Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church
A place where you can find hope, healing, and restoration through Christ.
Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church
A place where you can find hope, healing, and restoration through Christ.
Founders
Bishop Roosevelt Keys, President & Executive Pastor
Bishop Roosevelt Keys, President & Executive Pastor
Bishop Roosevelt Keys, President & Executive Pastor
As the Founder, President and Executive Pastor of Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church (“Hope”), Bishop Roosevelt Keys (“Bishop Keys”) and his wife, Emma Keys, are tasked with positively impacting his community of Victorville and the surrounding cities through the Word of God and a variety of community and social outreach programs. Bi
As the Founder, President and Executive Pastor of Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church (“Hope”), Bishop Roosevelt Keys (“Bishop Keys”) and his wife, Emma Keys, are tasked with positively impacting his community of Victorville and the surrounding cities through the Word of God and a variety of community and social outreach programs. Bishops Keys’ passion for the ministry is evidenced in his life story of trial and error, and ultimately, redemption.
Born into a large family with nine siblings in Monroe, Louisiana, Bishop Keys comes from hard working parents who provided for his family as best they could. Eventually, the family would move from Monroe to Houston, Texas in the pursuit of more professional opportunities as an African American family in the south, and although a “rolling stone”, his father established an environment where the children’s most basic necessities were fulfilled.
Bishop Keys was baptized at the age of thirteen years old and would even complete his first sermon at the age of fourteen, but with his wandering mind and passions, he now admits to “straddling the fence” at that time, with one foot in, and the other out of committing to the ministry.
As a youth, Bishop Keys aspired to play professional baseball, but he can honestly admit today that he did not have the required focus to accomplish such a goal. As a teenager, he would compete in track meets as well.
He later dropped out of high school in the tenth grade so he could work and earn enough money to buy his first vehicle. However, he very quickly knew this was a mistake, and knew to return to earn his GED equivalency in his early adulthood.
During their early twenties, while working in Houston, he would meet the love of his life in the ministry’s “First Lady”, Mrs. Emma Keys. Mrs. Keys was a member of “Church of God of Prophecy” at that time, and on a day when she was going to church, Bishop Keys was nearby, drinking beer with his friends after work. As she approached she advised him that “Jesus loves you”, and Bishop Keys’ friend prophetically stated, “that could be your wife one day”. That encounter would spark a decades long relationship between Roosevelt and Emma Keys.
Going forward, she would arrive at church very early and his apartment was just five doors away from the church. Thus, he kindly gave her a key to his apartment so she could stay safe and off the street before her church services began. She would eventually invite him to attend services with her.
The Keys laughingly remember the first day he joined her at church, as he dressed in his finest garments, which unfortunately resembled the wardrobe of a “pimp”. In fact, when her congregation saw Bishop Keys that day, they would surround her in protection, assuming she was under threat of harm with this young “Pimp” accompanying her.
There was always only one woman that Bishop Keys focused on, Emma. In fact, in 1975, they were married just three months after their first introduction.
To provide for his new wife and family, Bishop Keys always held a job. From working with a light fixtures company to joining the National Guard and moving to California in 1977.
The guard would send Bishop Keys back to California where he performed ten months of general duty and would ultimately receive an honorable discharge. After that experience, Bishop Keys worked a variety of jobs, from building car parts in a shop, to being certified by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). He would prefer his work with the Animal Control service in Compton and the animal shelter in South Gate, providing several years of committed service.
However, in 1987, he would begin the job that he is most proud of, in his work with the East Whittier City School District as first a Sub-Custodian, and being promoted and retiring as their Head Locksmith with five different locksmith certifications. He was responsible for over $3,000,000 worth of district assets.
After retirement, the family moved back to Texas with the intent of spending more time with their children, grandchildren and other immediate family living in Texas. However, that family dynamic didn’t materialize as they envisioned, so they soon moved back to California in 2009.
However, during their time back in Houston, Bishop Keys would be set forth as a Minister in Church of God Prophecy, and upon their return to California in 2019, he received both his Bachelors Degree in Theology, and ultimately his Masters Degree, both from the Next Dimension Ministry. Educationally, Bishop Keys is now working on his Certificate for Pastoral Counseling at the Kingdom Leadership Institute.
More currently, Hope’s roots began in the Keys’ Texas kitchen as a Bible Study, and after returning to California, they would formally launch the Hope ministry out of their home in Ontario, California. Very quickly, the church began to grow and they would soon require a larger location outside of their home. Thus, they moved the ministry to a civic center room in Norco, California, and grew the congregation to up to thirty community members.
In 2014 the Keys would find their current home in Victorville and would begin to plant a variety of seeds in the community with the long-term vision of building a truly special Hope “campus” to serve their citizens with both church and social services.
They Keys are most proud of their three children and six grandchildren, some of whom live in California while the others remain in Texas.
They love spending time with their family and going on family vacations, such as cruises and trips to the Mexican Riviera. They also enjoy just staying home and watching movies, or just soaking in their quiet time to meditate, ponder and pray.
Bishop Keys has faced numerous challenges in his life and marriage, but only by the Grace of God was he blessed with his wife of almost fifty (50) years, and only God could restore them when they faced their life challenges.
He shares and uses his testimony to connect with the various walks of life, all of whom require the same redemption through God’s grace.
Ultimately, the Keys envision their ten (10) acre campus to be a “Hope” sanctuary for their evangelistic church, but also a safe haven for their local battered women, homeless families, Veterans who are struggling, and all other aspects of their population-in-need.
Emma Keys, First Lady & Treasurer
Bishop Roosevelt Keys, President & Executive Pastor
Bishop Roosevelt Keys, President & Executive Pastor
As the official “First Lady” of Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church, and the faithful wife of Bishop, Roosevelt Keys (“Bishop Keys”), Mrs. Emma Keys (“Emma”) was born in Houston, Texas into a family of nine children.
Blessed to have both her natural parents through her early adulthood, Emma’s parents were hardworking providers. Her mo
As the official “First Lady” of Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church, and the faithful wife of Bishop, Roosevelt Keys (“Bishop Keys”), Mrs. Emma Keys (“Emma”) was born in Houston, Texas into a family of nine children.
Blessed to have both her natural parents through her early adulthood, Emma’s parents were hardworking providers. Her mother provided housekeeping services for wealthy families and her father worked in machinery. With her mother’s strong roots in the church, Emma would be raised in the Baptist church.
As a very active child, Emma performed as her school’s mascot in the ninth grade, and then joined their cheer squad as a Cheer Leader in the tenth grade. Amongst her various educational and extracurricular accomplishments, Emma was named as a Basketball Sweetheart and even her school’s Valedictorian.
However, life would take a dramatic turn when she was sixteen and Emma would suffer a car accident resulting in substantial injury and scar to her forehead caused by a drunk driver who would crash through his own windshield. At that time, the Lord first spoke to her and began to provide her with a vision and plan for her life.
Just three months after the accident, Emma would move to California where her aunts lived, and she would begin courses at Pasadena City College to become a trained Stenographer and Court Reporter.
In California, Emma would live with one aunt, and go to church with the other at the Church of God of Prophecy in Compton, where she would ultimately get saved. Emma would stay with this same ministry for over 27 years.
Emma would ultimately earn her official certification as a trained Stenographer, and would work various odd-jobs, and as a part-time employee at her local Jack in the Box.
Romantically, before meeting Bishop Keys, Emma was engaged twice prior, but they obviously were not the right men for her life. Emma knew that she wanted to marry the right man, early in her adulthood, but watched her mother’s experiences and decided that she wanted something better in her married life.
Bishop Keys and Emma would eventually meet in March, 1975 and in their first encounter, Emma stated, “Good evening…praise the Lord”, and invited Bishop Keys to church. They would be married months later and it has now been over 48 years in their marriage. Although, not always perfect and blissful, the Keys have been able to persevere through the Grace of God and work past the challenges in their marriage.
Emma would learn that she was blessed in the skill of childcare services. She would begin in this profession while living in Compton in the 1980s, eventually expanding into foster care and becoming the guardian for twenty young men over the years. The Keys would also adopt their son at 2.5 months old, and he’s now a productive young man at 31 years old.
The Keys would then be sent forth as Missionaries under her uncle’s ministry, and after multiple moves to Texas, Ontario and Murrietta, California, they would ultimately find a permanent home in Victorville, California in 2014.
While operating their ministry at a school in Norco, they would begin putting the “Hope” ministry name on the hearts of the public. They would simultaneously help to build others’ ministries while also beginning to build their own.
The Lord would provide them with the mission and focus of remaining steadfast and faithful, as both were sent forth, they were anointed, and all their Pastor colleagues would come to celebrate.
Emma was first sent forth as a Pastor, and then as an Evangelist, and then as a Prophetist.
Professionally, she would love to continue with her passion in childcare services, but under the Hope umbrella and brand. In support of her husband, Bishop Keys, and as the Administrator for the ministry, she enjoys visiting and praying with those in-need or wanting the Word of God.
As stated in First Corinthians 9:22 – To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
In her personal time, Emma enjoys shopping and spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Collaboratively, the Keys family plans to establish a sustainable and thriving Christian campus with weekly church services, but also community resources to help feed the souls of those who can benefit the most.
Support Us at Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church
Your generous donations help us continue our mission of spreading love and faith through community outreach.
2024 Gold Seal of Transparency
Dedication & Transparency
At Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church, we are committed to using our resources to improve our communities, and as a recipient of the Guidestar 2024 Gold Seal of Transparency, you can learn more about our organization and how we strive to create a community where people can come together to worship, learn, and grow in their faith.
Contact Us
We love our customers, so feel free to visit during normal business hours.
Phone: (909) 917-0351
Hope of a Higher Glory Community Church - Mailing
15081 Garibaldi Street, Victorville, California 92394, United States
