MORGAN PARK — Christ Universal Temple, the first mega church built on the South Side, will kick off celebrations for its 60th anniversary Sunday.
“We’re looking forward to a fantastic way to honor the celebration and anniversary of our past,” said the Rev. Derrick Wells, the church’s senior pastor.
During the entire month of October, the church will celebrate with the Chicago community and others from across the country. The month-long festivities will start at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the church, 11901 S. Ashland Ave.
“Faith in Action” is this year’s theme. The featured speaker is motivational speaker Les Brown and there will be a special musical performance by Dexter Walker & Zion Movement. Each Sunday there will be different guests.
The historic church was founded by the late Rev. Johnnie Colemon, a female pioneer in the New Thought Movement.
The Rev. Johnnie Colemon founded Christ Temple Universal in 1956. [Provided photos/Christ Temple Universal]
“The movement uses a metaphysical interpretation of the Bible and focuses on healing, meditation and thinking positive thoughts to improve one's life,” according to the Tribune.
Colemon, who died in December 2014, watched the church’s congregation dramatically grow under her leadership. She later helped build three more churches, an institute and an academy with her name on them. Today the church is on a 100-acre campus at 119th Street and Ashland Avenue with 5,000 members. She retired as senior minister in 2006.
Christ Universal Temple has been involved in many significant moments in Chicago’s history. For example, the church hosted the funeral of the late Mayor Harold Washington, the city’s first African-American mayor, because it was the largest church at the time.
Colemon's church gained popularity even though she held controversial views about heaven and hell, according to one site. For example, she didn't view the two as places people go after death. She also had a different viewed from other Christians on Christ's crucifixion.
"You can’t crucify Christ because Christ is God’s idea of himself," she said. "Christ has always been, so they couldn’t crucify Christ, they crucified the human Jesus.”
Wells has been pastor of Christ Universal Temple since 2011. He said that unlike most pastors, he didn’t grow up in the church. He didn’t join one until he was 19 years old.
“I came to Christ Universal Temple as an adult, on the back end of some soul searching and expanding experiences,” he said. “I came out with a vision for what it was I was supposed to do.”
Wells said his vision came in a dream and that’s when he knew which direction to go in.
Colemon was the only pastor he'd ever had.
“I refer to Rev. Colemon as the perfect storm,” he said. “At the time, in 1956, and for decades after that, there were hardly any pastors or ministers encouraging people to be lifted up by their minds.”
In 1974, she established an international organization of affiliated New Thought churches and study groups called the Universal Foundation for Better Living.
Her teachings were controversial because they went against many of the theological beliefs and practices that African-Americans had been following for years, Wells said.
“We always talk about liberation of the soul, but she was expressly talking about liberation of the soul through the mind,” he said.
Colemon believed that if one’s mind becomes liberated first then the person can get on the path of liberation from their circumstances, pain and other limitations.
“Once you lift yourself by your mind then you are better equipped to see clearly and be able to overcome those things that would serve as stumbling blocks along the way,” Wells said. “Her contribution to the uplift of humanity in total, but specifically to black folks, has been incredible.”
He said he’s proud of the foundation Colemon laid and that he will continue to respect her legacy as he leads his congregation into the new day.
“In honoring our pastor and managing our present, one of the things we must courageously do is map our future,” Wells said. “It’s important that Christ Universal Temple remains relevant and the best way to do that is by continuing to build people up and to meet them where they are.”
He said even if some are uncomfortable it’s necessary to adapt to the changes and not get set in following pre-existing modes.
Colemon’s New Thought Christian teachings attracted numerous celebrities such as Brown, actress/singer/minister Della Reese and Tony Award-winning entertainer Ben Vereen.
Colemon also encouraged economic development. Many members of the church later went on to start successful businesses.
Before accepting his church leadership role, Wells was in the Navy and served in the Persian Gulf war. He holds a doctorate in leadership from Olivet Nazarene University. He and his wife, Sylvia, are parents of daughter Malika and son Mikael.
To learn more about the church visit its website at www.cutemple.org.
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