In 1995, Elder William Campbell Sr.(who was Elder Harold Thomas' pastor
of 28 years at the All Nations Church of God in Christ in Chicago)
prophesied, "Elder Thomas, Grace and Truth Church of God in Christ.
Elder Thomas, Grace and Truth Church of God in Christ". Elder Thomas
determined that if God was still using Dad Campbell-a man of many
miracles in his life-to decree this name for a church not yet realized,
it was good enough to use at the appointed time.
The apostle
John wrote: "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father,) full of
grace and truth."... "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1: 14,17). This was all the
confirmation Elder Thomas needed for the right name for a work that only
God could ordain.
Grace and Truth Outreach Church of God in
Christ was organized in November 1998 and incorporated December, 1998 by
Elder Harold Thomas and his wife, Pamela. The first members were he
and Sis. Thomas, their three children-David, Jonathan, and Cassia; his
brother Michael Thomas; his sister Karon Webster, and her son, Solomon.
Grace
and Truth began its services at the height of a blizzard on January 3,
1999. While many churches were closed on that day, God confirmed His
calling on the work by sending a host of relatives and friends.
The
ministry endured great transition at the end of year 2000. After
seeking God, Elder Thomas received irrefutable confirmation to move his
family out of the state to Kansas City, Kansas-A place he and his family
were completely unfamiliar with. There, under the leadership of Pastor
Jack and Carolyn Vaughn, he and Sis. Thomas experienced a season of
miracles, and learned important administration and ministry principles.
Almost as suddenly, God released them to come back to the Chicagoland
area in June of 2001. Eld. Thomas' reassurance was in the Word of God,
which said in Mark 10:29, 30:"And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say
unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren or sisters,
or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and
the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time,
houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands,
with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."
Back
in Illinois, services resumed in the Thomas' household. Every Sunday,
the membership (now just the immediate family) would rise early, have
devotions and testimonials, sing hymns of praise, give offerings, and
rehearse the Word of God.
In June 2002, a "great door and
effectual" was opened to the ministry, and Grace and Truth was appointed
to move the ministry to its current location in Joliet, Illinois-a
full-service facility that meets the needs of the surrounding community.
The
purpose of Grace and Truth Evangelistic Church is to promote the
welfare of humanity both domestically and globally by sharing the gifts
and the Glory of our Lord until He returns.