History
In a borrowed building on November 4, 1956, B. H. Clendennen accepted an invitation to preach to a small group of people desiring to start a new church. That was the beginning of a great and effectual work of ministry that today reaches around the world.
The first building, which the new church used for one year, had been an old fish market. Exactly one year from its birth the church moved into a new building made of steel and concrete blocks. It grew and seven years later the church entered into another building program and constructed the present facility.
The vision and burden of Victory Temple has always been to take the Gospel to “…every creature.” Home missions has included every form of electronic and print media and starting minority and ethnic churches to preach the Gospel. Likewise, every conceivable means has been employed to spread the Gospel of Christ to most every region of the world.
In December 1991 Robert Turnage assumed the pastorate of Victory Temple and under his leadership the church has continued its purpose and mission.
Founder
B. H. Clendennen was called into the ministry in 1953, and after three years of successful evangelistic ministry he became the founding pastor of Victory Temple in Beaumont, Texas on November 4, 1956. Pastor Clendennen and Victory Temple initiated a weekly television ministry when the church was several years old that eventually grew to reach most of America.
In 1967 Pastor Clendennen made his first missionary trip abroad to the continent of Africa and from that beginning he has now preached in more than one hundred countries of the world. The ministry of Pastor Clendennen placed him in great demand as a convention and camp-meeting speaker, especially to other ministers and those preparing for ministry.
In all the years of Pastor Clendennen’s ministry he was instrumental in furnishing supplies for the physical needs of those to whom he ministers, as well as facilities where the church of Jesus Christ can meet.
After thirty-five years of pastoral ministry at Victory Temple Pastor Clendennen made the decision to resign his pastoral position and devote his full-time to the mission ministry, “The School of Christ International” which he is the founder and president. Through the ministry of the School, by training and discipling countless ministers and workers in over one hundred countries, the Gospel of the Kingdom is being taken to this generation. The curriculum of the school is designed to prepare those called of God to reach people of their own country that language and other barriers would deem almost impossible for someone else to do. Therefore, the entire curriculum, both written and by video with Pastor Clendennen as teacher, has been translated into many languages and is used daily even in some of the most remote regions of the earth.
Pastor Clendennen went home to be with the Lord December 13, 2009. You can read more about Pastor Clendennen and the School of Christ International
Pastor Emeritus
Robert Turnage began ministry as a full-time Evangelist and continued in that work for 13 years. He took the position of Co-Pastor at Victory Temple and served in that capacity until the resignation of B. H. Clendennen, upon which time he became the Senior Pastor. During his years as Co-Pastor, he also oversaw several ministries of the church, including all television work.
Pastor Turnage traveled for many years with an Evangelistic team, singing and preaching throughout America. When the Evangelistic team work was discontinued he continued his Evangelistic ministry that included preaching conventions and camp meetings around the Nation.
As Pastor of Victory Temple, Pastor Turnage and the church carried on a home and foreign missionary program that included weekly television services and outreaches to build the Kingdom of God.
Bro. Turnage served as Pastor of Victory Temple until December, 2017. He went on to be the President of the School Of Christ International.
Pastor Turnage went home to be with the Lord July 27, 2022