Apostolic Tabernacle was founded in 1967 by Bishop B.S. and Sister Rachael Cole. Rev. Cole pastored Apostolic Tabernacle with excellence and godly integrity from 1967 – 2011 (44 years). Dr. Talmadge and Rebecca French were installed as Pastor in 2011.
A godly leadership legacy
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Dr. Talmadge & Rebecca French
pastor
Dr. French graduated with his PhD from one of the leading European universities, the University of Birmingham in England, in December 2011. His Doctoral Thesis is the first of its kind, researching the foundations of the Oneness Movement at a major university, under the supervision of well-known and well-published college administrator, educator, and author Dr. Allan Anderson, Director of the Graduate Institute at the University of Birmingham.
The 140,000 word Thesis is entitled “Early Oneness Pentecostalism, G. T. Haywood, and the Interracial Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (1906-1931),” and uncovers a wealth of historical treasures and important bits of missing data regarding the early growth, development, and leadership of Oneness Pentecostalism. The core of the research documents the fascinating and important primary sources regarding Haywood’s role in the interracial success of the early movement, especially the PAW, the fore-runner organization of the UPCI. The Thesis demonstrates the trajectory of the emerging movement from inception to a movement of more than 30 million today, with much of its success contributable to its early leadership, such as that of Haywood, William Pendleton, J. J. Frazee, Edward W. Doak, Frank Ewart, Robert C. Lawson, Samuel N. Hancock, D. C. O. Opperman, Howard Goss, Andrew D. Urshan and William Booth-Clibborn. Plans for publishing the work with a major academic publisher are in progress.
Dr. French has also earned degrees from and/or studied at the Apostolic Bible Institute (St. Paul), Crighton College (Memphis), and Wheaton College and Wheaton College Graduate School, and the University of Indiana (Bloomington). In addition to the PhD he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ancient Language (Greek), a Master of Arts degree in New Testament Theology, as well as a four year degree in Pentecostal Studies. His earlier Master of Arts Thesis at Wheaton College Graduate School on the history of the Oneness Pentecostal movement gained national recognition when published in 1999 under the title Our God Is One: The Story of the Oneness Pentecostals. It is a landmark study, and now best-seller, regarding the history and expansion of the Oneness movement into a worldwide phenomenon.
After the publication of Our God Is One, he also developed for publication a laminated doctrinal booklet series, “Steadfast in the Apostles’ Doctrine,” in a fold-out pamphlet format. The series currently includes two full-color titles, The Oneness and Jesus’ Name Baptism.
Talmadge and Rebecca French have been married thirty five years, and have three sons. The oldest, Ryan, is a fulltime Associate Pastor serving the congregation of Apostolic Tabernacle, and has one daughter, Julia Lynn, and a son, Talmadge Joseph. Their middle son, Jonathan, is married to Vera (Kelbaytrov) and they have a baby on the way. The youngest son, Nathan, married to Rachel (Adams) French, and is currently doing undergraduate work in Biblical Studies and serves as Youth Pastor and the Worship Minister for Apostolic Tabernacle.
Now sixty years old, Talmadge L. French began his preaching ministry in 1976, and evangelized for four years. He later served for three years as an assistant pastor in West Memphis, Arkansas, with Rev. Bobby McCool, then later went to the Chicago area to establish a new church in Wheaton, Illinois beginning in 1983. He served for a time on the UPCI Illinois District Board.
In 1994, he began commuting to Indianapolis, as an Instructor of Bible, Theology, and Biblical Languages at Indiana Bible College of Calvary Tabernacle, Paul Mooney, President. In 2000, the French family moved to Indianapolis to become the fulltime Dean of the Department of Biblical Studies, continuing, though, as a fulltime Instructor, as well. In 2005 he became the became the Executive Vice President of Indiana Bible College, the position he held from 2005-2007.
After leaving IBC in May 2007, he became Provost of the Apostolic School of Theology, Sacramento, California, and instructor of theology and biblical languages, developing extensive course work for online accredited Apostolic studies, including online courses in Greek and Hebrew. These courses, including Greek and Hebrew, Theology and Doctrine, Philosophy, Ethics, Evangelism, and more, are now being prepared for online availability through the Oneness Studies Institute.
The Frenches moved to Durham, North Carolina in 2009, serving as a minister with the First Pentecostal Church, after which, in 2010, they established their family in the Raleigh Temple of Pentecost, in order to begin a temporary period of fulltime itinerant ministry, as they entered the final year of PhD studies with the University of Birmingham, UK, which was completed in 2011. Talmadge and Rebecca became the pastor here at Apostolic Tabernacle in July of 2011.
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Rev. Ryan & Taylor French
Associate Pastor
Ryan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies with a minor in Theology from Indiana Bible College in May of 2006. Since that time Ryan has been privileged to serve in full time ministry in multiple capacities. During his time at IBC Ryan was very active with the Ministerial Student Association.
In the summer of 2007 after a short stint evangelizing, Ryan moved his small family to Natchez, MS to serve as the Assistant Pastor to Pastor Jim Johnson and the First Pentecostal Church of Natchez. During the spring of 2008 Ryan felt an undeniable call to launch into full time evangelistic ministry. The Lord blessed and many hundreds of people received the Holy Ghost for the very first time during four years of itinerate nationwide evangelism.
As of January 2012 Ryan resides with his family in Hampton, GA and serves as Associate Pastor here at Apostolic Tabernacle. He sat on the Youth Committee of the Georgia District UPCI as the Section V Youth Director a total of four years. He is also the creator and curator of the widely read blog Apostolic Voice & Podcast.
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Rev. Nathan & Rachel French
youth Pastor
As early as age seventeen Nathan felt a call to ministry. The Lord began to open doors and Nathan travelled as a full-time evangelist from 2010 to 2011. His last meeting as an evangelist brought him to GA; after week-long revivals in Covington, GA and Carrolton, GA, Nathan drove to his new home here at Apostolic Tabernacle where he has been serving as the Minister of Music since 2011.
As a musician, singer, songwriter, and director Nathan has been extremely active in numerous areas of church music around the United States; including a brief stint touring with a Christian band based out of Sacramento, CA called Niemann Avenue. Niemann Avenue included Jonathan French on the bassguitar, in early 2008 Jonathan and Nathan co-wrote the Neimann Avenue single Mysterious Maker, which was well received in California.
In November of 2013, Nathan launched EXALT: A Night of Music & Worship as a yearly ministry of Apostolic Tabernacle. EXALT13 was wildly successful and it has become a yearly event; singers, choirs, groups, and musicians from all over Georgia converge at Apostolic Tabernacle on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving for an exciting night of heartfelt praise & worship. Nathan brings a well-rounded background of ministry and music to Apostolic Tabernacle. He recently completed an undergraduate degree in Theology through Liberty University.
In May of 2014 Nathan accepted the position of Youth Pastor here at Apostolic Tabernacle in addition to his other duties. Nathan has been active in youth ministries for many years and regularly preaches and teaches at youth events.
Nathan and Rachel have recorded several EP's under the title Nathan + Rachel. Their music is a regualr on Atltanta Christian radio and their music is used in churches around the world. You can find their music on iTunes and every major digital platform.