Set on a hundred-acre campus just outside the nation's capital, Evangel Cathedral rises as one of the largest African American churches in the region, drawing a faith family of more than four thousand members to Upper Marlboro, Maryland each week. The buildings carry names as well as addresses: Heaven's Gate, the main worship center, and The Bishops' Chapel, a smaller gathering space, both stitched together by parking lots and walking paths that give the property the feel of a small town dedicated to worship, study, and service. At the center of it all is Apostle Don Meares, the senior pastor, whose voice is heard in person on Sunday mornings and online through a steady YouTube broadcast.
From a Tent in 1955 to a Hundred Acre Campus
Evangel's story begins with the late Bishop John L. Meares and his wife Mary Lee Meares, who left a thriving church in Memphis, Tennessee in July 1955 after hearing the inner voice of the Holy Spirit say, "I am sending you to a people that are hungry for the gospel." Pastor Meares knew no one in Washington, D.C. when he relocated his family by faith, totally persuaded that he had heard from God.
A massive tent was erected on the grounds that later became the parking lot for the RFK football stadium. There, preaching alongside the late Reverend Jack Coe in an evangelistic tent revival that lasted several weeks, Pastor Meares watched as thousands gathered to hear God's Word and witnessed numerous healing miracles for the first time. The congregation he built in that tent grew into one of the largest African American churches in the nation.
In March 1989, Bishop John L. Meares passed the torch of leadership, consecrating his son, Donald D. Meares, as the senior pastor of Evangel Cathedral. Under Don Meares's leadership the church rapidly grew from 250 people to more than 4,000 members. He designed and built two additional edifices on the campus and renovated the original building, which is now known as Heaven's Gate. The finished property covers a hundred acres and 250,000 square feet of space that serves both as a light to its community and as a testament to the favor of God on this house of worship.
What to Expect on a Sunday Morning
Every Sunday at 10:00 AM, Heaven's Gate fills with people of every age who come for a service that typically runs about 90 minutes. Ushers help with finding a seat, the band leads passionate live worship music that ushers in the Holy Spirit, and the congregation settles in for an encouraging, relevant, life-giving message. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and greeters at a Guest Services table in the lobby are ready to answer questions, hand out a special gift from the pastors, and introduce newcomers to leadership after each service.
The dress code is simple: come as you are. There is no required outfit, only an invitation to come comfortable and free from any preconceived ideas about what church has to look like. For those who cannot attend in person, the service is livestreamed on the Evangel Cathedral YouTube channel at the same 10:00 AM hour, with an archive of recent messages from Apostle Don Meares available for catch-up viewing throughout the week.
Children and Students at Every Stage
Children are treated as a priority, not an afterthought. EC Kids meets every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM with singing, video, and real-life application of Bible stories, designed to help children know that Jesus loves them. Awana Clubs adds another weekly layer on Friday evenings during the school year, built on a philosophy of Belong, Believe, Become, helping children build spiritual resilience through Scripture memory and games.
EC Teens is the middle school and high school ministry, meeting weekly on Friday nights at 7:00 PM with a mission to lead young people to God and help them discover His purpose for their lives. EC Young Adults gathers adults ages 18 through 35 on the second Saturday of every month at 6:30 PM in the lower level of Heaven's Gate, building community around worship, topical discussion, and social activities on and off the property.
The Evangel Cathedral Bible Institute
One of the most distinctive ministries on the campus is the Evangel Cathedral Bible Institute, known simply as ECBI. Fully accredited through Transworld Accreditation Commission International, ECBI is a religious educational institution that prepares students of all ages, from high school seniors to adults, to lay a foundation of faith principles revealed in God's Word. Classes meet on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 7:00 PM to 9:50 PM in the Damascus Room on the lower level of Heaven's Gate, with chapel on Wednesdays at 6:50 PM. The institute runs on a quarter system from August through May, with full-time and part-time enrollment options.
Courses rotate by quarter and have included titles such as Learning How to Abide in God's Presence, Old Testament Journey Through the Bible, Names of God, Battlefield of the Mind, Understanding the Anointing, Doctrine of Christ, Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit, How to Interpret Dreams and Visions, and Miracle Power of Holy Communion. Tuition, application procedures, and refund policies are detailed on the admissions page.
What Evangel Believes
The teaching at Evangel centers on a straightforward biblical foundation. The Bible is God's Word to all people, written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and just as relevant today as when it was first written. God exists as one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each with distinct functions and full power and authority. Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God, the only provision for restoring people to a right relationship with the Father through His death and resurrection.
The Holy Spirit's presence assures believers of their relationship with Christ, guides them into truth, convicts of sin, comforts, gives spiritual gifts, and makes them more like Christ. Salvation is a free gift received by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ, not something that can be earned by human effort. Man was created to exist forever, either eternally separated from God (Hell) or eternally in union with Him (Heaven). The Church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ, committed to His teachings and seeking to bring the Gospel to the world.
Discipleship and Outreach
Evangel's discipleship pathway moves through four clear steps. First, members are asked to prayerfully ask God who to compel to come, family, relatives, friends, co-workers, and divine encounters among them. Second, newcomers are invited to be baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit. Third, they are encouraged to grow together through Membership Classes, which meet on Sunday mornings for four weeks at 9:00 AM, with teachings from Apostle Don Meares and time with each of the Elders. Fourth, disciples are taught to witness and make other disciples, with a Soul Winning Class meeting every Saturday at 9:30 AM and a weekly Outreach gathering at 10:00 AM the same day.
Ministries for Men, Women, and Marriages
Dr. Marion Meares, the First Lady, leads Evangel Women, a ministry that welcomes women of every age and stage of life. Monthly Women's Ministry meetings are held at 10:00 AM on the third Saturday of each month in the Zion Room within Heaven's Gate, with conferences and parties woven through the year.
Evangel Men focuses on building men and creating a community around strong, courageous, God-loving leaders, with weekly Men's Prayer on Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM and other men's events designed to help men lead well at work, at home, in their community, and at their church. The Man Cave meets on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM on Zoom for married men, while the Marriage Ministry gathers on the fourth Saturday of each month at 10:00 AM, with the goal of seeing healing, deliverance, and restoration take place in marriages.
Kingdom Business gathers Christian entrepreneurs and business executives on the fourth Sunday of each month at 1:00 PM, and a wide range of supporting ministries, including Ushers, Greeters, Medical Ministry, Marketing/Social Media, Media, Coffee Shop, Special Events, and a Garden Team, give members many ways to serve.
Joining the Evangel Family
Becoming part of the church begins with Membership Classes, four Sunday morning sessions from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM that include video teaching from Apostle Don Meares and face-to-face time with the Elders. For those still exploring faith, the Salvation page walks through what the Bible teaches about receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, with the assurance that whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Water Baptism is offered as a next step, with a sign-up form for both adults and minors.
Giving and Staying Connected
Generosity is supported in several ways. Online giving is handled through PushPay, members can text evangelcathedral to 77977 to give through their phone, gifts can be sent through Cash App to $evangelcathedral1955, Zelle transfers can be directed to Evangel Cathedral Inc. at 301-613-6985, and checks can be mailed to the church address. Messages from recent weeks are posted on YouTube and on the Watch Now page, the latest messages appear in a video playlist, and an archive of older messages is available for browsing. A weekly email update and a podcast keep members plugged in between Sundays, while a calendar page tracks the full weekly rhythm of services, classes, and meetings.
A House Built to Welcome
From its tent revival beginnings to a hundred-acre campus with Heaven's Gate at its center, Evangel Cathedral has been shaped by a simple focus: helping every person live the full life for which God created them. Worship is passionate, teaching is biblical, and the call to discipleship is clear. Whether someone arrives on a Sunday morning, joins a Friday night youth gathering, or enrolls at the Bible Institute, the invitation at Evangel is the same: come as you are and discover what God can do through a community that has been pressing forward in faith since 1955.