Elder Paul H. Arrington

“The moment that forever changed my life happened on Father’s Day in 1972. I received Christ as my personal Savior and wholeheartedly committed the rest of my life to following Him (Jesus Christ). On that day, I not only accepted Salvation, but I also vowed and committed to living out His (God’s) plans for my life.”

“Through my walk with the Lord, I have learned some of the most valuable and tremendously important lessons of my life. My life lessons are ones that I have always been open, honest and vocal about. I believe evangelistic transparency not only deepens my personal walk and relationship with the Lord, but it has helped so many people around the world.”

“At the time, I was living in Chesapeake, Virginia during the year of 1975. I served in the United States Navy during my military career, while also serving in the local church under the leadership of Bishop Monroe J. Clark. In 1977, after much prayer and preparation, I was officially ordained as an Elder at New Clark Temple Church in Chesapeake, Virginia by Bishop Monroe J. Clark. Under Bishop Clark I served as the National Sunday School Superintendent in charge of ten (10) churches from Southern Virginia, North Carolina and New York.”

“I had the opportunity to work under the Executive Leadership of Bishop Monroe J. Clark and Bishop John R. Savage for over 40 years.”

“My time in Japan concluded and the Lord led me back to the United States. I established my residence in the Tidewater area of Virginia with my family.  In 1984, I reignited my fellowship with Bishop Clark and was installed as the Assistant to the Bishop. In 1986, I was ordained and installed as the Pastor of New Clark Temple Holiness Church, which was later renamed as St. Stephens Holiness Church in Chesapeake, Virginia.”

“After the passing of Bishop Monroe Clark on September 22, 1996, the church, St. Stephens Holiness Church, moved forward as a ministry with our newly installed Bishop, Bishop John R. Savage. Under the leadership of Bishop Savage, I was appointed as the First Administrative Assistant for eighteen years. After eighteen years, I was led by God to become independent and I founded Maranatha Outreach Ministries International.

Maranatha Outreach Ministries International now provides ministry oversight for the new NCT (New Clark Temple Church) and its legacy campus under the leadership of Min. Jessica C. Reid and her Senior Executive Leadership. This also includes my position as an active board member on the Monroe J. Clark Private School’s Board of Education for its K12 school, The Arrington School of Ministry, and the John R. Savage School of Leadership. I look forward to the advancement of God’s vision in the coming months and years.”

“Looking back on my journey with the Lord and on serving the people of God, so many notable experiences in ministry come to my mind. For instance, in 1978, while under military orders, I was stationed in Naples, Italy. It was there that I was led by the Lord to give birth to a ministry in Naples, Italy called Bible-way Church of Deliverance. I was the Pastor of the ministry from 1978 to 1980. After 1980, the Lord led me, through a new military appointment, to move to Yokosuka, Japan with my family. Once I settled in Japan, I was able to mobilize a new church plant that would be stabilized for Christians in the area. The church was in fact ordained and inaugurated in Yokosuka, Japan. This ministry was very similar to what we have today. God allowed us to build  a strong community with many interactive aspects. Unfortunately, technological advancements, such as the world wide web and social media, were not available until many years later. Had those tools been a resource, it would have afforded the global church to make an even bigger impact earlier on.”

“In my reflection on the ministry that I founded in Yokosuka, Japan, I realize that God introduced a ministry that was actually ahead of its time. The ministry partially grew into one that incorporated interactive bible studies within the physical homes of Japanese and American Christians in Japan. It created a culture that was centered on the love of God, Salvation, community involvement with cross-cultural interactions that focused on the Great Commission as well as the Great Commandment.”

“In my years of being the Pastor of St. Stephens Holiness Church, formerly New Clark Temple Holiness Church, God led me to accomplish a variety of goals and objectives.”

Some of those most notable and successful accomplishments included, but are not limited to:

• Planning and providing for leadership in the observances of the church ordinances.
• Spiritual leader and Overseer of the New Clark Temple Holiness Church/St. Stephens Holiness Church congregation.
• Provided administrative leadership for the Bishops of the governing organization(s).
• Preached the entirety of God’s Word as led by the Holy Spirit within the Body of Christ, as well as local and global communities.
• Established and coordinated teams for street ministry.
• Initiated and completed the preliminary phase for the planning of the reconstruction of St. Stephens Holiness Church, including the architectural design for the sanctuary and its coordinated amenities.
• Overseer over the final completion of the redevelopment and reconstruction of St. Stephens Holiness Church in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
• Served successfully as the Moderator of the church during the years of being an active Pastor at the now former St. Stephen’s Holiness Church.
• Provided pre-marital, marital, grief and family counseling.
• Trained and licensed Missionaries, Ministers, Elders, Evangelist, Trustees, Deacons, Church Mothers and Administrators.
• Appointed committees as set forth in the By-Laws and other special committees as the church requested or deemed necessary for the advancement of the whole church.
• Delegated appropriate tasks to church staff according to the staff organization set forth in the Church Organizational Chart of St. Stephens Holiness Church.
• Led the staff and the local church in a caring ministry for persons in the community that were not official members and/or active participants of the local assembly.
• Served as the delegated Chair of the Church Council, at times, in order to facilitate ministry order and/or ministerial accountability.
• Led and delegated the leadership of the congregational services, which included the planning, coordination and evaluation of congregational worship services, coordinating ministries, business affairs and international outreach.

“I am an HBCU undergraduate of Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia. In addition to my undergraduate degree, I obtained a Master’s in Education from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Following the completion of my first graduate degree, I matriculated to N.C. School of Theology where I earned a Master’s in Theology.”

“Currently, I serve in various leadership positions. I am the Head of the Men’s Ministry and the Board of Outreach Ministry for Holy Temple Church. Holy Temple Church is led by the leadership of Pastor Maggie and Steve Pierce, for whom I am accountable as an Elder.”

“More recently, I have been asked by Minister Jessica C. Reid and her campus Executive Board for New Clark Temple (NCT) Church, and its associated Private School’s Board of Education, to act as the next Overseer to assist in ensuring ministry accountability. As an Overseer, I am able to manage and facilitate balanced guidance for the organization and its Senior Executive Leadership. This position enables me to provide and assist in its organizational guidance, spiritual accountability, advocacy and general counsel as needed for the boards that I actively serve on for the campus ministry.”