Christian Growth Center Church was organized in 1994 as a teaching ministry with a two-fold vision:

  • First, to disciple adults and youth so that they might live a productive, fruitful, Christian life.
  • Second, to train Believers to do the work of building up the Body of Christ in the Metro East area; strengthen and equip them to walk in purpose as they mature in faith.

Using Isaiah 58:12 as the Scriptural instructional piece for accomplishing the commanded work, Christian Growth Center Church continued to teach Biblical doctrine that would lay a sound Scriptural foundation to empower believers to live a progressive, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the means for accomplishing the commanded work was the establishment of the Ministry Preparatory Training School in 1996, which was expanded to include a degree component in 2015. Since the school’s conception in 1996, eleven (11) classes have graduated from its main campus in East St. Louis, IL: eight Diploma of Ministry classes and three Associate Degree Program classes.

We salute the past instructors who helped lay the school’s foundational beams:

Pastor Virginia Howlett, Pastor LeMadire Wharton, and Minister Shirley Cobb, all of whom have gone home to be with the Lord.

Our current teaching staff consists of: Dr. Karen Wells, Bishop Dr. Prientiss Thomas, Dr. Jackie Stinson, Minister Linda Patton, Dr. Aleta Johnson, Minister Merindia Mickles, and Apostle Dr. Ednorleatha Long (Director/Dean).  The substitute teachers are: Dr. Tyrone Haywood, Dr. Pearlie Morris, Minister Ather Futrell, and Dr. Gloria J. Collier. We are forever grateful to these professors for helping the School to fulfill its divine purpose in the economy of God.

Christian Growth Center Church has a pastoral staff consisting of Senior Pastor, Apostle Dr. Ednorleatha Long, Assistant Pastor Debbie Hood and eight (8) Associate Ministers: Linda A. Patton, Merindia Mickles, Sheryl Miller, Jane Cunningham, Robert Marshall, Treavor Marshall, Ameanna Hamilton, and Ather Futrell.

Christian Growth Center Church also serves as a covering for six (6) anointed churches:

  • The Anointed Word Church, Dr. Alecia Thomas, Pastor
  • Life Changing Ministries Church, Sharon Latham, Pastor
  • Noah’s Ark Ministries, Dr. Gloria Collier, Pastor
  • Rehoboth Well Ministries, Dr. Tyrone Haywood, Pastor
  • Loving on Christ Ministries, Sylvester Garth, Pastor
  • Growth Center Church, Apostle Andrew Gardour

Christian Growth Center Church is a non-denominational, Spirit-filled fellowship of believers and an affiliate of City Gates Ministries, East-West Apostolic Prophetic Network, and Prepare the Way Ministries.