The History Of FTCC/Shekinah Ministries

The First Power Couple

Today you hear of power couples, but before couples actually worked together for the same cause, before Paul and Jan Crouch, before former president Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, there was one couple already doing it… Arthur and Minnie Lowe. Back when women weren't allowed to preach from the pulpit, Dr. Minnie Lowe was paving the way. In the past not too long ago, women weren't  allowed to speak in the church, so preaching was out of the question. 

The couple started out cleaning hotels, and mansions of the wealthy. This was before they became Rev. Lowe and Dr. Lowe, they were Arthur and Minnie Lowe; it was the daily grind, to put food on the table, and clothes on their backs. Arthur would always tell Minnie, " Someday we're going to have servants cleaning for us. And, I'm going to buy you the finest of everything. " The old car they had, had broken down, so they walked where they needed to go.

 People would see them walking while it was raining, and purposely drove in puddles to splash the couple, and made fun of them. Because, Arthur would tell others how he was going to rise up to be wealthy and respected. Those he'd tell this to would laugh and say, " You ain't nothing but an alcoholic!” This would anger him. Minnie would always comfort him, and tell him to fight back in a positive way. To become that man that he knew he would become. God was watching the whole time. And, he saw a couple that he would use for his glory.

In 1968 God called Arthur and Minnie Lowe into the ministry. Reverend & Dr. Lowe built an independent ministry without any connections to any churches or organizations. Rev. Lowe often said, " Nobody can vote me out, they'd have to just leave." They built Faith Tabernacle Christian Church so that they could do new things in the ministry that had not ever been done. Things such as; prison ministries, ministries that help people who were in need.

Their ministry, Faith Tabernacle Christian Church, began in 1968, in their home on 18th street in Hollywood, FL. The membership started out with thirty-five members, and most of them were children. The couple would go out into the public, telling people about the goodness of God.

They went on missions to everyone that they came in contact with. The membership rapidly began to grow. They moved their ministry to Dr. Lowe's mother's garage, at 212 2nd Avenue in Hallandale, FL. 

Miracles began to happen right before the eyes of the people, and the people would go out spreading the good news about the way that God was using this young couple. Rev. and Dr. Lowe would continue to mission to the public, as the membership continued to grow.

They moved the membership to a building on 2nd Avenue, just up the street from Dr. Lowe's mother's home, which was called 'The Hall' . The two were using what they had for the Lord. Rev. Lowe was not only a powerful man of God, he was also a powerful vocalist. People often said that if Rev. Lowe couldn't preach the devil out of the people, he could definitely sing it out of them. 

He was also a multi instrumentalist, he played by ear. Dr. Lowe was also a vocalist and multi instrumentalist. She would play an old organ that she and Rev. Lowe purchased them for their two young daughters' music lessons. Combined with the awesome music, singing, the good preaching, and the miracles, the people came from everywhere. Soon other vocalists and musicians would join in. 

The ministry would grow, and grow, and grow. The couple, and the members of Faith Tabernacle Christian Church, and other people in the communities pledged donations to build a church building to house the rapidly growing ministry. Rev. and Dr. Lowe not only pledged donations, they paid their tithes to their membership as well. 

Rev. Lowe challenged the membership to have the building built within two years. Local businesses made continuous donations towards the building fund. Members of the church would even help lay the foundation down physically to erect the building. The miracles kept coming, the word of mouth began to spread abroad.

The Lord would tell or show Dr. Lowe who needed to be healed, who needed to be restored, or whatever the people needed to become healed and whole.

 Rev. Lowe would lay his hands on them, and right before the eyes of the people, the miracles of God would unfold. Nothing was ever staged, nothing was ever rigged, it was the power of God! The church building was built within eleven months, as the membership continued to grow. The dedication of the church was an awesome event. The choir was in place, and completely unified, as they marched in singing, 'we've come this far by faith', which was Faith Tabernacle Christian Church's Theme Song. Rev. R. W. Shambach dedicated the church, and the media took their posts to captivate and report this grand occasion. 

The couple welcomed various musicians over the years, but there would  be one who would later become the sole musician, and minister of music, the couple's baby girl, Arthenia. Everything was always done decently and in order. 

The choirs would sing with the voices of angels, the musicians played skillfully, the ushers brought the people in with dignity, and the word of God was brought with full force, no brakes held. From Genesis, to Revelations.

God continued to use the couple in ways that were not seen before.

 A teenager struggled with speech, she had a stamina that caused stuttering. Her friends made fun of her, because she couldn't get the words out that she wanted to say. Simple words like Yes, and No. The holy spirit came upon Dr. Lowe, and told her that when Rev. Lowe would lay hands on her, that she would never stutter again. Rev. Lowe laid his hands on the young teen, and the spirit of the Lord came upon her. She began to say thank you Jesus, without stuttering! 

And, after the miracle took place, she spoke that same day without stuttering, and she would never stutter again. The miracles kept coming. And, as the miracles of God continued to pour in, businesses and members were compelled to continue to donate. Rev. and Dr. Lowe allowed God to use them. And, because of this God rewarded them. God began to bless them financially. The couple who were made fun of, had water splashed on them, who cleaned hotels and houses, were blessed with six figure incomes, Dr. Lowe erected businesses of her own as well, and they became the wealthiest black couple in south Florida. 

They added on to their home, they built a pool in the backyard, they had  multiple brand new cars parked at their home. And, the miracles continued to flow. Rev. Lowe hired maids, and servants, and he bought the finest of things for Minnie just as he'd said he would.

The ministry would expand to outreach ministries; Love Ya! Outreach, The Broken Link, Youth Life Line, and others. There wasn't ever any competitive vibes between the couple, they were a team.

 Long before Tyler Perry brought plays to the stage, Dr. Lowe had written, and directed countless plays, as various good actors from their membership would bring the plays to life.

People would come from everywhere to see the plays, which were filled with great actors, and really good singing. Many souls were saved from watching the plays. And, the spirit of the Lord would take over the venues. The power of God was within everything that young couple did. 

Whatever Rev. Lowe did, Dr. Lowe supported it. Whatever Dr. Lowe did, Rev. Lowe supported it. Rev. Lowe never forgot that God had called Dr. Lowe into the ministry. As a team, Dr. Lowe would open up for Rev. Lowe's services, which would later be called 'song and praise service', which at that time no one had done. 

Opening up for worship services was called 'devotion'. And, it was led by deacons of the membership. This would become the norm over the years. Not only did Dr. Lowe do song and praise service, she would lay hands on those in need of prayer during this segment of service. 

People were healed, and they were blessed. Some people only needed to feel loved, and she had a way with people. She'd take a moment to let them know they're loved. Dr. Lowe would also do what had not ever been seen before at that time; she'd preach the word of God from the pulpit. 

Whatever either of them would do, they complimented each other. There was never any animosity between them. When she received her degrees, he was ever so proud of her.  Rev. Lowe would drive Dr. Lowe and their family all over the country in support of his wife's outreach ministries to help people, and to save souls for the Lord. 

If there was an event that either of them couldn't attend, the other would go on the other's behalf. In 1984, Rev. Lowe decided to make Dr. Lowe Co-pastor of the membership.

Rev. Lowe's decision was not made because she was his wife, but because she was more than a co-founder, she was more than a first lady. She was his partner. Everything that they did for the ministry was done together. Dr. Lowe broke barriers that had never been broken previously. God used her in a powerful way. 

She too had the gift of laying hands on the people to be healed, blessed, and restored. In her hand was a replica of the hole in Jesus's hand when he was nailed to the cross. When the spirit of God was upon her, oil would come out of her hand where the hole appeared. There were people who were given up to die, and families called her to come to pray for their loved ones. And, God healed them, and extended their lives. 

There was a woman who was in hospice. The spirit of the Lord told Dr. Lowe what to do for the woman to be healed. That woman was removed from hospice, and her health was completely restored! The woman came to their church, and testified. She was a repeated invite to speak on special days.

There was one individual who had aids, and had begun to deteriorate from the disease. The person was in excruciating pain, and could barely walk. The spirit of the Lord came upon Dr. Lowe, she laid hands on the woman, and she was healed. Each week it was visible that the woman was gaining weight, and also gained  strength back. 

When that individual went back to the doctor, all of the tests came back negative. And, that individual is still alive today. There were thousands of people who were healed, marriages were restored, people who needed jobs received the best jobs, and some of them are still alive and still working those same jobs that God used Dr. Lowe prayed for them to be hired.

Years ago, women who were born again, or 'saved' weren't allowed to wear pants, makeup, hair color, and basically nothing that was other than unimpressive, while the men wore what they wanted to wear. Dr. Lowe was the first to wear pants, lipstick, and hair color in the ministry. She received negative feedback, but it didn't bother her. 

She proved that you can be saved and look your best at the same time. She inspired other women who were saved, or born again to look beautiful, while teaching them that God judges the inner, the hearts of people, not their hair color, nor what they wore.

There were very few women in the ministry at that time, and Dr. Lowe's style, and her poise, compelled the others to step up their game. Before long, it became the norm. 

The two were a force to be reckoned with. They were living proof that if you serve God wholly, and holy, that he'd bless you so powerfully that you wouldn't have room to store all of the blessings. Most people thought that you had to be common, or plain to serve God.

Some people today still think that way. They frown on pastors who's living the good life. But, they taught from the very bible that states that God will pour out blessings upon blessings, that there wouldn't be room to store it. David stated in the book of Psalm, that God will give you the desires of your heart. Not only were Rev. and Dr. Lowe was blessed, but their entire membership was blessed. 

They all dressed well, they all drove new cars, they were all blessed. But, as many people who have experienced success, there would be haters plotting up ways to take the success away. Some of the members would meetup for the sole purpose of plotting to destroy the ministries. 

Those people began to think they were making Rev. Lowe and Dr. Lowe who they were, and that it was they who were giving them the good life. 

They told some of the other members not to pledge anymore, not to pay their tithes anymore, no more donations, and to all leave the membership at once.

Not everyone was happy to see Rev. and Dr. Lowe prosper. There would come massive challenges, and some members walked away. But, during the challenges, God was with them, and continued to hold them up. 

They continued on, and souls were still being saved, and miracles never ceased. Reverend Lowe continued to uphold his promise to Dr. Lowe, by giving her the finest things, all the way to the very end. On March 1st 1987, after preaching, and after singing “When all God's children get together… what a time”. Rev. Lowe passed away in the church that he and his wife founded and built. He was only fifty-two years old. Dr. Lowe would continue on, becoming pastor of their ministry. She too would face challenges through the years. She sold the building in 1997, but she continued on in various venues.

The power of God was still very present in the ministry. Miracles continued to pour in, blessings never ceased. She would later change the name of the church to Shekinah Beracah El Beth. She continued on with the ministry that she and her husband founded. She did it for the Lord, and she did it for love. She carried on until the very end. Dr. Lowe passed away on October 27, 2015 .

The two of them were used by God in such powerful, and miraculous ways. They weren't only husband and wife, they weren't only pastor and co-pastor, they were a team. They were a unit ordained by God… they were a force to be reckoned with. The first Power Couple. They were; Rev. Arthur C. Lowe, and Dr. Minnie L. Lowe.

References

Malachi 3:10 

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it.

3 John 1:2

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Psalm 37:4

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

… the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Corinthians 13th Chapter

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,  but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.  For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.