"...This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up a for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-El..." Genesis 28:17-19

As with any other modern day foundation of a new work for God, there is the necessity for Scriptural origin and authority. One such basis is evident through power with God involving the demonstration of the Holy Spirit. After twenty-five years of faithful and proven service to the Highway Churches of Christ, under the apt leadership of Bishop Raymond F. Davis, the Lord Jesus implanted Bishop Robert Evans, Jr. with a great burden and vision to lead God's people. In September 1988, Bishop Evans, through fervent prayer, rested in the assurance that "God was in this place."

On October 19, 1989, little more than a year had passed when the fruit of this experience was realized. It was at the Omni Hotel in Richmond, Virginia, that Bishop Evans' conception reached birthing-stage and was delivered in the presence of the saints gathered. The vibrant, healthy, holy deliverance by God's miraculous power was given the name of its mother - "BETH-EL." Following the birth of this new vanguard movement, a great celebration commenced when we opened our First Holy Convocation of the Beth-El Churches of Christ in Richmond, Virginia.

During the first eleven years, the Beth-El Churches grew and advanced to new dimensions both spiritually and numerically. This prompted Bishop Evans to select and consecrate to the episcopacy sons and daughters to facilitate the present and future growth of the church. Not long thereafter, our Chief Apostle and Father-in-God was called home to be with his Lord. On May 13, 2000, A.D., our Establishmentarian "fell asleep" and was carried out and buried with his fathers.

The Church called Bishop J. Delano Ellis, II, Primate of the United Pentecostal Churches of Christ (UPCC) and President of the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops of Cleveland, Ohio, with Bishop Carl H. Montgomery, II, Assistant Presiding Bishop, of UPCC, Bishop Ralph L. Dennis, Primate of the Kingdom Fellowship Covenant Ministries, Baltimore, Maryland, Bishop Alfred Owens, Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Mount Calvary Holy Churches of America of Washington, D.C., Bishop E. McDonald Wortham of Baltimore, Maryland, Bishop Kenneth H. Moales, Sr. Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Bishop Jasper Rolle, Presiding Bishop of the Abundant Life Ministries and Fellowship, International of New York, New York. They were to assistant in amending our constitution and establishing Beth-El's College of Bishops.

This conclave, with the Bishops of Beth-El, was able to accomplish this objective and select Bishop Bernard N. Bragg as Interim Presiding Bishop for this transitional period.