About Us

Bishop Gregory Alan Woods is the Pastor of Revival Temple Holiness Church, Center of Deliverance. He was born on September 16th, the son of the Late Reverend Robert Woods and the late Betty Woods. He grew up in the Church of God and Prophecy, where his father was the pastor. Bishop Gregory Woods accepted the Lord Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost at an early age.

During his formative years he attended the public schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee and graduated from Kirkman High School. He furthered his education at the Tuskegee College, located in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1987 and is a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. After finishing college, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he joined Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ. He served as a faithful member, praise team leader, Minister and Elder on the Ministerial Council. While under the leadership of Bishop Jonathan Greer II, he was honored to travel abroad with the Missions Ministry proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in foreign countries.

After the untimely ascension of the late Bishop Jeff W. Banks on February 3, 1997, the founder of Revival Temple, at that time Elder Gregory Woods was installed the pastor on Sunday, August 9, 1998. He has been granted the esteemed honor to be the first pastor to follow the founder. Within the first year of his pastorate, the Revival Temple Ministry grew within membership and spiritual development. Under his leadership the ministry remains at the center of the community extending love and services to the families of our community and membership through outreach services, Community feedings, soup kitchen, food pantry, health awareness, summer camp and parenting classes in collaboration with the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, and community enrichment seminars. While yet serving God faithfully, he was ordained into the office of Bishop on Sunday, August 8, 2009 in an ordination ceremony witnessed by the College of Bishops, his family, friends and church family.

In addition, Bishop Woods is the founder of the Kicking It with The King Outreach Ministries known for its 1st Sunday night high praise services. This ministry also brings to the community a “Worship Without Walls” experience that reaches to the surrounding college campuses spreading the word of God through their services and events. Bishop Gregory Woods, along with the Revival Temple Church family provides scholarships and personal care items to the collegebound students and offers a Give Back, Back to School giveaway for the community school age children. Bishop Woods also serviced on the Mayor of Newark’s Community Development Committees, a board member of the Life House Homeless Shelter and still finds time to travel to other countries to minister to God’s people, recently traveling to London to hold a four night revival and midday sessions. He has received many awards from the Mayor’s office for his outstanding dedication and service to the City of Newark. Bishop Woods oversees the Revival Temple Food Pantry that serves over 250 needy families a month, he oversees the Revival Temple Soup Kitchen that serves 150 people every Friday, the Diaper Bank that serves 100 mother a month with much needed diapers and runs a very successful 2 month summer camp every summer that provides activities and meals for children of working parents.

Though Bishop Woods did not feel worthy of being called to ministry, he answered the call, continuing to walk worthy of the vocation of the calling He remains humble, passionately declaring the word of God, fervent in prayer and drawing people closer to God through the life he lives before them. Revival Temple ministry has grown tremendously, and Bishop Woods is preaching a word that is strengthening the lives of the community through sermons stating, “We’re Better on Our Knees” and constantly letting them know “GOD ALWAYS HELPS US, ALWAYS!”

“Revival Temple exists to introduce the unbelievers to the Lordship of Jesus Christ –nurturing them to practical and spiritual maturity. We are committed to the church of choice for unbelievers, backsliders, Christians and families.

We are dedicated to establishing strong, godly mean and women through sound Biblical education; who would in turn provide godly leadership to their families and local communities.

We will provide contemporary Biblically-based programs which promote spiritual development in our youths and young adults.

Revival temple is an organization commitRevivalted to the Biblical pattern of organizational structure, pastoral integrity, and leadership excellence by placing qualified individuals in key to roles according to their gifts, talents and upright character.

We are determined to exhibit the love of Christ in our local community by assisting families and individuals through benevolent interaction.”

Revival Temple Holiness Church, Center of Deliverance was founded by the late Bishop Jeff W. Banks in 1965. He began conducting worship services in his home with eight members. Commissioned by God Bishop Banks moved his congregation to the YWCA in Newark, New Jersey for a short time and then to Springfield Avenue in Newark, NJ. Later Revival Temple moved to their permanent home located at 81-85 16th Avenue in Newark, NJ.

During these moves Bishop Banks organized the church Auxiliaries, Boards, Sunday School, Bible Studies, Radio Broadcast, Choirs and the Recording Choir. Along with organizing the church we purchased the property across the street known to be our parking lot and the land next door.

Through Bishop Banks’ dedicated leadership and his vision for Revival Temple the ministry grew and the people had been blessed through his anointing. Along with his love for his people and the ministry, Bishop Banks loved music. Being one of the world’s famous Banks Brothers that traveled extensively, he also appeared, along with his brother, at the Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and Madison Square Garden. He later organized the Revival Temple Mass choir (community Choir) that hit the top 10 charts. The last album recorded during Bishop’s lifetime was “He’s All Over Me”. Many souls came to Christ through these recordings and lives were changed.

Bishop Banks became ill in his later years and was called home to be with the Lord in January of 1997.

God did not allow Revival Temple to go on without a leader for long. In 1998, God sent Revival Temple a new pastor. Bishop Gregory Alan Woods was installed on August 9, 1998. Bishop Woods came to Newark from Atlanta, Georgia on assignment direct from God with a vision for God’s people. Anointed to lead, teach and preach – Pastor Woods brings the word of God to his people in a form that allows it to penetrate the heart, soul and mind. Because the word works! Revival Temple has grown spiritually and in number. God has added souls, strengthened those that remained and continues to build and strengthen in all areas. Revival Temple Center of Deliverance church has gone under extensive renovation with more still to come. We have come this far by faith and onward in the “Pursuit of God". God is doing great things and greater things He’s going to do.