Church wins back property it claims was stolen by ex-pastor, basketball legend's father

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Wednesday, September 25, 2024

San Antonio Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson (C) and his father, Ambrose Robinson (L) and mother, Freda Robinson (R) appear on this partial screenshot of the cover of the 1996 book written by his parents, 'How to Raise An MVP.' — San Antonio Spurs Hall of Famer David Robinson (C) and his father, Ambrose Robinson (L) and mother, Freda Robinson (R) appear on this partial screenshot of the cover of the 1996 book written by his parents, "How to Raise An MVP." | YouTube/ Free To Choose Network

The Church of the Living God International Inc., an Ohio-based holiness Pentecostal denomination, was recently given back a church in San Antonio, Texas, that was allegedly stolen by a former pastor and the father of basketball Hall of Famer and San Antonio Spurs legend David Robinson.

A lawsuit cited by The San Antonio Express-News alleged that church's former pastor James Turner fraudulently transferred the church property located at 7225 Walzem Road to another church he created called Resurrection Church of San Antonio Inc.

Last November, Bexar County property records show the appraised value for the property as $849,130 for the 6,076-square-foot building and approximately 4.7-acre lot.

Turner allegedly "conspired" with Robinson's father, Ambrose Robinson, to convert the property for Resurrection Church and Turner's "own use and enrichment," according to the lawsuit.

The Church of the Living God International did not immediately respond to calls from The Christian Post for comment on Wednesday.

The San Antonio Express-News reported that San Antonio businessman and philanthropist Ronald J. Hermann donated the property to The Church of the Living God International Inc. in 2000, and they started building a church on the land in 2004.

Ambrose Robinson, who served as a church elder and financial secretary for the Church of the Living God from 2005 to 2017, reportedly oversaw the construction of the church.

In 2017, Church of the Living God International, Inc. alleged in the lawsuit that both Ambrose Robinson and Turner conspired to transfer their property to Resurrection Church "without payment" and without the Church of the Living God's consent or knowledge.

Information on the deed to the property shows that it was transferred on Aug. 8, 2017. Ambrose Robinson was listed as "organizer" on a certificate of formation for Resurrection Church, which was filed with the Texas Secretary of State's Office a day before the transfer.

Resurrection Church deeded the property to Church of the Living God last month. On Sept. 9, the dueling churches informed a federal court in San Antonio that the lawsuit would be dismissed because the parties had settled the dispute over the property.

In the book How to Raise An MVP, Ambrose Robinson and his wife shared how they raised David Robinson, who was once voted the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player as the center for the Spurs.

"David Robinson is perhaps its Most Versatile Person as well. A classical pianist, SAT whiz, computer genius, graduate of Annapolis, naval officer, Dream Team Olympics member, philanthropist, community activist, and Christian, he's a true Renaissance athlete. Yet this thirty-year-old husband and father still asks his parents for advice," a blurb about the 1996 book on Amazon explains.

In the book, Ambrose Robinson, and his wife share "anecdotes of family life and offer insight into successful parenting."

"In the Robinson house there were no TV babysitters, no back talkers, and no underachievers," the blurb said. "But there were three children who knew they were loved and that they had the potential to dream and to do anything they wanted to do."

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