Church history

In the spring of 1962, by inspiration of God, Elder Clarence Brown began to strongly entertain the thought of locating a building to hold church services dedicated to the Lord. By the latter part of June 1963, Elder Brown saw a building located on the corner of 2nd & Hamilton in Pomona, which he felt would be suitable to hold worship services. 

After several weeks, he convinced the owner to let him use the building for church services. The first service was held on the 1st Sunday in August of 1963. Besides Elder Brown and his family, there were four other families to cast their lot on that day. The church was to be identified by the name of “Goodwill Church of God in Christ.” Services were held in the building on 2nd & Hamilton for approximately two years without any outside opposition. During this period, the church steadily grew, hosting a congregation of all nationalities. The church was faithful in conducting noon-hour prayer in which many souls were saved. There were periodic shut-ins held where God manifested Himself greatly.

The building on 2nd & Hamilton held approximately fifty people and the congregation outgrew it. Pastor Brown began to seek God for a larger building in which to worship. As he drove through Pomona one day, he saw a house for sale on the corner of White Avenue and Phillips Boulevard. The Holy Ghost confirmed this would be the next worship site for Goodwill Church. Through divine guidance, the property was purchased, and worship services began. From the first day the church began to hold worship services in this location, all hell broke loose. The enemy knew this would become known as “The Powerhouse” of Pomona and immediately attempted to stop the work of the Lord.

Although the property was zoned properly for worship services, the community worked against the church with constant complaints. These complaints stirred up the city officials of Pomona against the church. The more the church prayed and tried to follow peace with the people in the community, the harder the enemy fought to overthrow it. The members of the church banded together and worked without ceasing to raise funds, so that Goodwill could meet the excessive city codes imposed upon them. There were yard sales, curbside BBQs, chicken dinners, solicitations, and a multitude of free-will offerings.

Pastor Clarence Brown proved to be one of the greatest leaders of any church. He stood like a champion during the heat of the battle. He faced hard and cruel accusations against the congregation. Numerous complaints were filed personally against him. Seventy-two counts were made against him at one time. He stood in the court and faced judges in defense of the church many times. He represented the flock well.

The church was warned by the City of Pomona that if it attempted to hold services, the pastor and his congregation would be padlocked inside the church. The pastor stood willing to take the chance and told them that God had led him to hold services and he would obey God.

When the city’s threat did not work, Pastor Brown was told that he and all who upheld his decision would be jailed. Pastor Brown’s answer to this new threat was, “You may put us in jail, but you can’t keep us there forever. When you release us, we will continue to have church.” The members of the church said, “Amen. So be it. We will stand with our pastor’s decision. We too, are willing to be locked in jail if that is what it takes to give us the freedom to worship where the Lord has led our pastor.”

The authorities were baffled by Pastor Brown and his followers. They backed down and let Goodwill have worship services in peace. This decision did not last very long. Pastor Brown was called back into court to find out how far he was from bringing the building up to city code. The following needed to be done: 1. Another restroom had to be added. 2. A block wall fence had just been completed. 3. The men were in the midst of blacktopping the yard. 4.The building was still in need of a fire-proof roof.

Pastor Brown pleaded for more time for the completion of the work. The judge stated that there could be no church services until the blacktopping and roofing were completed. Pastor Brown came back to the church and continued to hold worship service as before while working on the blacktop. During construction, the church’s next-door neighbor became hostile because of the noise. He came over and disrupted the work, making vile and vulgar insinuations.

Pastor Brown was not on the premises at the time.  When he returned and was told what had taken place, he went to the neighbor’s house to apologize and explain that the noise being made was necessary to complete the blacktop.  The neighbor became very indignant and lashed out with profane language.  The pastor was caught off guard and lost his temper.  He lashed back in defense of the church.  He started to leave but the Holy Ghost convicted him, and he had to beg the neighbor’s pardon.  He then warned the neighbor about interfering with the church and told him that God would get him.

However, the neighbor did not take heed to the pastor’s warning and continued to hinder the work of the church.  A few days later, the neighbor’s wife was found hanging in a closet.  The authorities determined that it was suicide, and this proved to be the turning point for the church.  The ringleader of the confusion changed his attitude toward the congregation.  Where he once ridiculed, he now asked what he could do to help with the progress of the church.  Donations were presented by him and other leading members of the community.

Once again, Pastor Brown was back in court being tormented by the authorities for having church services without completing the work to bring the building up to city code.  He assured the judge that the men were working hard trying to finish the work.  He had a group of men who were willing to work overtime to put the roof on by Sunday’s worship service.  There was just one little problem: the church had exhausted its funds and did not know when it would be able to come up with enough money to buy the necessary materials for fire-proofing the roof.

The judge asked Pastor Brown if he knew where a certain lumber yard was located.  Pastor Brown told him that he did.  The pastor was surprised when the judge told him to go to the lumber yard and tell the owner that the judge had sent him. In the meantime, the judge would call and tell the owner to let Pastor Brown have the lumber needed and send him the bill.  By Saturday, the roof was on the church and the saints had a high time in the Lord that Sunday. 

By 1971, we had outgrown the site at White Avenue and Phillips Boulevard two times over.  A building with a “for sale” sign was spotted on the corner of Sixth & Elm Streets. Pastor Brown liked what he saw and began his search for the owners.  In early December of 1971, he found them.  The church was very low on finances at the time and some of the members of the church wondered if this was a good time for the pastor to purchase this site.  Nevertheless, the church took possession of the property at Sixth and Elm Streets in May of 1972 and would worship at Sixth & Elm for thirty-two years as Greater Goodwill Church of God In Christ.

During the 2003 Jurisdictional Convocation, Pastor Clarence Brown submitted his resignation as pastor of Greater Goodwill Church of God In Christ to Bishop F.J. Goodman.  He stated that his desire was that his oldest son, Elder I.R.F. Brown be appointed as the new pastor of the church.  Elder I.R.F. Brown had served as co-pastor of Greater Goodwill Church since 1997. Bishop Goodman accepted the recommendation with the understanding that Pastor Clarence Brown would become Senior Pastor of the church.  He accepted.  On Friday, June 13, 2003, before the entire congregation of the 2003 Annual Jurisdictional Convocation, Elder I.R.F. Brown was appointed pastor of Greater Goodwill Church of God In Christ. 

Dr. Clarence Brown served faithfully as Senior Pastor of Greater Goodwill Church of God In Christ until he was called from labor to reward on November 9, 2005. He had served as pastor and senior pastor of Goodwill/Greater Goodwill Church of God In Christ for over forty years and had served the Lord’s Kingdom for over sixty years.

On January 1, 2007, the members of Greater Goodwill Church of God In Christ renamed our place of worship Brown Memorial Temple Church of God In Christ in honor of the faith, courage, faithfulness, loyalty and love exhibited by our founder and first pastor, Dr. Clarence Brown.