OUR HISTORY

​

True Believers  Holiness is in it's first generation, meaning that it's founder and Pastor is currently serving at this Church. Pastor Lawson started TBH in November 2004 holding services on Friday night at another local church in Memphis that opened their doors to him. However, as the other local church expanded their service times to overlap those of TBH, Pastor Lawson decided to close the church down and return to his home church Sanctify Holiness COGIC in Millington Tennessee to regroup and reorganize.

Still feeling the passion to do what God had given him to do, Pastor Lawson started a Thursday Night Bible Study at his home in Raleigh Memphis. The Bible Study grew so quickly that within 6 months and with troubling of stablity at Sanctify Holiness, Pastor Lawson decided it was time again to launch the church. However, this time he started Sunday Morning Services in his home. So on January 8, 2006 TBH was officially born. The original Sunday Morning members were his own family because many of the Thursday Night attendee were members of other churches and Pastor Lawson urged them not to leave their home church unless God was leading them.

​

Several doors opened for the young congregation to hold services. First, Pastor Charles Hawkins of All Souls Outreach Ministries opened the door for TBH to begin holding early morning services at a church on Overton Crossing in Frayser Memphis. Unfortunately that arrangement lasted for only 6 months and then the young church return to Pastor Lawson's residence again. However, during those 6 months Pastor Lawson and TBH began to gain recognition through their radio broadcasts on AM 1600 where they hosted the True Believers Broadcast at 7:30am and 1:45 pm on Sundays.

While hosting the broadcast at the station Elder Lawson became acquainted with Bishop Thomas Bethany and others of Holiness Outreach Ministries Association and later joined the assocation. Later Pastor Lawson join forces with Pastor Charles Hawkins (All Souls Outreach) and Pastor Edward Fears (Evangelical Outreach Ministries) and began to hold street meetings, and revivals all over Memphis, including some of the surrounding cities such as Dyersburge, Ripley, and Covington Tennessee. They would also hold services in Joiliet and Chicago Illinios. This three man force began to call themselves the Crusaders. As God began to forge these three together Pastor Hawkins stood up in his congregation during a revival and announced that he want to elect Pastor Fears to be his Bishop and asked the church for approval. Pastor Lawson seconded the motion and then announced that he wanted would follow Pastor Fears as Bishop as well if the 2 congregation would join HOMA and Pastor Fears would be Consecrated by Bishop Thomas Bethany.

​

The 3 church joined HOMA and Pastor Fears was concrecrated by Bishop Bethany and the Board of Bishops. As God continued to deal with The Crusaders Bishop Bethany assigned Bishop Fears to start the first ever Jurisdiction in HOMA. The Jurisdiction was named The 1st Western Tennessee Jurisdiction of Holiness Outreach Ministries Association. The Jurisdictional Bishop was Bishop Fear, 1st Adminstrative Assisstant was Pastor Lawson and the Jursidiction's Superintendant was Pastor Hawkins. The Jurisdiction consisted of 6 churches all new to HOMA and in order to maintain continuity within the Association, Bishop Bethany decided that it was in the best interest of the Association to dissolve the Jurisdiction in order to resolve some political issues.

​

Bishop Fears became the Assistant to Bishop Bethany and Bishop Lawson became the President of the General Board. However, due to conflicts in leadership styles, Bishop Fears stepped down from the position after 3 years and later left the Association completely. After a year of the position being vacant Bishop Bethany decided to elevate Pastor Lawson up to the office of Bishop and appointed him 1st Administrative Bishop to the Presiding Bishop in the Convocation of 2011. This is the position that Bishop Lawson currently holds in HOMA.

​

During the transitions that took place with the Ministries in HOMA True Believers continued to grow and establish itself as a consistant Church. Bishop Lawson solidified himself as a Pastor that has a passion for youth, as well as one who believes in the teaching and growth of Christian Leaders. Through these passions Bishop Lawson has established: The True Believers Drama Ministry, The Word Expo Leadership Conference, The Daughters of Zion Women Ministry, The Annual Women Power Conference, The Annual Mothers Prayer Breakfast, The Annual Fathers Prayer Breakfast, The True Believers Mass Choir, The True Believers Youth Choir, The Adult and Youth Praise Team,as well as established the first Elders Council in HOMA. Bishop Lawson and First Lady Lawson established the Believers Connect Line in which they host a 6:30am prayer session as well as a Wednesday Night Bible Study that is open to the public. As of May 2016 Bishop Lawson has started the Thursday Night Power Night Service at True Believers.