Church History

Clarence Henry Cobbs was born on February 29, 1904. In 1928, while riding the bus one day on 35th St. and South Parkway Ave. (now known as Martin Luther King Dr.) the Spirit of God spoke to Reverend Cobbs, telling him to organize a church and call it First Church of Deliverance. The Lord promised that all those who followed or joined this church would be delivered from any adverse condition they were seeking to overcome.

The first service was held on May 8, 1929, in the home of Reverend Cobbs at 3363 S. Indiana Ave. in Chicago, IL. Reverend Cobbs, who was known as the Boy Wonder, had not yet been ordained by man, but was anointed and appointed by God. Later that year, Bishop William Frank Taylor, of the Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc. ordained Reverend Cobbs and his Assistant Pastor Reverend Mattie B. Thornton on September 23, 1929.

The first church building was located at 4155 S. State St. in Chicago, IL. Because of the love and friendship between Reverend Cobbs and Mr. Charles Kennedy (brother of Julia Mae Kennedy, the church’s First Minister of Music), the church moved again. The site chosen was a former hat factory located at 4315 S. Wabash Ave. in Chicago, IL, purchased for $25,000. The first service was held at this location on June 8, 1933. On August 13, 1933, also known as “Victory Day,” the cornerstone was laid.

Reverend Cobbs wanted to remodel the newly purchased church building. Renowned architect, Walter Thomas Bailey (1882-1941) from Kewanee, IL was hired to redesign the outer façade of the building. Mr. Bailey was the first African American graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in architectural engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the first licensed African American architect in the State of Illinois. He was employed at Tuskegee Institute (now known as Tuskegee University) while working in Memphis, TN and Chicago, IL. In 1905 Mr. Bailey was appointed the head of the Mechanical Industries Department at Tuskegee Institute. While at Tuskegee Institute, Mr. Bailey designed several campus buildings including White Hall (1908) and a girl’s dormitory. He remained at Tuskegee Institute until 1916 when he moved to Memphis, TN and opened a practice on Beale Street. Through his Knights of Pythias connections, Mr. Bailey was given what would be the largest commission of his career, the National Knights of Pythias Temple in Chicago, IL. The site of the temple was on Chicago’s south side in an area known as “Bronzeville” or “Black Metropolis.” The last major project for Mr. Bailey was the Chicago Landmark Art Moderne project for First Church of Deliverance in 1939.

On December 7, 1945, while cleaning the church, Reverend Lillian “Snookie” Lewis found two nickels on a desk in the office and wondered why the coins were left there. Later she saw smoke coming from the choir loft. She used one nickel to call the fire department and with the other nickel she called Reverend Thornton. Within minutes Reverend Thornton called Reverend Cobbs, affectionately known as “Preacher,” who was in New York and told him, “First Deliverance is on fire. While the church was still burning Sister Irene Young Mundy gave Preacher her savings and said, “Preacher, I was saving this for a rainy day, today it’s raining.”

After the fire in 1945, Reverend Cobbs and the congregation of First Church of Deliverance repaired the fire damage. Towards the completion of those efforts, Mr. Fred Jones of Chicago, IL was commissioned to paint two murals in the church. The mural in the foyer of the church was done in a style associated with the Work Projects Administration (WPA) murals of the Great Depression. It depicts the theme of “People coming to Christ,” against a backdrop of the Chicago skyline. The second mural located in the choir stand above the altar represents the church’s relationship to God. Incised flat-relief figures depict angels keeping watch over a family arriving at the church for worship services. Both murals were restored by the artist in 1987 and 1992. In addition to the murals, Mr. Jones designed and carved the main entrance doors from a 100-year-old oak tree grown on Reverend Cobbs summer property in Benton Harbor, MI. The doors were carved at the South Side Community Arts Center then located at 3831 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, IL.

On May 25, 1950, about 6:30pm one of the worst traffic accidents in the city between a double trailer gasoline truck and a Green Hornet streetcar at 63rd St. and State St. inspired Reverend Cobbs to buy a Mobile Canteen to make service available for disaster emergency uses. Thousands of gallons of gasoline poured out of the torn sides of the trailers, engulfing the streetcar in flames, and setting fire to several automobiles and eight buildings. The fire killed thirty-three people and injured twenty-nine people. Shortly after that accident, Reverend Cobbs instituted the First Visiting Nurses Aid Service on the South Side of Chicago, IL. Reverend Daisy N. Travis and Reverend Lillian Lewis, First Church of Deliverance Associate Ministers, were among the first to complete the training and carryout the mission of the newly formed relief effort.

First Church of Deliverance almost from the beginning has been a broadcasting church over the radio. Beginning this long-standing broadcast ministry in 1933, it was a critical element of outreach that contributed to the church’s influence among other churches as a model of the broadcast structure and its own growth in membership. As First Church of Deliverance continued to grow in both numbers and influence, the church expanded its broadcast ministry to include twelve weeks of live services being broadcast on live television from the main sanctuary on (WLS) now ABC7 in 1953. It was the first African American Church to do so, which was a significant accomplishment.

Reverend Cobbs increasing concern over the status of less fortunate parents of the community gave birth to the idea of a Day Nursery and Community Center during the depth of the depression. The formation of the Maggie Drummond Community Center and Day Care was formed. The mortgage burning for the Center was held on Saturday, August 22, 1953. Construction began in 1954 on the $262,000 facility located at 4301 S. Wabash Ave. named in honor of Preacher’s grandmother. On Sunday, September 23, 1956, the ribbon cutting ceremony and building dedication was held. There was no government financial assistance during this time. Our community center provided after-school tutoring in math, reading, science and counseling as well as seminars in hygiene, job seeking, and employment counseling. This center continues to be used to house programs that make a significant impact upon the community it serves.

The World Renown Television and Recording Choir of First Church of Deliverance has been an inspiration and great influencer of religious music. The Choir has recorded several albums and has appeared in concert halls all over the world. In 1966 Reverend Cobbs accompanied the choir on its first European tour, introducing “Choral Gospel Music” in eleven countries, thirty-four cities and giving thirty-six concerts. The tour ended at the famous internationally “Rallingsas Conference” sponsored by Kroningsberg Mission of Sweden. In 1967, the choir made a second European tour, touring twelve countries, thirty-eight cities and giving thirty-six concerts. The tour also ended at the “Rallingsas Conference” sponsored by Kroningsberg Mission of Sweden. The people loved the music and begged for more. Most Sundays there were visitors from Europe attending morning service. The choir continues to provide spiritual and musical inspiration for thousands upon thousands of people all over the world through the church’s broadcasting efforts which continue to this day. On any given Sunday evening, thousands of people listen in on the services recorded weekly in the church sanctuary.

In 1963, Sister Jennie Mae Johns, a member of the Trustee Board became ill and was placed in a Nursing home. The conditions were so deplorable, Preacher decided to build a Convalescent Home for his members that needed nursing care. A site was selected at 35th St. & Ellis Ave, but the deal did not materialize. However, Capital Dairy located at 4316 S. Wabash Ave. merged with another company and sold the property in 1965 to First Church of Deliverance for $2,000,000 thus paving the way for First Church of Deliverance to begin the Convalescent Home construction. On Sunday, November 29, 1970, the 199-bed Convalescent Home of First Church of Deliverance at 4314 S. Wabash Ave, was opened at the cost of $2,500,000. This final cost did not include the furnishings. The home employs three doctors, a dentist, thirty nurses, ten professional and technical employees and fifteen non-professional workers. It had facilities for physical & occupational therapy, a beauty & barber shop, and classrooms for art & crafts.

The children of First Church of Deliverance had outgrown the small space under the Soprano choir section and overflowed into the first floor of the community center. Reverend Cobbs wanted all the children to be together in one place to worship. In 1974, the property adjacent to the church, 4317 S. Wabash Ave., was purchased for the Children’s Church building site. On Sunday, April 3,1977 at 4:00pm the Ground-breaking service was held. The Memorial Bible to be placed on the altar was a gift from the late Dr. Rev. Mary G. Evans. Rev. Cobbs said “In this sacred ceremony, we break this ground to the glory and honor of God. To establish this church in the hearts of our youth and may it ever be a beacon light to mold the lives of those who enter this future sanctuary.” On Sunday, May 14th, 1978, the dedication, consecration, ribbon cutting & Grand Opening service was held for the $250,000 building. Our youth, three hundred strong marched into the first church in America exclusively for children. Reverend Eugene D. Gray said, “No Idea” is so great as the “Idea” whose time has come.”

Reverend Gray was a man of vision. He saw a home for the elderly and physically impaired members of the church. We applied for a grant in 1986, however we missed qualifying by a few points. In 1987, Reverend Gray organized the Deliverance Manor Corporation and Board of Directors. After reapplying to HUD in September 1987 a grant totaling almost $4,000,000 was awarded for the construction of Deliverance Manor. This building, located at 4201 S. Wabash Ave., serves senior citizens and people with disabilities, providing them with affordable housing and improving their quality of life.

Reverend James R. Bryson, Jr., implemented numerous outreach ministries, Clothing Boutique, Food Pantry, Prison Ministry, Landmark Preservation, Summer Youth Employment Ministry which sponsored, in cooperation with the City of Chicago, employed over thirty-five youth in the summer of 2017. The Back to School Carnival, 2017, reached over 2,500 visitors and distributed over 1,000 fully stocked book bags. He stood on the vision of Reverend Cobbs and has led the efforts to increase the church membership and its outreach to the surrounding community that the church serves. He formalized the accounting and stewardship operations of the church with the implementation of software programs, established relationships with governmental and civic leaders, and strengthened the Christian Education and Spiritual Formation ministries of the church with the establishment of the Clarence H. Cobbs Center for Spiritual Development and Formation. The educational endeavors of the membership continue to be supported by the continuation of the work started by the former Light of the World Scholarship with the formation of the Reverend Eugene D. Gray Scholarship which provides financial assistance to part-time and full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Future plans for the church include the expansion of the church’s affordable housing initiatives. Renovation of areas of the church which are part of the church’s designated Chicago Historical Landmark status, the re-design, development and expansion of the vision to connect and expand the church properties into what will be known as “Deliverance Complex” which will provide additional administrative offices and meeting rooms, small business incubator offices, choir rehearsal and dressing rooms, a memorial wing and museum, full sized gymnasium and a 350 seat state of the art dining facility and commercial kitchen.

As the legacy of Reverend Cobbs and First Church of Deliverance continues, the church has been served by five pastors, Reverend Clarence H. Cobbs (Founder), Reverend Eugene D. Gray, Reverend Harold D. Porter, Bishop Otto T. Houston, III and Reverend James R. Bryson, Jr. Each has contributed significantly to the life of the church, congregation, and community.

God is yet doing great and wonderful things for First Church of Deliverance and the surrounding community. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!!!

As its name, would indicate, First Church of Deliverance has been and continues to be a church of many firsts:

  • First Church of Deliverance was the first Spiritual Church in the City of Chicago
  • The first church to wear white uniforms and dresses during worship services
  • Our founder, Reverend Clarence H. Cobbs, was the first person to obtain a life membership’ to the N.A.A.C.P. The N.A.A.C.P. held their first-Pastors and Church Workers annual breakfast in the First Church of Deliverance’s dining room.
  • First Church of Deliverance was the first to sing Gospel music.
  • Was the first to operate a soup line and food depository during the Great Depression
  • The first to hold religious services in Statesville Prison and the Virginia Federal Prison.
  • First Church of Deliverance has been broadcasting over the radio and now over the internet for over 84 continuous years.
  • Was the first African American church to broadcast services on television on Channel 7 (WBKB-later WLS-TV, now ABC7 Chicago), in 1953.
  • The first church to own and operate a music publishing company. Founded by Ralph H. Goodpasteur in 1953.
  • Was the first church to own and operate its own printing company. Fred T. Cobb was the first operator.
  • Established the first blood bank at Provident Hospital.
  • Was the first church to conduct a Mother’s Day Tea.
  • Was the first to give blessed roses at a service.
  • Was the first to baptize in Lake Michigan.
  • Was the first to have a consecrated aisle in the church.
  • Was the first church in the city of Chicago to own a modem Convalescent Home.
  • First Church of Deliverance was first to build a church for children and young teens.