Dr. Charles L. Hollis, who served for 50 years as the pastor of Moline Gospel Temple—a Foursquare church in Moline, Ill., passed away on Monday, Oct. 29, at the age of 89.
Dr. Jack Hayford, president of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, expressed the profound respect countless people have felt for Hollis throughout the years of his ministry. “No leader ever exceeded this man in their passion for the lost, their creative ways of reaching to the multitudes, or their constancy to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ,” Hayford said. “Charles Hollis was an inspiration to many of us who were of the generation following him. Today we all rise to salute the memory and testimony of this great man.”
Born in Danville, Ill., in 1918, Hollis graduated from Life Pacific College (formerly called LIFE Bible College) in 1937. He was ordained in The Foursquare Church a year later and served at churches in St. Peter, Minn.; Minneapolis; Newton, Iowa; Urbana, Ill.; and as a youth director at Angelus Temple in Los Angeles before going to Moline Gospel Temple in 1949. Hollis received an honorary doctorate of divinity from Life Pacific College in 1965 and was known by many as a “prince of preachers.”
He met his wife, Ruth Vingren—also an ordained minister, at an open-air meeting in Fairfield, Iowa, where they were both playing in a symphony band. The two were married in 1943.
Innovation marked Hollis’ 50 years of ministry at Moline Gospel Temple. He used buses to bring people to church and Sunday school—the Sunday school department was recognized as one of the largest in America by Christian Life magazine. He launched a television ministry and founded a local program called “Gospel Temple Presents” that aired for more than 20 years. In 1977 Brother Hollis established Temple Christian Academy, which offered classes from pre-school through 12th grade.
Dr. Hollis also traveled extensively, leading nine tours to the Middle East and holding evangelistic campaigns and missionary conferences in Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan and most of Central and South America. He visited 45 countries and in 1965 traveled 20,000 miles through Central and South America.
After retirement, Hollis continued to faithfully attended every service at Moline Gospel Temple, until six months before his death when his failing health no longer permitted him to do so.
Visitation for the Hollis family will be held at Moline Gospel Temple from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on November 9 and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on November 10. The funeral service will be held on November 10 at 11:00 a.m. at Moline Gospel Temple:
2305 7th Avenue
Moline, IL 61265
In memory of Dr. Charles L. Hollis, donations may be made to the following:
Quad Cities Christian School
1401 16th St.
Moline, IL 61265
Life Pacific College
1100 Covina Blvd.
Dimas, CA 91773
