Our PASTOR and BISHOP

 Bishop Maureen L. Davis is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She accepted the Lord as her personal Savior at an early age and was raised up at the Gates of Heaven Pentecostal Church under the leadership of her grandmother, Bishop Lena Thomas. She later went with her parents when they were sent to establish the Open Door Mission True Light Church. Having served as the assistant to her father, the late Pastor Emeritus James L. Ballard, Sr., she is currently the Pastor of the Open Door Mission True Light Church, located at 401 N. 52 nd Street, Philadelphia, PA.

 Bishop Davis received her early education in Philadelphia and graduated high school in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. She pursued her dreams of higher education graduating from the Center for Urban Theological Studies/Geneva College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biblical Studies. She continued her education at The Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Arts Degree in Theological Studies and a Doctor of Ministry Degree in The Renewal of the Church for Mission.

Bishop Davis is actively involved in building the Kingdom of God and empowering His people. A great believer in preparation and training, she has initiated many Christian Education programs, which are currently in place. Not content to merely preach the Word, she is committed to following and teaching her congregation how to follow the Great Commission. This is reflective of her belief in meeting people where they are spiritually and teaching them how to grow in the Lord. She feels strongly that every member of the congregation is a minister and vital part of the body of Christ. Bishop Davis has recently established many new ministries in her local congregation and has instituted the Annual Family Conference, which seeks to strengthen existing families and win new families to Christ.

For more than 20 years, Bishop Davis has maintained a weekly radio ministry on two stations, through which has been built a radio audience as well as brought new members to the church. Under the anointed preaching, teaching and deliverance message of Bishop Davis, people have been saved, healed and set free. In addition to her responsibilities as the Pastor of a rapidly growing congregation, Bishop Davis was appointed and served as the first women on the Board of Trustees at the Center for Urban Theological Studies (CUTS). In 2001, Bishop Davis was appointed to serve as the Director of the Gates of Heaven Assembly of Churches and in March 2006 she was consecrated and installed Presiding Bishop of the Gates of Heaven Assembly of Churches.

She is a mother, wife, preacher, teacher, organizer, counselor, scholar and faithful, dedicated worker for the Lord. She has proved herself in many ways through the years, but has consistently demonstrated a deep love for God, a thirst for studying herself to be approved, and a constant readiness to be used the more by God. She now stands at the helm of a mighty ministry on the threshold of daily magnificent miracles.

Bishop Davis, along with her husband of thirty-two years, Deacon George Davis share the blessings of two adult daughters, Dr. Kim Davis and Marcia Davis-Hodges and two grand-daughters, McKenzie and Chae’La.