Elder Philip Leatherbury was born and reared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Philadelphia Public School System in 1971. He received salvation through God’s grace under the ministry of the late Bishop O.T. Jones, Jr., on March 23rd, 1982. He was licensed to preach the Gospel three years later in response to God’s call to Christian ministry and street evangelism. During that time, he also met his loving wife, Linda, to whom he has been married for 40 years. The Lord graciously blessed Elder Leatherbury to retire from the Boeing Company in Ridley, Pennsylvania, in 2015. Elder Leatherbury was ordained by the late Bishop O.T. Jones, Jr., in September 1988.

In 1991, Elder Leatherbury and his wife, Linda, relocated to Oxford, Pennsylvania, as their

family began to grow. He then decided to further his education, earning a bachelor’s degree in history and religion from Lincoln University in 1996 and a master’s degree in quality systems management from the National Graduate School in 2007.

Elder Leatherbury has served in various ministry roles at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in Philadelphia. After relocating, he served as a Bible teacher and Youth Administrator at Mt. Carmel Church of God in Christ in West Chester, Pennsylvania, for 15 years. He continued to be active with small group Bible studies and prayer ministry. He also hosted a small discipleship training ministry in his home, inspired by the word of our Lord to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit “Matthew 28:19, and Apostle Paul’s admonishment to Timothy to commit “the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, to faithful men who will be able to teach others also”.

After graduating from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA, in 2021, he accepted a position

on the ministerial staff at Theist Temple Church of God in Christ in Norristown, PA, under the pastorate of Elder Robert E.C. Jones Jr., where he serves as the Discipleship Coordinator. He also serves as the Spiritual Formation Coordinator at 2fish Community Café Ministries in West Chester, PA, where he preaches and teaches. He is the leader of the Morning Watch Intercessory Prayer Ministry. Additionally, he released his first book in April 2025, a tribute to faithful pioneers of the faith titled “A Great Cloud of Witnesses.”