Our founding pastor and visionary was the late Robert Louis Kimball. He was born to the late Mr. and Mrs. George Ivery and Maude Kimball on March 7, 1947 in Atlanta, Georgia.  He was blessed with four sisters and two brothers.  As a  child, he worshiped at the St. Peter AME Church in Northeast Atlanta.  He was a student of the Atlanta Public School system, enrolling at an early age in Nathaniel B. Forrest Elementary School, where he completed the seventh grade.

 

While going through the early years of life, he was looked upon and given the title of a "strange child.”  Because of the beauty he saw in the smallest things; his communication with nature; his eagerness to change wrong to right; and his determination to smile when others cried; he was characterized as being a bit peculiar.  He was inquisitive of everything!   If he wanted something, and for some reason was unable to get it, with help from the Holy Spirit, he would create what his heart desired. 

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During his adolescent years life for him was to be investigated and so, his journey of reasoning began.  At the age of 18 in 1965 he graduated from David T. Howard High School in Atlanta.  Still searching for what life had to offer, and being musically inclined, he began to pursue a music career.  He performed  at various public engagements and traveled for some time with other performers such as Stevie Wonder.  Having the talent to play wind instruments, primarily the saxophone, he gained great admiration for his musical accomplishments.

 

Not yet content with his life, however, he enlisted in the United States Armed Services, where he served his country in the Air Force for four years - a year of this in Vietnam during the war.  While fighting in the Vietnam War, his spirit was also at war, although uncertain of why he was being tormented.

 

During his travels, he enrolled in the University of Colorado, majoring in Psychology.  He also trained in electronics, agriculture, plumbing and communications.  After his talents  became so broad, the Lord narrowed them by giving him a major, and it was to minister the Word of God.  Still not convinced that ministry was what the Lord wanted him to do, he continued to search life and its purpose.  His time was then completed in the armed services and he later received an Associate Degree in Graphic Arts.

 

On March 6, 1969 he married the lovely Linda Nell Maxey and on December 8th  of the same year he was blessed with a daughter, Anjelica.

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The Lord continued to work with him, however, giving him every chance to surrender to Him. Then one day, the Holy Spirit gave him a gift of wisdom and spiced his life with understanding.   Being a man who had realized the influence of God all his life, he began to search and seek the knowledge that  it would take for him to do his Master's Will.  He then went into the wilderness and studied the Bible and nature for three years.  In 1973, he attended classes at National Divine Spiritual Church.  He was given spiritual instruction under the direction of Bishop Hiram O'Neal and the Reverend Mother Sarah Coleman.  He was ordained to minister the gospel by Bishop Albert Martin in 1975.  In 1976 and 1977, he served at the St. Mark Spiritual Church under the leadership of Overseer Sarah Coleman.  In the early 1980's  he also ministered under a standing engagement  at  the Emmanuel Holy Temple under the leadership of Overseer Minnie Sharlow.  He then began teaching classes in wisdom.

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In 1981, the Spirit of God led him to start a ministry in Washington, DC.  After ministering for several years, he opened a Christian counseling center on Dill Avenue in Southwest Atlanta.  Through his service, the Lord revealed to him the Temple of Hope Church.  He immediately prayed and the Lord directed him to 898 McDaniel Street, Southwest where with the help of the Lord he remodeled the building, every nail, board and screw.

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In 1995 Overseer Kimball was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree in recognition of his outstanding work in the ministry.  The members of the Temple of Hope very affectionately give him honor as Dr. R. L. Kimball.  Overseer Kimball had been a student of the faith for many years and is ordained to not only to minister but to also provide spiritual guidance, prophetic vision, and  physical and psychological counseling through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  In addition to ministry, Overseer Kimball was a phenomenal artist and musician.  He is the artist who painted the cross currently housed in the Temple of Hope.

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Under the leadership of Overseer Kimball the Church continuously grew.  It was under Overseer Kimball’s direction that on October 13, 2005, the church made a full purchase the building in which we are currently housed.  The Lord further blessed us, by providing a means for us to totally renovate the building. 

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After more than 40 years of ministry and more than 30 years of leadership, Overseer Kimball passed away in January 2018. The Temple of Hope was blessed with a dedicated and humble servant.  As a caring overseer, husband, father and grandfather, Overseer Kimball truly gave his life to the building of God’s ministry.