60 Years of Ministry
Honoring the Legacy of
Dr. Charles M. Leaming
1908 - 1920s
The early years in Iowa
Dr. Charles M. Leaming was a native of Perry, Iowa born in 1908. He was raised on a farm in the surrounding area with his family having deep Iowa roots.
In June 1921, Mrs. Maria Woodworth-Etter set up her tent in Des Moines and stirred the city for several weeks with her preaching, which emphasized the Pentecostal baptism and physical healing. The 4,000-seat tent soon became too small to hold the crowds that wanted to hear the 77-year old evangelist.
A young man by the name of Charles Leaming, who was reared on a farm near Perry, Iowa, was one of the many who scrambled for a place in the tent every night. But during these meetings, he felt backslidden and the services made him miserable.
“I was under such deep conviction I would leave the tent and get a hold of the grass to keep from going back inside and down to the altar.”
He later attended Aimee Semple McPherson’s L.I.F.E. Bible College and became a leader in the Open Bible Standard Churches, where he was as well known for his trademark singing of the old Gospel favorite, “I’m Going Higher Some Day,” as he was for his rousing preaching.
1930s - 1940s
Charles Leaming's ministry emerged during a remarkable period of Pentecostal growth in America.
As a young minister with the Open Bible Standard Churches, he quickly became known as an anointed preacher whose messages combined biblical conviction with heartfelt compassion. Alongside his beloved wife, Pearl, a gifted musician, Bible teacher, and ordained minister in her own right, they formed a ministry partnership that would span decades. Together they pastored churches, traveled extensively, and faithfully served wherever God opened a door.
Those who encountered Charles Leaming often remembered not simply his preaching—but the unmistakable sense of God's presence that accompanied his ministry.
The Ministry Begins
Dr. Leaming
Pictured 1930
1940s - 1970s
Building Churches, Building People
Dr. Leaming became widely respected as an evangelist throughout the 1940s.
Historical accounts describe revival meetings where altars were filled nightly as men and women responded to the call of God. During services at Bethel Temple, worshippers recalled "showers of refreshing" and an overwhelming sense of God's presence accompanying his preaching. His ministry was characterized not by spectacle, but by sincere calls to repentance, prayer, and renewed devotion to Christ.
He also partnered with Rev. Harold Ammundson to organize the "America to Prayer" Crusades, ministering among members of the United States Armed Forces during World War II. While Ammundson coordinated meetings on the West Coast, Charles Leaming led ministry throughout the eastern United States, bringing encouragement, healing, and hope to servicemen carrying the burdens of war.
Perhaps one of Dr. Leaming's greatest earthly accomplishments was his commitment to planting churches.
Throughout his ministry he helped establish twelve churches, believing that every new congregation became another lighthouse where future generations could encounter Christ.
His vision was never centered on buildings alone.
Each church represented families restored, children raised in the faith, new believers discipled, and communities forever changed by the Gospel.
His ministry reminds us that the greatest legacy is not what we build for ourselves—but what continues long after we are gone.
Bethel Temple circa 1930s
First Church of the Open Bible in Waterloo, Iowa
1950s - 1980s
Reaching Beyond the Church Walls
Dr. Leaming understood long before many others that the Gospel could travel farther than a church sanctuary.
He and Pearl conducted radio ministries throughout the United States and the Caribbean, carrying biblical teaching into homes, hospitals, and communities that might never have attended one of their services. Their voices became familiar companions to listeners searching for hope, encouragement, and truth.
His ministry crossed state lines and international borders, but his message never changed:
Jesus Christ still saves, heals, restores, and transforms lives.
Charles Leaming possessed a lifelong passion for God's Word.
In addition to preaching, he authored several books exploring biblical prophecy and Christian faith, including:
I Saw Angels
The Key to Prophetic Fulfillment (published in multiple editions)
These writings reflected his desire not merely to inspire believers emotionally, but to ground them deeply in Scripture and encourage thoughtful study of God's plan throughout history.
Dr. Leaming live on his radio show “Temple Vespers” in St. Petersburg, Florida