Gilbert E. Patterson

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Gilbert Earl Patterson (September 22, 1939 ^[1] – March 20, 2007^[2]) was an American minister who served as presiding bishop and chief apostle of the international Church of God in Christ.

Patterson was born to Bishop W. A. and Mary Patterson in Humboldt, Tennessee. He was reared in Memphis, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan.

Bishop J. S. Bailey ordained him in 1958 as an elder in the Church of God in Christ. In 1962, Patterson became co-pastor with his father at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in South Memphis. Patterson continued his pastorate in 1975 as the founder and pastor of Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of the Bountiful Blessings near downtown. Today, Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ is one of the nation's fastest growing congregations with over 18,000 on its membership roll. In 2000, Calhoun street where Bountiful Blessing is located was rename in honor of the Bishop.

Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ also serves as the home church base for the rapidly growing Bountiful Blessings Ministries (BBM) which is viewed internationally on BET and TBN cable networks weekly, as well as on local TV stations throughout the nation. BBM has a mailing list of over 100,000 active donors from outside the Memphis viewing audience. Patterson was founder and president of BBM.

Patterson studied at the Detroit Bible Institute, and LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis. He held an honorary Doctorate from Oral Roberts University and was the president of the Charles H. Mason Bible College of Tennessee Fourth Jurisdiction in Memphis. Patterson was the publisher of Bountiful Blessings Magazine and a contributing writer in the Spirit Filled life Bible (King James Version) published by Thomas Nelson Publishers and edited by Dr. Jack W. Hayford. In July 2002, Whitaker House Publishers released Patterson's first book, entitled Here Comes The Judge.

Patterson was married to Louise D. Patterson for 40 years.

Patterson died on March 20, 2007 of heart failure. In 2005 he announced that he was battling prostate cancer and was hospitalized in January for an unannounced illness.

On March 28, 2007 the Senate of the United States of America passed a resolution celebrating the life of Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson. The sponsors were Senators Obama, Levin, Kerry, Alexander and Corker^[3]