Mount Calvary Baptist Church
Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr., Founder
Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, International Presiding Bishop
History of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship
The birth of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, International is in essence the story of a tremendous move of God beginning in the last decade of the twentieth century. Since 1994, when over twenty-five thousand people attended the first Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Conference in the Louisiana Superdome, the spiritual religious freedom that makes Full Gospel Baptist unique has impacted Christian men and women across the world.
"The Right to Choose", that freedom is based on the belief that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be promoted by recognizing the free expression of the gifts of the Spirit as a viable part of the Body of Christ. The Fellowship is convinced that the choice to exercise these spiritual gifts is imperative for the local New Testament Church to fully function as the dynamic organism God has intended.
The Holy Spirit first impressed the vision for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship upon the heart of its Founder, International Presiding Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr., in 1992. At that time Bishop Morton was experiencing the liberating power of the Holy Spirit at work in the transition of his own Baptist church congregation, Greater St. Stephen Baptist Church.
The Lord made it clear that He intended to use Bishop Morton to bridge the gap between Baptist and Pentecostal traditions not simply on a local level, but nationwide. Just as the Lord planted the seed that would grow to become the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship within Bishop Morton, He orchestrated the Presiding Bishop's connection with national and international leaders with the same heart and mind.
Along with Bishop Morton, twelve men; Bishop Odis A. Floyd, Bishop Larry D. Trotter, Bishop Carlos L. Malone, Bishop J.D. Wiley, Bishop K.D. Johnson, Bishop Larry D. Leonard, Bishop Kenneth Robinson, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Bishop Fred Caldwell, Bishop Robert Blake, Bishop Eddie Long, and Bishop A.R. Williams, would become the Founding Fathers of the movement.
The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship builds upon the traditional Baptist Church as its foundation. That Baptist heritage is embraced yet balanced with more charismatic influences. It is the desire of those who have been drawn to this movement to experience every Biblical command and inheritance promised in the Word of God.
Full Gospel Baptist is one of the first Christian fellowships with such an inclusive nature. It encompasses the scope of the Pentecostal movement for its spirituality, the Baptist Church for its structure, and the Word Church for its emphasis on the Word of God.
The multi-cultural and multi-denominational Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship is structured with an Episcopal Hierarchy. The "Tiers of Leadership" include the Bishop's Council, College of Bishops, General, State and District Overseers, Financial Assistance Council, and Senior Pastors.
A truly international movement, hundreds of Full Gospel Baptist Churches exist in Africa, Asia, the Bahamas, Germany, India, Canada, Great Britain, Italy and of course North America.
On July 16, 2015, Bishop Paul S. Mortin entered into retirement as the International Presiding Bishop. In a most holy service, Bishop Morton passed the mantel of International Servant Leadership to Bishop Joseph W. Walker III.
Bishop Walker is the International Presiding Bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International.
For additional information visit http://www.fullgospelbaptist.org/