Bishop Samuel L. Carruth

Bishop Samuel L. Carruth is the Presiding Prelate of the National Pastors’ Fellowship Assemblies and the founder of Holy Light Church of Deliverance in Portsmouth, Virginia. This anointed vessel of faith and vision has been a trailblazer in the Deliverance ministry for more than sixty years. By virtue of his undying love and commitment to sharing the Gospel, thousands upon thousands have escaped the power of darkness and embraced the newness of life with Christ.

A prophecy given to Bishop Carruth at the age of seven affirmed that he would preach the Gospel to many, and be a deliverer just as Moses to the children of Israel. For years he neglected the voice of God, was diagnosed with chronic tuberculosis, and was not expected to survive. When he accepted Christ he was miraculously healed, and heeded the call of ministry.

His evangelistic ministry catapulted, and his testimony of God’s healing power compelled the masses to commit their lives to Christ. He travelled extensively with his wife and family throughout the country conducting revivals. Simultaneously he served faithfully as Assistant Pastor of Deliverance Evangelistic Church under Pastor Benjamin Smith — the two notable for a teamwork that established them as pioneers in Deliverance ministry and spiritual warfare.

Fifty-seven years ago, Bishop Carruth founded Holy Light Church of Deliverance and launched his renowned “A Message for Today” radio broadcast, an essential source of encouragement and practical Christian teaching. He completed his Christian education at Jamison Bible University, receiving a Doctorate of Divinity. As a result of his devotion to teaching the Word, he established the Holy Light College of Bible, a four-year Bachelor’s degree program. Throughout his pastoral years the Lord has empowered him to raise up generations of bishops, pastors, leaders and countless ministers in the Kingdom.

As a distinguished contributor to the community, Bishop Carruth has spared no expense or effort to minister to the needs of the people. He was led by God to launch “Picnic in the Park”, an outreach ministry taking the Word into low-income housing developments, alongside area-wide crusades that reach beyond the walls of the physical church.

He has served the community in various positions, from assisting the Portsmouth Police Department and the Juvenile and Domestic Courts to adopting schools, and serving as Vice-President of WJCB–TV 49. He remains the broadcaster of one of Hampton Roads’ largest and longest-airing Christian radio ministries, on Christian Broadcasting Corporation 1400 AM and Praise Radio 104.9 FM. His commendations are too numerous to chronicle — the most recent being the 2019 Encore Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2020 Hampton Roads Ecumenical Council of Bishops Episcopal Leadership Award.

Bishop Carruth is the loving patriarch of a family in ministry. He and his wife of 69 years, the late co-founder Mother Mary C. Carruth, nurtured four daughters: the late Minister of Music Linda C. Blake; Missionary Fayette C. Alston; his successor Pastor Dorene C. Norris (Deacon Robert); and Elder Shorron C. Vinson (Deacon Noel) — along with eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.

Now in the office of Overseer, Bishop Carruth has ensured that genuine love resounds throughout the generations of our church family. It makes Holy Light Church of Deliverance a beacon in a world of darkness, a place of refuge and hope — which has coined its tag, “The Lighthouse”.