Tulsa is a city with a rich history of Oneness Pentecostalism. Following the split between Trinitarian and Oneness believers in the Assemblies of God in 1916, it is unclear if any Oneness congregations were maintained from the number of early Pentecostal believers in Tulsa.
The first known church was started In 1922, when a Oneness pastor named Arthur T. Duck came to the West Tulsa Assembly of God to hold a revival. When the AG pastor found out that Duck was preaching Oneness, he refused to allow him to preach. Instead, Duck began holding meetings in the Freewill Baptist Church in the area of Garden City near Elwood to 41st Street. As he preached the Oneness message, several accepted the teaching and were baptized in Jesus’ name in the old coalmines (presently under the Tulsa Fairgrounds at 21st and Yale).
One of the couples who accepted Duck’s preaching was B. L. and Willie Lou Still. Willie Lou was the first to be baptized in Jesus’ name. This caused a great stir in the Baptist church, and many left, but Brother Still also accepted the teaching and encouraged Duck to stay. The first church building was built in 1928. Thus began the First Pentecostal Church of Garden City. Today it is called Metro Pentecostal Church.[1]
Arthur Duck and Apostolic Believers c. 1930s (Don Martin)
In 1929, C. P. Williams, another important Oneness pastor, came to Tulsa and established the First Apostolic Church. Brother Still and Brother Duck joined with him. They built a brick building at 21st and Nogales that was completed in 1933. The church was a huge success and held many mighty revivals. In 1939, Williams established the Apostolic Bible School, an important Oneness Bible School trained many Apostolic pastors around the nation.[2] In 1945, the United Pentecostal Church endorsed the Bible school. It eventually closed in 1960. First Apostolic eventually left the UPC and remained independent. Today, First Apostolic Church is at 6600 S. 33rd W. Ave.
First Pentecostal Church, Garden City c. 1940 (Don Martin)
In 1941, B. L. Still left Williams to pastor the Garden City Church, which for a time had been pastored by Pastor Clarence Crain.[3] Pastor Still expanded the church on the property at 3623 S. Jackson Street. The church officially affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church in 1955. Still’s son, Lloyd Still, followed him as pastor from 1960-1969. In 1973, Orville and Donna Bryant became pastor and relocated the church to Berryhill and renamed it Berryhill United Pentecostal Church.[4]
In 2000, Pastor Don Martin became pastor and under his leadership the church took another step of growth. They moved the church 8611 E. 21st Street in Tulsa at and renamed the church Metro Pentecostal Church. After several decades of blessing and growth, the church once again moved to South Tulsa where they purchased the Park Plaza Church of Christ at 51st and Sheridan, which was officially dedicated on August 30, 2020.
This year, Metro Pentecostal celebrates its Centennial. Congrats to Pastor Don and Michelle Martin, Pastor of Metro Pentecostal Church and to the dear saints in this church that have continued to preach the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit for over 100 years in Tulsa. They will have a celebration in August to commemorate the event.
Pastor Don has become a good friend and is a great historian of Pentecostalism. His work on Tulsa and Metro helped me greatly in writing my book, Pentecost in Tulsa. I also appreciate Pastor Don’s endorsement of my book.
[1] Adapted from “About Us/History,” Metro Pentecostal Church, accessed December 18, 2020, https://metroupc.com/about-us/.
[2] “Claiborne Price Williams,” Apostolic Archives International Inc., accessed December 18, 2020, https://www.apostolicarchives.com/Rev_Clairborne_Price_Williams.html. See also “Our History,” First Church, Tulsa Hills, accessed December 18, 2020, https://firstchurchtulsahills.com/whatwebelieve.
[3] Don Martin, The First Pentecostal Church of Garden City, 25-27.
[4] Garrison and Westberg, Claiming the Land, 236.
Daniel D. Isgrigg 