Charles Leon McCollough was born in Washington, D.C. on March 12, 1941 to Bishop Walter McCollough and Clara B. McCollough. He graduated from Cardozo High School where he lettered in track. Mr. McCollough joined his father as a Minister at his father’s church, the United House of Prayer for All People. His father, “Sweet Daddy” McCollough was the leader of a congregation that included millions of members around the country. Ordained in 1967, Mr. McCollough was a pastor at the United House of Prayer from 1975 to 1992.

In 1991, Walter “Sweet Daddy” McCollough died and it was assumed that Mr. McCollough would ascend to Bishop of the House of Prayer. However, Mr. McCollough lost the election to S. C. Madison amid cries of a rigged election. Mr. McCollough filed a lawsuit challenging the results, but it was dismissed because it was an ecclesiastical matter. Mr. McCollough was subsequently stripped of his position as pastor in the United House of Prayer. Mr. McCollough continued to allege other abuses by Bishop Madison, including the swindling of property from his late father and the refusal of the church to allow his mother to be interred in her husband’s mausoleum at Fort Lincoln Cemetery.

Mr. McCollough, his wife Marjorie Colee, his son Charles, Jr., and daughter Marjorie Clarissa McCollough-Jackson established the Believers in Christ Ministries where they focused on working with struggling populations. Their work included Thanksgiving Baskets, toys at Christmas, tutoring programs, and anti-drugs programs.

Mr. McCollough died on June 22, 1996 at the age of 55, of a heart attack, which he suffered after eulogizing his late nephew David Robinson.

(Information taken from Obituary, Washington Post, June 28, 1996, C4.)