Our Founders
Founding First Lady Barbara T. Lockett
Founding First Lady Barbara T. Lockett, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, has dedicated her life to ministry alongside her late husband, Bishop Otis Lockett Sr., and now with her son, Superintendent Otis Lockett Jr., at Evangel Fellowship Church of God in Christ and with her other son Pastor Joshua Lockett, at Triad Christian Center.
Lady Lockett leads the Women’s Ministry across several churches and founded Women in Ministry (WIM) in 2004, uniting women from different denominations to enrich lives through prayer, scripture, and fellowship. She has served as the Assistant State Supervisor of the Women’s Department for the North Carolina Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction since her appointment by Bishop Stenneth E. Powell.
Her contributions extend to founding Positive Direction for Youth & Families, The Malachi House for addiction recovery, E.J.’s Job Placement Services, and Kingdom Builders General Contracting Company. With over 29 churches under her leadership, she promotes community building and support.
Educationally, Lady Lockett holds a Bachelor of Science in English Education and a Master in Education Administration and Supervision from North Carolina A&T State University. After 17 years of teaching high school English, she transitioned to a full-time role at Evangel Ministries.
Lady Barbara and Bishop Otis Lockett has three children: Dr. Faith Lockett Gardner, Superintendent Otis Lockett Jr., and Pastor Joshua S. Lockett, all of whom continue their legacy of faith
Our Founders
The Late Bishop Otis Lockett, Sr.
On a drizzly night on February 2, 1982, Elder Otis Lockett, Sr., guided by the Holy Spirit, left Cincinnati, Ohio for Greensboro, North Carolina. Just months after marrying Barbara Turner Lockett in August 1982, he was appointed Pastor of the nearly memberless Rescue Temple III COGIC by the late Bishop Leo E. Davenport.
Under his leadership, the church, renamed Evangel Fellowship, saw rapid growth, relocating twice to larger facilities, culminating in a 50-acre campus at 2207 Cone Blvd. This site includes the Power Center and the Power Play Center, which feature a variety of recreational and community spaces.
Pastor Lockett also founded Triad Christian Center in High Point, home to the first 24-hour East Coast International Prayer and Fasting Center, complete with a 28-bed facility and conference spaces.
A dynamic communicator, Pastor Lockett held degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Evangel College, a Master’s in Counseling Education from the University of Cincinnati, and an honorary doctorate from St. Thomas Christian College.
Together with First Lady Barbara Lockett, he initiated several ministries targeting at-risk youth, addiction recovery, and low-income housing. He also provided Apostolic coverage to over twenty-three churches in the Greater Piedmont District.
Internationally recognized in the Church of God in Christ, Bishop Lockett was a Church Growth Director and a revered speaker at many convocations. He was consecrated as Bishop in 2011 and became Jurisdictional Prelate of North Carolina’s 2nd Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in 2012.
Bishop Otis Lockett passed away on October 12, 2012, but his legacy continues through his family and the many lives he impacted.
