As with many of Pompano Beach's churches, the Thomas Temple Church of God in Christ had very humble beginnings.

In the year of 1938, the late Elder Charlie Thomas, founder and father in the Lord of Thomas Temple, said the Lord told him to go across the Seaboard Railroad tracks and build a church. At that time the area was called Seaboard Highland. It was a vastly wooded area and there were only a few houses, but that did not discourage Elder Thomas. He obeyed the Lord's command and built the first church, which was a "Bush-Harbor" [also known as a brush arbor]. It was made of tin, paste-board and other objects that Elder Thomas could find. There was a sawdust floor and the seats were bean hampers. This little bush-harbor church looked so bad until the man that sold Elder Thomas the lot told him that he would have to tear it down because he was having a difficult time selling adjacent property. Elder Thomas did not let this stop him . . .

God began to send so many souls until this little bush-harbor became too small. Elder Thomas then did a magnificent thing. He went into the swamp by himself and hewed out limbs for the first foundation of the church and dragged them out by himself. Shortly afterwards, God sent him two wonderful helpers--the late Elder Talmadge McCloud and the late Elder Paul Hunter-- who financed and helped build the first church.

Today, the Thomas Temple Church of God in Christ is located at 516 NW 16th Avenue in Pompano Beach.