Founder & President of NLT Bible College, Teacher/Professor, Evangelistic Pioneer, Global Leader, Author, Pastor Emeritus, Pastor to pastors, Community Leader...(Apostolic gifts)
THe legacy of
Dr. Ralph Godfrey sr.
(1938 - 2017)
Dr. ralph godfrey sr. founder
Dr. Ralph Godfrey, Sr., founder and apostolic leader of Harvest Time for Christ New Life Temple Church, was known as one of the leading ministries in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a visionary, educator, , radio host and author of his current book Right Focus, Right Thinking, Right Results .
Pastor Godfrey walked out his God-ordained destiny through evangelizing and pastoring for over forty years. He was devoted to restoring the lives of many broken people; wherefore, fulfilling the prophetic mandate placed on him by God as “Repairer of the Breach”.
Internationally, he was known for his teaching and shepherding of global leaders as well as his great partnership and support for missions with several churches worldwide. His godly character and sound advice established him among many as a Pastor of pastors. This generation has been honored to know such a man.
In the beginning...
Dr Ralph Godfrey Sr. had a determination to preach an unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ. Recognizing a call from God to full-time ministry in 1969 Ralph Godfrey started Harvest Time for Christ Crusade and traveled across the country as an evangelist. In these early years of what became known as the Charismatic Renewal Ralph Godfrey began attending tent revivals. He then received and began teaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit which became a change-point in his life and ministry. During this time Dr Godfrey began meeting with some others that were seeking out new experiences in Christ in the attic of the home of Napoleon and Mary Jane Coleman. These meetings became the foundation for the formation his pastorate of the New Life Temple church.
While conducting a street meeting in Madisonville God showed Pastor Godfrey that he was called to this area of Cincinnati. New Life started with renting a small storefront on Whetsel Avenue to the purchasing several plots of land in Madisonville. He also successfully merged with another church with the same fire and vigor he was presenting to his congregation which expedited the growth of his work and ministry. His work has encompassed much of the Madisonville and the presence of his local church and leadership as led the penetration of the gospel of Jesus in this eastern region of Cincinnati.
a Passion for missions
Dr Godfrey loved real participation in home and foreign missions. He started with his Jerusalem in the Madisonville community. He helped with the homeless and the hunger issues in the area by purchasing property for low-income housing while providing clothing and a food kitchen for over 40 years. His love for foreign mission was birthed when he traveled with a team to Haiti in 1976. This trip led to establishing an orphanage, school and several businesses in over 40 years of ministry in Port Au Prince. Simultaneously Ralph Godfrey began ministry endeavors in Hubli, Karnataka in India. There he worked tirelessly to help establish an orphanage, a hospital and several group homes. His leadership brought New Life Temple to understand the importance of establishing churches, teaching them, and inspiring leaders in other areas of the world.
Dr. Godfrey along with his son, has been instrumental in establishing leadership institutes in the Ivory Coast and Lagos, Nigeria. Since 2013, Dr. Godfrey has helped in adding New Life Temple - West, New Life Temple Abidjan, and several churches in India to his apostolic coverage. He was also working to found New Life Temple, Price Hill.
his Love for education
Dr Ralph Godfrey was always inspired to learn and teach the word of God. He believed that God’s leaders had a responsibility to provide a foundation for Christian growth to the body of Christ. New Life Temple was one of the first churches in Cincinnati to embraced systematic Bible teaching (Catechism) for lay members of the local church. Dr. Godfrey and several members of his leadership team would often travel to Detroit, Michigan and train to teach several of the catechism courses of the Bethesda Missionary Temple of Pastor James E Beall and his sister Patricia Beall Gruits.
His avant-garde attitude and leadership influenced many churches in Cincinnati to follow suit as they began teaching the lay members of their churches with a greater sense of systematic teaching in Bibles studies. He began teaching his leadership in New Testament studies and present day truths would eventually lead to the formation of a Leadership Institute.
In 2005, Ralph Godfrey started the New Life Temple Bible College an
accredited college that provides over 30 courses in Bible Studies and
Leadership Training. His love for Christian education also inspired the
inception of New Life Christian Academy which provided grade and high school
curricula for many students from 1977 to 1985. Many of the students went on to
universities, missions and full time ministry.
His final closing
Another great facet of his ministry was his love
and passion for worship and congregational singing. He believed that body of
Christ had a responsibility to minister love and songs of praise to God as well
as he would minister and bless his people while in his presence. He believe
that all times of gathering began with giving God our worship. In early 80's
Ralph Godfrey brought his church to new levels in singing to God and as a
result his ministry experienced spiritual heights of signs, wonders and
miracles. His worship teams were called on to teach this new experience in
worship and music to other congregations in Cincinnati and around the globe.
Dr. Godfrey functioned in an apostolic role. Like the Apostle Paul, Dr. Godfrey played a key role in going to the nations setting up, and building several ministries. As an apostle, he strived to help young ministries find vision, establish leaders, helped build churches, and assisted many in structuring systematic Kingdom studies. The apostolic call of Dr. Godfrey helped to create a 5-fold leadership team in New Life Temple Church that continues to minister effectively to others worldwide.
His final call came through his bout with lymphoma. During that time he continued to faithfully mentor his son and other leaders. His fatherly calling positioned him to be called abroad and mentor many sons in ministry. Numerous young pastors, leaders, and churches adopted him as a father that could speak into their ministry, lives and their families. Dr. Godfrey has left a legacy of faithful Kingdom service and marked a path for other leaders to follow.
