Progressive Temple of Faith Church has been in existence for thirty-eight years. Progressive was founded by the late Rev. Roosevelt Boyd and Mother Janie Boyd. There was a group of people that would meet with Mother Janie Boyd at their home to study God’s word and pray. The group grew and they had to move across the street into a gray house on the hill. Then they moved to the little yellow house across the street. As Rev. Boyd had services in that house, one night he opened the doors of the church and received his first member, Brother Paul Johnson. After that night, in the year 1984, Rev. Boyd started the mission that God had given him, to be a shepherd to His people.
Pastor Roosevelt Boyd, and a few others, started looking for a building where they could hold service. They found a building located at twenty-fourth and Halford Street, when they went to look at the building, it was not fit for anything. As they looked around, Mother Boyd saw the vision for this building. After completing some work in the building, like fixing a study for Pastor in a room that was a closet, they got the building ready for service. They later named the building “The Little White Castle”.
Pastor named the church, “Progressive Missionary Baptist Church”. On the third Sunday in the month of September, Pastor Boyd held his first service in this church. Pastor would preach every Sunday like he had a church full of people, even when sometimes it was just a couple of people there. They would sing with a few people from the audience, a piano that was not tuned very well and a small drum set. As Pastor Boyd followed the vision for his mission, they had fundraisers to help. They sold dinners that were served from a small window of a room that was turned into a kitchen. They were a church that loved everybody. As the membership grew, the church building began to be too small. In 1986, they began looking for a bigger building. After some searching, they found the building located at 2026 Hendricks St. As Pastor followed the instruction of the Lord, they marched from the old building to the new building in the summer of 1986. Pastor gave Progressive the slogan of “A Church On The Move and A People Who Love Everybody”. Under the leadership of Pastor Boyd, several of the church's auxiliaries were formed. Among those auxiliaries was a Drill Team to keep the youth active and involved. Progressive organized the first dance ministry in the city of Anderson. On August 18, 1998 Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Boyd was led to change the name of the church from Progressive Missionary Baptist to Progressive Temple of Faith.
In 1999, Pastor had a vision for a youth center. They purchased the old Shadeland Elementary School building and it became the Progressive Youth Outreach Center. Through this ministry they had giveaways and different activities that benefitted the youth and the community.
Pastor Boyd was a leader, a shepherd, a teacher, a father, a friend, and a mentor. He was an example of someone to follow. He licensed and ordained several ministers and pastors under his leadership. Also, under that leadership was birth a sister ministry in Decatur AL, by the name of Progressive Christian Outreach Ministry by Pastor Arthur L and First Lady Lena Warrior. Progressive has thrived on being a leader and inspiration in the community, to reach out to people and invite them to Christ.
After 35 years of faithful service, the Lord saw fit to call Pastor Boyd home. On the first Sunday in December of 2019, Rev Karlton D. Turner, along with Lady Kayra D. Turner, were installed as the new Pastor & First Lady of Progressive Temple of Faith Church.
