Since the day of our inception, this body of believers has gone through many changes; some for good and others seemingly for bad, but all things have been and are being proven to work together for our good. Change is certainly inevitable, for people to grow and mature; and it is needful, if any true believer in Christ would fill up the sum of what it means to be a Christian.

 

Some of the changes we've endured as a church on the road to spiritual maturity have been hard and we like Israel again had to look up and wonder, "What was God doing?" Then we had to wonder how we would react to what God was doing. We asked, "Lord, what are you doing?" When we considered the number of souls who had joined our ranks only to stay a little while and then fall away. Many times, one has said to another, "we'd have one of the greatest churches in Columbus, Ohio if only everyone who came up the aisle and shook Bishop Hairston's hand and signed the roll would have stayed with us.

Sometimes key members would leave, people who were good leaders, good singers, ushers, Sunday school teachers, preachers, or just plain good ole bench members. In the month of February 1983, when the Lord moved the camp from 2060 Brentnell Avenue over to 2812 Osceola Avenue, we lost members and skeptical onlookers said, " Oh, they've had it now!" Even we didn't understand what the Lord was doing, but we were willing (I mean those like Gideon's band) to follow knowing that even if we couldn't see it, God could and he shared it with the Pastor; who was not working from blind faith, but was seeing through the eyes of Go. But to us, we were giving up a nice big roomy building and an independent status for what seemed to be a subverted position and a building that seemed for size like a matchbox.

 

It seemed that every time we got comfortable in our surroundings, the cloud would move and we had to pull up stakes and follow. Perhaps this was God's way of telling us not to become at ease in Zion. And yes, I'm sure of it, this was His way of reminding us of our purpose and our goal. To win souls, train saints and serve Christ on a forward march to glory! Again, when the Lord moved the camp in March of 1987, to 2136 Cleveland Avenue at Blake Avenue, we lost members. And again, scoffers said, "They won't get much further now!" This site, where the cloud stopped and we pitched camp, was even more bizarre than the matchbox on Osceola - it was a garage of all things! But when our engine as it were, needed new fire, He sent us new members that acted as spark plugs to ignite "REVIVAL" and when our crank case was full of sludge, He gave us an oil change that brought a fresh anointing.

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At first, the situation looked dim. There were metal scraps and mechanic's debris all over the place and black grease stained floor. It was a mess! The light fixtures could never resemble those that should be in a church. Yet, with all this facing him and a group of bewildered, but willing saints, Bishop Hairston was able, through God's help, to consolidate the people as one. And with renewed zeal, we found a mind to work! The Lord was gracious and provided us a carpenter in Mr. John Ebron, who did a great portion of the work for free.

 

With the moving of debris and discarded junk, it seemed that Jesus was giving us another lesson, teaching in His manner, using the practical things of everyday life to teach spiritual truth.  The lesson was simple. We had to get rid of all the junk of doubt, fear, anxiety and any appearance of sin to build what He wanted. Although a lot of our friends as well as our enemies were still saying, "We just can't see it." We kept on hammering, nailing, sweeping, scrubbing, and painting until what used to be a garage transformed into a sanctuary. After a few years of growing pains, the Pastor and church have grown in spiritual strength and numbers. Not many people understand the sacrifices Bishop Hairston has made and is making for the church. He could have abandoned that little storefront church and went in pursuit of his musical career. Yet he burdens the constant war of sin and evil. He has been maturing and so have we.

 

Through his 33 years of leadership, God has made the Temple of Faith a light shining in the community and Bishop Hairston has been the candlestick from which it shines.  In the fall of 1994, Bishop Hairston was given a vision to build an edifice for God's people. He began to fully expedite the vision in November 1997, when the official ground breaking services took place. The building process was not easy. It took many tests and trials, but through it all God was with us. And on Sunday, December 27, 1998, the vision came into reality, with the first official services held. On Sunday, January 17, 1999, the Temple of Faith Church of the Living God held its dedication service (at what is now our current edifice) at 1441 Brentnell Avenue (at 17th Avenue) and my what a shoutin' time we had. Saints came from far and near to share in this momentous occasion. It is He who has brought us these 33 years. Through trials He brought us and He kept us! Through danger He brought us and He kept us! Through sickness and health and sorrow and gladness He brought us and He kept us!​

 

Original Compilation by Elder Michael R. Nesbitt October, 1987