OUR PASTOR
Blessed with a long rich heritage in the Church Of God In Christ, his grandfather, the late Elder William H. Coles, founded and served as the Pastor of Holy Temple Church Of God In Christ in Roanoke, Virginia from 1927 to 1947. His father, Lloyd C. Coles, Sr. served until his death in 1957.
Bishop Coles was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost under his father’s ministry. He was called to the ministry in 1973, and ordained in 1975 under the late Bishop Samuel Kelsey of Washington, D.C.
Bishop Coles’ trademark kindness and God given humility have set him apart for use by God. For many years, he has been a faithful servant and ardent worker in the District of Columbia area, serving in various capacities, including Administrative Assistant to the late Bishop Warren G. Crudup, and Treasurer for the Washington, D. C. Jurisdiction.
In 1986, the Lord directed him to begin Saint Stephen Church Of God In Christ. With a passion for souls, and for ministering God’s word, the church has under gone renovations and the impact of the ministry in the community has been tremendous.
Bishop Neavelle Coles was consecrated and ratified as bishop of the Washington, District of Columbia Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church Of God In Christ on Monday, November 14, 2005 during the Holy Convocation in Memphis, Tennessee.
On December 14, 2005, he was appointed as the Pastor of the New Bethel Church Of God In Christ by Bishop J. Neaul Haynes, General Board Member of the Church Of God In Christ due to the death of the founder of New Bethel, Bishop Sherman Howard. Bishop Coles has been ordained and anointed to pastor both churches.
A graduate of Benjamin Franklin University (George Washington), with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting, he had a successful career in both the private sector and with the Federal government. An entrepreneur, Bishop Coles is making an impact with his own brokerage and real estate companies. He is married to Mother Leona Rogers Coles, and they are the proud parents of three married children.
The ABC’s of Giving Your Life to Christ
“A” is for Admit. You must admit to God that you are a sinner. You must be sorry for your sins and turn away from sinning. Verses that support this step are: Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
“B” is for Believe. You must believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for sin. Verses about believing include: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
“C” is for Confess. You must confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Read the following verse: Romans 10:9-10,13 9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved…. 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
After you admit to God that you are a sinner, repent and turn from your sin, believe that Jesus is God’s Son sent to die to pay for the sins of the world, and confess your faith in Jesus, you are a Christian and know Jesus as your Savior.
Admit! Believe! Confess! Here is a sample prayer that will help you begin:
Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner, and that I need Your grace. Thank you for loving me enough to send your Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for my sins. I believe that He arose from the dead and that He lives today. I confess my sins to You now, and ask that You place Your Holy Spirit in my heart that I may turn away from my sins. I love You, I believe in You, and I want to have a personal relationship with You.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
If you have recently prayed this prayer and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, we invite you to contact us so that we may REJOICE and WORSHIP with you in your new-found faith. If you have not yet accepted Jesus into your life, please make an effort to contact us so that we may share God’s love with you. Either way, we invite you to join us in Christian fellowship.
God’s grace to you!
OUR CHURCH
We Believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible written Word of God.
We Believe that there is One God, externally existent in Three Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
We Believe in the Blessed Hope, which is the rapture of the Church of God, which is in Christ at His return.
We Believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance: faith in the precious Blood of Jesus Christ and being baptized in water.
We Believe that regeneration by the Holy Ghost is absolutely essential for personal salvation.
We Believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing for the human body in answer to believing in prayer.
We Believe that the baptism in the Holy Ghost, according to Acts 2:4 is given to believers who ask for it.
We Believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by Whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a holy and separated life in this present world.
Reference Scriptures For Our Beliefs Include, But Are Not Limited To The Following:
-
Psalm 19:7-11, Isaiah 40:8, 2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:21, Genesis 1:26
-
Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 28:19-20, John 1:1-14, Acts 1:11, Philippians 2:5-11
-
John 16:8-14, Romans 8:26, Acts 2:38-39, Ephesians 5:18, John 14:6
-
Romans 3:10-23, Titus 3:5, Matthew 3:13-17, 26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11:23-34
-
Matthew 24:1-51, John 14:1-3, Corinthians 15, 1Thessalonians 4:13-18