Greater St. Matthew Church of God in Christ

Bishop Paul L. Watson

Senior Pastor, Greater St. Matthew COGIC

 

 

Bishop Paul L. Watson Sr. was born on January 25, 1950 in Daingerfield, Texas, to Hattie Ann Carter

and Earnest Watson.  He is the oldest of eight siblings.  Elder Watson graduated from Daingerfield

High School in Daingerfield, Texas and attended Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.  He

has a Bachelor of Science in Theology from TSU (Trinity).  He was united in Holy Matrimony to

Mother Stella M. Lee on March 6 1971. 

 

After serving as a private investigator in Houston, Texas in February 1973 Bishop Watson joined

the United States Army and retired after serving twenty faithful and dedicated years.

 

In 1975 Bishop Watson accepted the Lord Jesus as his Lord and Savior and recognized his calling

into the ministry in November of 1976.  In 1974 Bishop Watson with eight other people, started a

service in Bindlach, Germany. In 1978 he Pastored a service on 52nd Street Chapel in Ft. Hood,

Texas.  He then started the first denomination service in Hohenfels, Germany.  Surprisingly, 1979

Bishop Watson returned to Germany in October and in December of that year he began to pastor

the church he was instrumental in starting in 1974. At this time Elder Watson requested and

received permission from Elder Robert Ellis to bring Bindlach Gospel Fellowship into the

Church of God in Christ. Elder Watson was blessed and tutored by outstanding Chaplains in the

military i.e. Captain Grover, Colonel Attic, Colonel Golden to name a few. 

 

Bishop Watson has proven his faithfulness and dedication to the ministry by serving in various positions simultaneously: 1980 to 1981, he pastored Bindlach, and Abundant Life Church of God in Christ. He also served as Interim Pastor of Neu Ulm Church of God in Christ, and in 1981 to 1990 he was the Pastor of House of Prayer Church of God in Christ from 1981 to 1991.  Bishop Watson served as the Area Coordinator for Area III from 1980 to 1986 and District Superintendent for District III and Finance Chairman from 1986 to 1987.  In 1987 to present, Bishop Paul L. Watson has served as the 1st Administrative Assistant to Bishop Carlis L. Moody Sr. for the Germany Jurisdiction.

 

After retiring from the military in 1993 Bishop Watson was commissioned by Bishop Carlis Lee Moody Sr. to continue to serve in Germany. In January 1993 he returned to Vilseck, Germany to pastor Greater Love Church of God in Christ.  Greater Love shared a building with Power of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. God gave Bishop Watson a vision to locate a place where the saints could worship anytime they wish and call their home.  January 1994 Bishop Watson was led by God to transform a barn, utilized to store farm equipment and hay into a house of worship.  He then changed the church name from Greater Love to Hour of Prayer Church of God in Christ.  Bishop Watson has served as pastor of Hour of prayer Church of God in Christ from February 1993-2007, Superintendent of District V, and First Administrative Assistant to Bishop Carlis Lee Moody Sr. in the Germany Jurisdiction.  In November of 2007, the Lord saw fit to elevate Elder Watson to the office of the Bishopric during the Centennial Celebration of the Church of God in Christ with the laying of hands by Bishop Nathaniel W. Wells Jr. and under the leadership of Bishop Charles E. Blake, the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ.  Currently, Bishop Watson is the pastor of Greater St. Matthew Church of God in Christ, executive member, program planning member and the District Superintendent of the New Hope District  located in Dallas, Texas under the Texas Northeast First Ecclesiastical Jurisdictional lead by Bishop J. Neaul Haynes; Prelate and Church of God in Christ General Board Member(emeritus).