RIP Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson

Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson 1939 - March 20, 2007 to Bishop W. A. and Mrs. Mary Patterson, Sr. in Humboldt, Tennessee. He was reared in Memphis, Tennessee and Detroit, Michigan.
Bishop J. S. Bailey ordained him in 1958 as an elder in the Church of God in Christ. In 1962, Bishop Patterson became co-pastor with his father at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in Memphis, Tennessee. Bishop Patterson continued his pastorate in 1975 as the founder and pastor of Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of the Bountiful Blessings in Memphis, Tennessee. Today, Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ is one of the nation's fastest growing congregations with over 12,000 on its membership roll. The church is located at 369 G. E. Patterson Avenue.

Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ also serves as the home church base for the rapidly growing Bountiful Blessings Ministries (BBM) which is viewed internationally on BET and TBN cable networks weekly, as well as on local TV stations throughout the nation. BBM has a mailing list of over 100,000 active donors from outside the Memphis viewing audience. Bishop Patterson was founder and president of BBM.

He studied at the Detroit Bible Institute, and LeMoyne Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee. He held an honorary Doctorate from Oral Roberts University and was the president of the Charles H. Mason Bible College of Tennessee Fourth Jurisdiction in Memphis, Tennessee. Bishop Patterson is the publisher of Bountiful Blessings Magazine and a contributing writer in the Spirit Filled life Bible (King James Version) published by Thomas Nelson Publishers and edited by Dr. Jack W. Hayford. In July 2002, Whitaker House Publishers released Bishop Patterson's first book entitled "Here Comes The Judge".

Bishop Patterson was a leader of church leaders. He was the Presiding Bishop of Church of God in Christ, Incorporated.
Bishop Patterson was married to his wife, Louise D. Patterson for 35 years.
He died on March 20, 2007 after battling prostate cancer and being hospitalized for an unannounced illness.