Supt. Walter H. Blalark was born in 1953 in Jackson, Tennessee. He gave his life to the Lord at the age of 16 when he was a member of Spates Temple Church of God in Christ in Elgin, Illinois.  He was called to the ministry at the age of 20 years old in 1974 at Spates Temple. He was ordained in 1977 by the late Bishop Louis Henry Ford, Prelate and Founder of the 1^st Jurisdiction of Illinois.

Rebara G. Spates-Blalark was born August 4, 1953.  She was the thirteenth of fifteen children (nine girls and six boys) born to Supt.  Leonard Sr. and Mrs. Mildred Taylor Spates, of Elgin Illinois.  She entered holy matrimony to Walter H. Blalark on June 1, 1974.  To this union, six (6) children were born:  Kemmerin (LaTonya), Keira (Robert), Karissa (Sam), Korron (Ava), Keenan and Kammarra (Corey)  and one adopted daughter, Kapree Thomas-Washington (Earl.)  She is the grandmother of 16 and one Great Granddaughter, Sevyn.  Missionary Rebara Blalark is a true woman of God, a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.  She teaches everyone that she comes in contact with to love and follow the Lord.  She is not just mother to the Blalark children, but she is mother, grandmother, godmother, sister and friend to many, many family members, neighbors and members of both the Cole Temple and Living Gospel Ministries.