Temple of Praise Ministries is a unique and vibrant Church located in Harvey, Louisiana and founded by Elder Nelson Dexter Jr. and his wife Lady Robin W. Dexter For more than a decade the Temple of Praise has been a center of R.E.S.T. for anyone that needs Restoration, Education, Sanctification and Transformation.
On Sunday, February 14, 1999 Valentine’s Day, at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Gretna, Louisiana, the Temple of Praise Ministries held its 1st service. During that very first service 25 people joined the church and started the ministry on a track of incredible growth. In just a few months the church grew from 25 people to filling both sides of the ballroom where services were being held. Pastor Dexter’s touchable persona and dynamic teaching ability had begun to minister to the lives of those attending Sunday Services.
With an understanding that God’s presence is vital to a church’s existence Pastor Dexter was led to start a weekly prayer. In need of a location a faithful member Mother Annabelle Christian graciously offered her home as a suitable site. From the very first prayer service it was evident that the power of God was all over the Temple of Praise. People were being delivered, marriages were strengthened and lives were being changed. In May of 1999 Pastor Dexter began to sense a hunger to expand the ministry’s impact in the lives of the people that had joined the church. So he started a weekly bible study in the home of Min Violet Grant another faithful Temple of Praise member. Every Thursday members, their guest and their families eagerly gathered for the exciting bible teaching.
In order to make the ministry more stable a temporary location with a 1000 sqft. was found on Woodmere Blvd in Harvey, LA. After being in that location for only 12 months once again the ministry experienced phenomenal growth. The ministry had grown so much that the membership appeared to be bursting out of the walls, space became a concern. The search was on again for another suitable yet more permanent place for worship. While looking for the next location something incredible happen. Through God’s favor, the Temple of Praise Ministries received a three acre land donation in the Tallow Tree community, also located in Harvey. The vision for that property is to build a multi-purpose center and playground for the Tallow Tree community.
Trusting the people he had around him and still needing to move from the Woodmere location. Pastor Dexter was encouraged to consider a vacant 7000 sq ft facility at 1821 Commercial Dr. in Harvey, LA. The new location was ideal, the facility had adequate space to expand ministry services and enough room to accommodate the growth the ministry was experiencing. The Temple of Praise entered into a lease agreement with the property owner and held its first service on Sunday, April 1, 2001.
In August 2005, hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area. Homes were destroyed, families were displaced, businesses closed down and the thought on people’s mind was could the area make a comeback. Like many other Pastors in the area Pastor Dexter sensed the compelling call to remain and rebuild. His first order of business was to do what he could to shore up the lives of our future. Pastor Dexter was led by God to restructure the Temple of Praise Youth Ministry, formally the Youth of Promise. He had a vision to develop young people into men and women with a God consciousness. He organized a committee of young people in the ministry and tasked them with assisting him in renaming, restructuring and revitalizing the Temple of Praise Youth. Out of several intense meetings a new youth Ministry was birth, with a new vision, new mission and a new name, HYPE (Holy Youth Purposed to Excel). HYPE has made a tremendous impact on the lives of youth in the Temple of Praise Ministries, surrounding communities of New Orleans and abroad. God has changed the lives of hundreds of youth through HYPE.
In 2012 God spoke to Pastor Dexter and instructed him to begin the process of purchasing a permanent location. Because the Temple of Praise owned three acres of land Pastor Dexter began the process to build the new permanent location on it. While in prayer God spoke to Pastor Dexter and said not that location yet. God had something different in mind. While looking out of his office window God directed Pastor Dexter’s attention across the street. God showed him a building that was for sale and said that’s the location. Pastor Dexter contacted the owner of the building and began the acquisition and renovation process. This new 8000 sqft building is now the new home of the Temple of Praise Ministries.
We can only “Thank God” for the growth and favor he has given our ministry. We know God is taking the Temple of Praise to a greater dimension of faith, focus and favor.