By Taylor Goodson
Contributing Writer
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Funeral services are pending for the Rev. Frederick K.C. Price, the founder of the Crenshaw Christian Center who died Feb. 12 due to COVID-19. He was 89.
His death was announced on an Instagram post by his son, Fred Price Jr., who recounted how his father was always there for him despite his busy schedule. “Now you get to enjoy your promotion, daddy. I will honor and continue your legacy to the best of my ability,” Price Jr. said on Facebook.
One of the first Black televangelists, Price founded the Crenshaw Christian Center with his wife Betty in 1973.
The church was originally located on Crenshaw Boulevard in Inglewood, but in 1981 it relocated to the former campus of Pepperdine University on Vermont Avenue and 79th Street.
As his congregation grew from 300 to 28,000 members Price expanded his church, building a sanctuary that was large enough to house all its members at once that was capped by a 63-foot high aluminum sphere known as the Faith Dome. The building took three years to build and opened in 1989.
That same year, the Prices and Angela Evans founded FKCP III Christian Schools. It started as an elementary school that first year, expanded to a middle school the following year and added a high school in 1992.
Along with the school, the church, which employs 150 people, has a youth center, hosts food and blood drives and does prison outreach. Price preached on the idea that God rewards faith with abundance and substance.
Price, met his wife, Betty, in the 1950s when they both attended Dorsey High School. He said his spiritual realization began when he accompanied Betty to a Christian tent revival service. He later joined her at a Baptist church. While at the Baptist church, Price would preach while working other jobs such as driving for Coca-Cola.
Price was remember by Bishop Charles Blake of West Angeles Church of God in Christ.
“It is my faith we will see Apostle Price again and rejoice in the presence of God forever,” Blake tweeted following Price’s death.
In a video posted on Twitter, Blake reflected on his 40-year friendship with Price and how they both experienced the t power of God in their lives. The two pastors would occasionally conduct joint services with their congregations.
Through his television shows such as “Ever Increasing Faith,” Price became known throughout the country.
“I remember [him] being one of the few persons of color I saw preaching with a national TV-level ministry,” Pastor Charles Montgomery of Columbus, Ohio tweeted.
“For those of you who do not know this … Apostle Frederick K.C. Price and his teachings were a great influence on this ministry,” K.W. Ministries of Christiansburg, Va. tweeted. “He was a wonderful man of God. Rest now, for you have fought the good fight, have finished your race, and have kept the faith.”
Price’s ministry now includes 16 Helps Ministry auxiliaries, the Apostle Frederick Price Ministry Training Institute and the Crenshaw Christian Center New York. He also authored more than 50 books on faith, healing and prosperity and was one of the first individuals to use social media as part of his ministry.
Both Price and his wife both tested positive for coronavirus in January. Price’s wife had mild symptoms, but he spent weeks in the hospital prior to his death.
He is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
