History - 1960's - 1970's

During the tenure of Elder Dudley, a $30,000 church building debt was paid off within four years after his arrival; the mortgage was burned on March 11, 1962. "To God be the Glory". Many of these historical events are documented in news articles published in the Dallas Express newspaper, now known as The Dallas Post Tribune.

Over the next several years, church growth increased and City Temple continued its outreach activities. Many precious experiences are held by current members who had the privilege of having Pastor L.B. Baker as their shepherd. Pastor Baker cried aloud in evangelistic crusades and souls yielded to the gospel call.

Elder William C. Jones, former president of Southwest Region Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; the dynamic and loved Elder C. Sampson Myles, late husband of Sister L. Myles and father of Sister Barbara J. Myles; and Elder J.A. James received a call to labor for Christ in a new vineyard, Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, leaving the late Elder Louis D. Henderson Sr., then the treasurer of the Southwest Region Conference, to serve as interim pastor for 5 ½ months. Associated with Elder Henderson, an intern, Pastor Helvius L. Thompson II, was assigned.

City Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church, located at 1900 South Boulevard and Harwood Street, housed a church, a 12th grade academy, and the local conference office. A health and welfare center was also operated in South Dallas by the City Temple Church. The possibilities for evangelism were numerous.

One of the largest events held at City Temple was the Tenth Bienniel Session held February 27-28th, 1970 with Elder Walter W. Fordham as the featured speaker. The Dallas Morning News' first African-American reporter, Julia Scott Reed, reported that Walter W. Fordham, Seventh-day Adventist churchmen comes back to Dallas. Elder Fordham had recently returned from an assignment in east, west and central Africa, as a field secretary for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, page 196: In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what the Lord has wrought I am filled with astonishment, and with confidence in Christ as leader. We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord had led us, and His teaching in our past history.

Eminent domain - a right of government to take private property for public use by virtue of the superior dominion of the sovereign power over all lands within its jurisdiction. The population for the City of Dallas was ever growing. An expansion of Interstate 45 highway was cited. The freeway expansion would require the destruction of the "ideal" church location. The eminent domain proceeding in The State of Texas vs. Southwest Region Conference Association of Seventh-day Adventists, public record indicates that an amount of damages was awarded from the special commissioners of Dallas County Court at Law No. 1, in the sum of $400,000.00, payable to the defendants. Possession of the property was then issued to the State of Texas. If the structure was present today, it would be designated as a historical landmark.

The church is God's appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world - The Acts of the Apostles, page 9. God desires the presence of His people and a temple in which to meet with them. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8.

The search began for a new place of worship. Searching for property in the Oak Cliff area, sights were considered off Interstate 35 South near Laureland. In 1969, Elder Louis D. Henderson, Sr., interim pastor and treasurer of Southwest Region Conference, along with the late Elder William J. Cleveland, Sr., conference president, were instrumental in securing property at our present location of 1530 and 1600 Bonnie View Road at Arrow Streets, formerly owned by Christ for the Nations. While working toward completion of the new church structure, the City Temple family worshiped at the building which is now the academy.

The church family envisioned a church that would be a beacon to the community in which it was built. Provisions were made for a large air-conditioned and heated auditorium with overflow area, treasurer office, choir loft, baptismal pool, mother's room with speakers and sound proofing viewing glass, fully equipped kitchen, deaconess room, choir room, pastor's study and secretarial office, storage space, and five large classrooms with storage cabinets in each room. On June 27, 1970, Elder James Edgecombe arrived, completing the building for entrance into the new structure on May 16, 1971 at 1530 Bonnie View Road. The school location was now 1600 Bonnie View Road. The Southwest Region Conference of Seventh-day Adventists at this point, was no longer housed in the same building as the church.

Ministers Elder Warner Rice and Elder D.J. Williams (who was later elected Secretary of the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists), and interim Pastor J.C. Hicks, served prior to arrival of Elder G.N. Wells. Elder Wells' ministry brought many souls into the fold. He was a warrior for Christian Education. Many Sabbaths Elder Wells would leave the rostrum area to come to the floor to promote Message Magazine, Oakwood College offering, Ingathering and charmed the children with his wonderful children's stories. In 1980, the year of the General Conference session in Dallas, Texas, City Temple church ranked #1 in Message Magazine subscriptions with the leadership of Elder Wells. Pastor, Alex Horton, served as a student intern with Elder Wells.