The History of Long Beach Christian Center

The spark that would become James E. Price Ministries and eventually Long Beach Christian Center began in Chicago on August 16, 1947, the day James E. Price was born. But it would take thirty-six years before he would incorporate into a ministry. Pastor James, who was raised in both California and Michigan, attended Compton College and graduated from Pepperdine University with a degree in Bible. In the mid-to-late '70s, he taught for three years as an itinerant minister, and for two years he pastored a church known as Now Faith Fellowship in Montebello.


In 1980, Pastor James, as he is affectionately called, joined his well-known uncle, Dr. Frederick K.C. Price, at Crenshaw Christian Center, and remained on staff for twenty-two years. Before becoming an assistant pastor there, he held several helps ministry positions. He launched the Bible studies that would eventually evolve into Long Beach Christian Center on July 12, 1999, meeting on Monday evenings at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel. About 15 persons attended the first session, and it was the continued popularity of that Bible study that made it clear that a church would be the next logical move. Long Beach Christian Center opened to a packed house in January 2002.