Founder of Crenshaw Christian Center, Rev. Dr. Frederick Price, dies at 89
LOS ANGELES - Rev. Dr. Frederick K.C. Price, the founder of the Crenshaw Christian Center, has died at the age of 89.
Price died Friday, according to an Instagram post on the account of his son, Fred Price Jr.
"Our Husband, Father and your Apostle has gone to be with the Lord this (Friday) evening,'' the post read. "We accept his decision to go as he got a glimpse of glory a couple of weeks ago.
"But we are sad. Please allow us some time to process all of this. He fought the good fight of faith and laid hold of eternal life.''
If you stop by enormous Crenshaw Christian Center campus, off Vermont in South LA you’ll see a COVID-19 testing center. A sad, if poignant image, for people finding out the founder of the Center, the renowned Reverend Dr. Frederick Price passed away, a month after being admitted to a hospital with COVID-19 complications.
He and his wife of 67 years, Dr. Betty White, tested positive for the virus in January. She had only mild symptoms but he had to be hospitalized. His family and pastors around the country asked for prayers, but he was pronounced dead on Friday.
Price and his wife founded the Crenshaw Christian Center in 1973, first located at 9550 Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood before moving in 1981 to the former Pepperdine University campus on South Vermont Avenue at 79th Street.
It's membership grew from 300 to more than 28,000.
His purchase of the Pepperdine University campus turned into one of the first Black Mega churches that made Los Angeles pause. He added the 10-thousand plus seat Faith Dome to the campus. He also added well known Christian schools and expanded his ministry across the nation.
Price's "Ever Increasing Faith'' broadcast debuted on FOX 11 in 1978 and is now seen around the world.
His ministry includes 16 Helps Ministry auxiliaries, the Apostle Frederick Price Ministry Training Institute and the Crenshaw Christian Center New York.
The Santa Monica native is also the author of more than 50 books on faith, healing and prosperity, and was an early adopter of using social media as part of his ministry.
Many remembered Price's influence on other religious leaders.
"For those of you who do not know this ... Apostle Frederick K. C.
Price and his teachings were a great influence on this ministry,'' KW
Ministries of Christiansburg, Va. tweeted. "He was a wonderful Man of God.
Rest now, for you have fought the good fight, have finished your race, and have
kept the faith. Amen.''
Last Sunday, Minister Baltimore Scott of the Christian Center in New York, known as CCC East, asked for worldwide prayers as Price faced "health
challenges posed by COVID-19."
He is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
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