A Brief History of
The Apostolic Church of Beaumont, Texas

            Opening services of Glory Tabernacle were held on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1946.  Thirty-five people gathered for service in a building on Sabine Pass Avenue, near Railroad Avenue (now Martin Luther King Parkway).  Bro. Tracy Boutlier was the pastor.  He was assisted by his wife, Rachel Frank Boutlier, by his mother, Sis. Boutlier, and two sisters, Sis. Ivon Mae Mitchell and Sis. Bessie Broxson (Henderson).  Light for the services was furnished by coal oil lamps.

              In time Bro. Boutlier bought land at 2650 Sabine Pass Avenue.  The down payment was provided by his sister, Bessie Broxson, and their mother.   Bro. Boutlier worked a secular job during the day and worked on building the church at night.  Many times his family would build fires around the structure to provide light for him to work by.  Bro. Albert Debes, a local lay minister, brought in benches and sawdust for the church floor. In time, a concrete floor was added and wood was added to that at a later date.

              Bro. Boutlier left Glory Tabernacle in the Fall of 1955.  Bro. Stanton, the sectional Presbyter, discussed the future of Glory Tabernacle with Sis. Mildred DeVille, a pastor in his section.  Sis. DeVille approached Bro. Albert Debes, a minister member of her congregation about the possibility of him pastoring the church.  Feeling it to be the will of the Lord, Bro. Debes met the Texas District Board of the United Pentecostal Church and was granted permission to assume the pastorate of the church.

              Bro. Debes had his first service there on December 4, 1955.  Soon after, a small parsonage was bought and placed on the property beside the church.  The church saw a progressive increase in attendance.  There were 9 in Sunday School in December of 1955, 38 in December of 1956, and later reached an average of 0ver 100.  Bro. Aubrey Stanton was the first evangelist to preach a series of services after Bro. Debes became pastor.

              In October, 1969, after almost 14 years of service, Bro. Debes felt it to be God's will to resign.  In a duly called business meeting, the church assembly voted unanimously for Bro. Marvin L. Cole to be their pastor.  Feeling it to be the will of God, he assumed the pastorate of The United Pentecostal Church of Sabine Pass Avenue. 

              There were 69 present in Sunday School on Bro. Cole's first Sunday as pastor, November 2, 1969.  The membership has steadily grown and the church now has a spiritual influence that has blessed thousands around the world.

              In 1973, the church moved to 3690 Blackmon Lane, where two acres and larger facilities would accommodate the growth of the congregation.  In 1977, the metallic sanctuary was built at that location, with seating for 400.  In 1982, educational facilities and a kitchen and fellowship hall were added to this facility. A total of five land purchases at this location has given the church 12 acres on which to expand as God's blessings continue.  On October 19, 1997, the Church family moved into their beautiful new church home "behind" the old facility, at 3333 Eastex Freeway.  The facility has a sanctuary that seats 1000, there is a spacious Fellowship Hall with Kitchen, large educational wing. a bookstore, office suites and many other beautiful features.

            At the Dedication Service of this facility on February 8, 1998, City of Beaumont Mayor David Moore challenged the congregation to take the message of salvation and hope "beyond these consecrated walls" to a world that needs to experience what we have experienced.  That  is our goal…