Bishop Simon Peter Rawlings
B.Th. M.div D.D.
Second Chief Apostle

Bishop S. P. Rawlings, born August 2, 1914 in Georgetown, Ky. He was the fourth child of the late James and Bessie Elizabeth Rawlings. At the age of six, he was a product of a broken home. Following the death of his mother, Simon was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Robinson of Georgetown, Ky.

Simon joined The House of God in Georgetown, Ky. at the age of sixteen. The Lord spoke the words found in Ezekiel 3:1 in a dream: "Son of man, eat that thou findst: eat this roll, and go speak unto the House of Israel".

In 1933, Simon was ordained an Elder, and later that year he was sent to Mirsmill, S.C. to be the assistant pastor to Elder Marvin Gay. A year, later Elder Rawlings went back to Lexington, Ky. where he acknowledged the Holy Ghost during revival services conducted by his pastor, Elder S.L. Henry.

Elder Rawlings married Sister Juila Fain in 1934 and she was shortly taken from us after their first child. Sister Fain was the daughter of Mother Fain who was one of the pioneers of the Lexington Temple as well as the first General Mother and President of the Mothers Board.

Around 1934, Elder Rawlings met Sister Mary Scott of Charlottesville, Va. On July 3, 1935, they were married and returned a month later to become the pastor of the Lexington Temple. It was Bishop R.A.R. Johnson who sent him to Lexington to pastor. God had already told Elder Rawlings that he would go to Lexington to build him a house.

Elder Rawlings, being a man of action with a small congregation, built their first little church on Black Street in 1937. In 1938, the Lord blessed them to build the second church on Ash St. The Ash St., Temple became the National Headquarters of The House of God.

Elder Rawlings was ordained by Bishop A. A. Smith in 1947 as Bishop. Bishop Rawlings became the second Chief Apostle in 1950. Elder William Denson preached the opening sermon for the inauguration of Bishop Rawlings as Chief Apostle. This installation of Bishop Rawlings placed him in office for the duration of his life. Elder Denson said Bishop Rawlings never grumbled or complained when serving Gods people.

Bishop Rawlings set goals and the Lord helped him to see the mighty hand of God.

For eleven years he preached over the airways of radio. In 1959, Bishop Rawlings had the vision of a greater Temple and the Lord made a way for them to purchase the Chandler Arms School, a land mark of black history. In 1960, the Lexington Temple. with a host of other saints and friends marched from the Ash St., Temple to 548 Georgetown St., the new Temple.

During the next thirty years, Bishop Rawlings with the help of Elect Lady Mary Rawlings, Bishop William Denson, Elect Lady L.E. Dailey, Bishop F.C. Scott and many others, traveled many miles to set up and form new Temples, throughout many parts of the United States.

The Lord blessed Bishop Rawlings to pastor the Lexington Temple for fifty six years and was Chief Apostle for forty years. Bishop Rawlings was blessed to have known Bishop R.A.R. Johnson and Bishop A.A. Smith who influence him in a great way.

Bishop Rawlings was blessed in his life time to have an educational background that assisted in the formation of the church. He received his Bachelor of Theology and Masters of Divinity from Cooper College Institute of Jacksonville, FL, and his Doctor of Divinity from the Kentucky College of Contemporary Religion. Bishop Rawlings was very instrumental in the formation of the Kentucky College of Contemporary Religion and was the President until his death.

One of his last great achievements was to receive the approval of the Julis Marks property in 1987. In February of 1990, Bishop Rawlings shared with his wife, city and church officials in a ground breaking ceremony of the new National Temple that is constructed on that site.

In June of 1990, construction began and the joy of a very sick man was giving praise to God. God saw fit to let him see the new Temple under construction and go to the Predication Service on October 4, 1990.

During the Feast of Tabernacles in October of 1990, Bishop Rawlings gave his farewell sermon. This was a four hour discourse to a great body of Apostolic believers. He attended every night of the meeting.

Just a few months later we felt a great lost when one of the greatest men of our times, on January 1, 1991 fell asleep. We gave him a last good night in the same convention center where we received his farewell sermon September 22, 1993 and the saints and friends marched from the old Temple to the new. In the front hall of the new Temple you will find in the mist of the floor the letters, "S.P.R. A Great Tribute To Honor A Great Man ".

History prepared by Dr. Larry Steven Sherrill Sr.