Bishop Harold W. Speights

Bishop Harold W. Speights (1919--1990) was presiding bishop of the Original Church of God or Sanctified Church from 1975 until his death.
He was born in Sears Chapel Tennessee on January 5th 1919 to Julious Foster, and Margrete Harris Speights. He graduated from Pearl High School in Nashville in 1937. In November of that same year started to preach. He preached his first sermon at the Original Church of God, 14th and Phillips Street, Nashville, Tennessee. In 1940 he married Martha McClure Avery of Winchester Tennessee.
After a few years of evangelizing, in 1944 Bishop Speights became Pastor of the Hamblin Ave. Original Church of God in Battle Creek Michigan. He pastored that church until his death in October of 1990. During that time he led the church in obtaining the current house of worship at 270 Upton Ave. in Battle Creek.
In 1975 he was elected to the position of Senior Bishop (Presiding Prelate) of the Original Churches of God, headquartered in Nashville, Tennesee. The denomination consist of approximately 50,000 members from 10 states mostly in the Midwest. Bishop Speights traveled to Africa and brought churches there into the organization. He also built a clinic on Kenscof MTN in Haiti.
He was serving his fourth term of office at the time of his death. He served as Bishop for an unprecedented 18 years, and as a Pastor for a amazing 50 years.

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