Lawrence Champion Blake, noted preacher, beloved senior pastor of Palm Lane Church of God in Christ, and son of Bishop Charles and Lady Mae Blake, died January 27, 2026, after a battle with cancer. He was 54.
      In a statement, the family wrote: “Lawrence was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, faithful son, and a shepherd after God’s own heart. As senior pastor of Palm Lane Church of God in Christ, he served with humility, compassion, and an unshakable commitment to redemption. Though he endured a season of physical challenge, he faced it with courage and conviction. We believe he transitioned from labor to reward having never yielded to doubt, defeat, or despair, but instead having fought the good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith. His legacy will continue to speak through those he loved and served.”
      Born into one of Los Angeles’ most prominent faith families, Blake was the youngest son of Emeritus Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., longtime pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ and a towering figure in Black Pentecostal leadership. From an early age, he was steeped in church life—preaching his first sermon at 16 and becoming a licensed minister in 1988. Yet as he later acknowledged with candor, faith initially came to him through inheritance rather than intimacy. In his teenage years, a longing for “normalcy” drew him away from the church and into a path that led to a near-fatal encounter that left him hospitalized in critical condition.
      After returning to Los Angeles, Blake began a slow and deliberate journey toward healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. With the steady guidance of his father and the love of his wife, Jeanine, he recommitted himself to ministry, eventually serving on the pastoral staff at West Angeles until 2023.
      In 2024, after a yearlong affirmation process, he was appointed senior pastor of Palm Lane Church of God in Christ in Watts, a congregation with deep community roots. When he arrived, Palm Lane numbered about 40 members. Under his leadership, the church more than tripled in size, growing steadily as Blake preached a gospel shaped not by theory, but by lived experience.
      Installed as pastor in September 2024, Blake led with a pastoral style grounded in discipline, accountability, and compassion. He spoke openly about failure and transformation, often reminding congregants that faith was not about perfection, but surrender. “Normal will kill you,” he once warned, reflecting on the dangers of chasing identity outside of God’s purpose. For Blake, ministry was not aspirational—it was essential. “If every preacher disappeared,” he said, “I would still be doing this because of what God did for me.”
      That conviction fueled his work until the end of his life.
      Blake is remembered as a devoted husband, a loving father of three, doting grandfather, a loyal son, and a pastor who believed that no one was beyond redemption. His life—marked by challenge, perseverance, and profound faith—stood as proof of the message he preached.
      A homegoing celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at West Angeles Cathedral, located at 3600 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90016. A public viewing will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. prior to the service.