Rev. Isaac Hilliard Terry

United Pentecostal Church International

1912 ~ 2004

Ike Terry was born July 19, 1912 in Midland, Texas. He grew up in a strict Methodist home with four sisters and three brothers. His parents were educated people who had high school educational aspirations for all their children. Despite the elevated educational goals his parents had for their son Ike, he discontinued school after completing the eighth grade. All of his brothers and sisters became college graduates, some with masters and doctorate degrees. The only course of study Bro. Terry really loved was the word of God. Despite Bro. Terry's limited academic accomplishments to that of his siblings, his father, close to death, told his mother, "Ike became more successful than all the rest." 

Prior to his salvation, Ike Terry worked for the Oil Well Supply Company in Monahans, Texas. One day while using the services of a telephone operator to locate supply stores for a part, he expressed his appreciation for her help and offered to buy her a coke. Her name was Marguerite Foster, but he called her "Maggie." On meeting her, Brother Terry said, "She was a typical telephone operator in a West Texas oil field, and I was a typical fellow on the oil field. We were both wild as deer!" Their courtship began that night, and they married on October 16, 1938.

In Monahans, they became acquainted with the A.H. Browing family, who pastored a Pentecostal Assemblies of Jesus Christ church there. They were both baptized in Jesus' name on Sunday, February 12, 1939. Sister Terry received the Holy Ghost the following May 29th, and Bro. Terry received the Holy Ghost about  a year and a half later. The night he received the infilling of the Holy Ghost, he was praying inside their trailer, which was located in a large trailer park. Speaking of that tremendous event, he said, "About the time the Holy Ghost hit me, I began to scream in tongues, and the lights came on all over the trailer park. I became a gazing stock to that group living around us."

As a newborn babe in Christ, I.H. Terry desired the sincere milk of the Word of God, and he grew strong in the Lord. His pastor taught him the simplicity of the gospel. He also learned from Brother browning the necessity of church government, which became the hallmark in Brother Terry's teaching.

A few years after being filled with the Holy Ghost the Lord called him to preach the gospel. His first revival was held in Ft. Stockton, Texas. With Brother Browning's blessings, Bro. Terry relocated to bakersfield to start a Oneness Apostolic Pentecostal church. At that time, in 1943, there were no churches of that kind in Bakersfield.

After renting a church building, their first service was held on Saturday night, November 13, 1943. Eight people were present. As the news spread of the first Jesus Name church, attendance grew, and grew, until several properties were purchased to accomodate the growing congregation.

On December 15, 1975, Sister Terry suffered a major stroke and was incapacitated until November 1982, when the Lord took her home to be with Him. In November 1983, after pastoring First Pentecostal Church for 40 years, Brother Terry retired.

Over the years, approximately 40 preachers have gone out from First Pentecostal Church. Across America and overseas are preachers who were taught under the leadership of I.H. Terry.

On May 6, 2004 I.H. Terry passed from this world to his heavenly reward. Audio recordings of Brother Terry are available from the audio library of the Apostolic Archives International.