poor condition. However, we saw potential in this property. Being led by God, on March 27, 2009, we purchased this property and began to renovate the existing building. When the small sanctuary, the educational wing and the dining facility were completely renovated, we moved from our old property on Elm Street to our new property on Pershing Avenue. We were so happy and Elder Denson was very thankful for this mighty move of God, but he still had his dream of building a new sanctuary from the ground up.  In July 2009, we began to build the new Abram Temple Church sanctuary.  Our pastor often says that he is so honored that God allowed it to happen.  On April 11, 2010, Bishop James Earl Gordon dedicated the new 10,000 square feet facility, valued at more than $1,000,000 to the Lord.   The Abram Temple Academy and Child Care Center was opened in October 2009, and served the community for two years.  With the passing of our most beloved Jurisdictional Bishop James E. Gordon in April 2014, Pastor Denson was honored by our national church leaders and was selected to become the next jurisdictional bishop of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Eastern Louisiana. He was officially consecrated and installed on November 9, 2014 during the 107th International Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri.   We have had many trials and tribulations, many ups and downs, but God has blessed us.  He has enlarged our territory; we yet own the property on Elm Street, we are a growing church, we are a healthy church, and we are working together.  In the words of our pastor, “It does not yet appear what we shall be…  We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us.”

 Please continue to pray for the Abram Temple Church family.”