The Late Bishop Dr. Scottie L. Jackson, Sr.
Our Founder
Scottie Lee Jackson was born into time in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on September 25, 1932 of the lineage of Eddie and Virginia Jackson. He is the seventh of eight siblings .
He was educated in the primary and secondary schools of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 1948 he relocated to Chicago, Illinois and attended Crane High School and received a high school diploma.
In 1952 Scottie became a member of the renown group ,” The Spiritual Five” as a tenor and lead singer under the management of Robert Mason and Marshall Jackson. He performed with such celebrities as Albertina Walker, Sam Cooke, The Soul Stirrers, The Dixie Humming Birds, The Swan Silver Tones, The Five Blind Boys, Cleophis Robinson, Inez Andrews, Shirley Caesar, and James Cleveland to name a few.
In search for better economic advantages, Scottie organized his own company called “Jackson Remodeling Service “ specializing in interior/exterior decorating , roofing and plastering. The vast knowledge of the construction business was instrumental in the rehabilitation efforts of 700 Jefferson St.
In 1961 he was married to Sister Mary Lindsay. The family was comprised of seventeen children. After a period of illness she preceded him in death in 1992 .
Also in 1961, Scottie confessed his belief in Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost under the dynamic ministry of the late Rev. R.W. Schambach. He was baptized in Jesus Names at Bethlehem Healing Temple 12 S. Oakley, Chicago, Illinois, under the auspices of the late Bishop Dr. Charles E. Poole and the late Evangelist Mattie B. Poole. He is currently the last living Bishop that was ordained by the late Bishop Dr. Charles E. Poole.
Elder Jackson worked untiringly at Bethlehem Healing Temple of Chicago and was one of the associate ministers at Revival Tabernacle Church on the South Side of Chicago. He has ministered in churches all over the United States and Canada and has been extremely instrumental in hundreds being baptized in Jesus Name and filled with the Holy Ghost.
In 1970 his dedication and zeal destined him to further distinctive elevations such as becoming the Founder & Pastor of Bethlehem Healing Temple of Gary, Indiana and in 1984 to the Office of the Bishopric. He is currently the last living Bishop that was ordained by the late Bishop Dr. Charles E. Poole.
For the first 2 years of the ministry services were held at a residential home on Maryland St. After that he moved the services to Little Funeral Home for about a year and half. God gave Bishop a vision for a larger facility to serve the community of Gary . He was led to the manufacturing plant of soda drinks, located at 2225 Broadway .
The property wasn't zoned for a religious facility at that time. Bishop Jackson and staff petitioned the Court and the City of Gary for a change in zoning. Bethlehem Healing Temple was denied the petition to change the zoning of the building. After months of praying and fasting, Bishop appealed for a second time to the Court and the City of Gary and was awarded the decision for the building to be zoned as a religious facility. Bethlehem Healing Temple was the 1st religious facility to be located on Broadway. The building was rehabbed by Bishop Jackson and church members, from a manufacturer plant to a beautiful worship sanctuary, business offices and community dining area.
Bishop Jackson created the largest Community Adult & Children Sunday School Program in the City of Gary where he would transport community residents, feed them and teach them the Word of God.
Also, he created an annual Community Tent Revival Program in the summer months on the parking lot of the church located on 2225 Broadway. Because of the great success of the Community Tent Revival Program, he was called to other states such as:South Bend, Indiana, Canton Mississippi, Natchez, Mississippi to administer this program, His vision was for the community residents that didn't attend church regularly to have the opportunity to be able to hear God's words and participate in worship services. From that effort many community residents joined the ministry and continues to live productive lives today.
He visited inmates at the Local & State Department of Corrections providing them with spiritual guidance and comforting words of wisdom. Members of Bethlehem Healing Temple that had family members in the penile system often times called on Bishop Jackson for guidance and assistance. He was the advocate and liaison between the defendants and the State of Indiana , often providing character references and asking for leniency for sentencing. After being released from the justice system, many of those individuals became members of Bethlehem Healing Temple. They are now living a stable lives with employment, homeownership, marriage, children, and ordained as Elders and Missionaries of the church. One individual was a known drug dealer that supplied the streets of Gary with an abundant amount of drugs. After being released from prison, he gave his life to the Lord and stopped all drug activity, became an ordained Elder and he also created a ministry that deals with stopping drug trafficking. Bishop Jackson always connected with the community from all walks of life. There was a motorcycle gang that would meet right across the street from the church on 2225 Broadway. The leader of that gang came in and Bishop prayed for him and he gave his life to the Lord. Often times members of this gang would come in for prayer when trouble would arise. Gary residents that were burdened with drug habits, alcohol and prostitution lives were changed by the praying, fasting and counseling efforts of Bishop Jackson.
Bishop Jackson prayed for many people and they received miracles of divine healing from cancer, heart conditions, and other ailments. Bishop Jackson always visited the sick at their homes or nursing facilities and provided prayer, words and songs of encouragement. Also, he was the Spiritual Advisor to local Medical Doctors in Gary and formed a partnership with them to bring awareness to healthy living, by sponsoring health fairs at the church for the members of the community.
God blessed Bishop Jackson with the ability to assist in marriages being restored, counseling families and assisting the youth in obtaining scholarships to attend college. Bishop often times assisted members of his church with the educational goals of their children. He attended Parent Teacher conferences for many of the youths that were having problems with their grades and or behavioral issues. There were fundraiser to assist the youth with their college expenses. Many young people has received their Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate degree and have stable careers. Young people were also involved in the ministry by being apart of the Pastor's Choir and Musician Department. Musical composition and Vocal Training were taught on a weekly basis . This effort was designed by Bishop to be able to provide an outlet for the youth of Gary, Indiana. Also ,it was designed to keep them focused on their goals and visions. From the Pastor's Choir and Musician Department some of the members have went on to become Professional Musicians, and Recording Artists.
On January 9, 1993 Bishop Jackson was united in Holy Matrimony with Evangelist Debra Jacobs. This union has brought forth two sons.
In 1994 Bishop Jackson formed a 501(c) 3 religious organization by the name of Helping Hand Churches, Inc. The vision of that organization was to provide resources such as financial & spiritual guidance to local and out of town ministries, to assist in growing their membership and assisting members with resources in financial counseling, homeownership, and emotional support for families from all walks of life. From that effort local churches in Gary, Indiana have been established. Also out of town ministries located in New York, Mississippi, South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan have benefited from the vision of Bishop Jackson.
In 1996 God laid on Bishop's heart again regarding a larger facility to serve the community. He was led to the beautiful edifice located at 700 Jefferson St. Gary, Indiana. After the purchase, the property was in need of extensive rehabilitation. Bishop and church members rehabbed this property and brought it back to the beautiful sanctuary you see today. This church holds up to 800 people with business offices, several classrooms, conference rooms, childcare center and community kitchen and dining room that occasionally serves the community hot meals. Also, we are currently seeking Federal Landmark Status for the building. At this facility many more Community Outreach Programs were able to be administered such as: Community Day, Back to School Rally, Family & Friends Day, Movie Night, Community Car Wash, and Community Health Fairs.
On June 12 , 2002, Bishop Jackson received his Doctrine of Divinity Degree from the University of Alabama.
In 2014, God gave Bishop the release to retire from Pastoring Bethlehem Healing Temple for 44 years. Elder Edward McNeil Jr., one of the longtime members since he was 5 years old, was installed as Pastor on October 4, 2014.
On May 8, 2020, our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ called and released Bishop Scottie Jackson from labor to rest until that great trumpet sounds when the dead in Christ shall rise and we, who all remain, shall be caught up to meet them and ever be with the Lord.