Bishop Lawrence E. Brisbin
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

  1915 ~ 1994

Bishop Lawrence Brisbin was born on May 23, 1915. On January 31, 1943 he was filled with the Holy Ghost after he was baptized in Jesus' name some days earlier. The joy of his salvation was expressed in both song and testimony, and he often marveled at the deliverence from alcohol and nicotine at the moment of his baptism. Lawrence attended the Apostolic Faith Church faithfully, never realizing that he would someday be its pastor.

On May 18, 1945 Lawrencewas drafted into the United States Army where he served with the 114th General Hospital Unit. During his military service he began to preach and often spoke about how God had sent him to school while in the Army. When he returned from military duty, he began preaching on the streets of Grand Rapids and at the Apostolic Faith Church. He was ordained in Boston, Massashusetts in August of 1950. In 1951 Elder Brisbin was elected pastor of the Apostolic Faith Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Under his leadership the congregation grew in number.

Elder Brisbin did not limit his service to the local assembly. He was active in the Northern District Council and was made a District Elder over the western portion of the Michigan diocese. In August og 1962 Elder Brisbin was given the title of "Bishop" and shortly thereafter was assigned the diocese of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Dakotas. He served in this capacity for several years and was later assigned the diocese of New York and Ontario. At its annual convention in August of 1980, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World selected Bishop Brisbin as their Presiding bishop, a position he held until 1986.

Bishop Brisbin was preceeded in death by his wife of fifty-five years, Mildred Elizabeth. After the death of Sister Brisbin, Bishop's health began to fail and he resigned his position as pastor on January 1, 1993. Bishop Lawrence E. Brisbin passed away on April 14, 1994. Although his voice has been stilled, his reputation and dedication to God continue on.  Audio Recordings of Bishop Lawrence Brisbin are available in our Audio Library.