One of the Church of God’s most iconic leaders, Dr. T.L. Lowery, was memorialized by family and church leaders on Thursday, March 3, in the second of two Remembrance of Life services following his death on Feb. 21.
Hundreds gathered at the North Cleveland Church of God, a church Lowery served as senior pastor from 1969 to 1974. During his tenure there, he grew and built the church into one of the most dynamic congregations of its time. A first service was held earlier this week on Monday, Feb. 29, at the National Church of God in Fort Washington, Maryland.
Like North Cleveland, National was a church Lowery served as senior pastor (1981-1996), growing and building it into an influential and powerful ministry. The two services mirrored one another with many of the speakers traveling to both locations to speak on behalf of a portion of Dr. Lowery’s life.
The church choirs performed at both locations, as did spiritual daughter Judy Jacobs Tuttle. Rev. Steve Brock also sang songs of worship and celebration at both locations. George Henderson, a representative from the National Church’s Pastor’s Council, greeted both services.
The three grandchildren—Aimee, Stephanie and John—spoke on behalf of the family, while two former Church of God General Overseers—Dennis McGuire and Lamar Vest—also spoke to the gathering. Several well-known ministers felt compelled to attend the funeral of the “apostolic statesman.”
Evangelist Kenneth Copeland prayed a prayer of anointing and “passing of the mantle” on Steve Lowery.
“I knew by the spirit of God that I was supposed to be here,” Copeland stated. “The healing anointing of T.L. Lowery is in this building,” he said followed by a prayer of healing proclamation.
Randy White, pastor of Without Walls International testified of the years of mentorship working directly with T.L. Lowery.
Evangelist Perry Stone, speaking on behalf of Lowery’s effect on world evangelism said, “Everywhere he preached, he imparted,” Stone said of Lowery. Stone reminded everyone that because of the establishment of the T.L. Lowery Global Foundation, “there will always be a generation that will know the anointing and ministry of T.L. Lowery.”
Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, sent condolences through a video message. Current General Overseer Mark L. Williams addressed the gathering at both Washington National and North Cleveland on behalf of the Church of God.
“T.L. Lowery walked across the history of the Church of God as one that was sent forth,” Williams said. “Because of his ministry, hundreds of thousands were swept into the Church of God.”
Rev. Stephen Lowery, the only child of T.L. and Mildred Lowery, concluded the services at both locations and testified of a lifetime of influences from his father.
“Many in this room have known my dad as pastor, evangelist, church leader or businessman,” Stephen Lowery shared. “But in every situation, he was always T.L. Lowery and always a man of God.”
Dr. Lowery is to be laid to rest next to his beloved Mildred in a private family ceremony. Mildred Lowery passed away nearly one year ago on March 8, 2015. T.L. Lowery was born on Jan. 12, 1929 and spent over 70 of his 87 years ministering the gospel throughout the world.
By the time he was 25 years old, he had pastored four congregations, but in 1954, he launched into full-time evangelistic work, where for the next 15 years he crisscrossed the United States proclaiming the gospel to thousands, preaching from a tent that held up to 10,000 people.
Following his pastorate at North Cleveland, he was elected to the Church of God Executive Committee where he served for the next eight years as an assistant general overseer. In 1981, following a 40-day fast, Lowery accepted the pastorate of the National Church of God and, like North Cleveland, grew and built the church into a congregation of thousands.
He was elected for a second stint on the Executive Committee in 1996 and he served until 2004, rising to first assistant general overseer. The final 12 years of his earthly ministry were spent mentoring the next generation of ministers as he conducted crusades and hosted events through the establishment of the T.L. Lowery Global Foundation. More information on the life of T.L Lowery and other aspects of his ministry can be found by visiting tllowery.org.
