Church Of God In Christ Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard
Announces New Leadership Appointments
Memphis, TN (December 09, 2024) – The Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) proudly announces the new leadership appointments following the reelection of Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard to a four-year term during the General Assembly on Tuesday, November 12. These appointments represent a blend of seasoned and emerging leaders who will assist Bishop Sheard and the General Board in advancing his vision for the 13,000-congregation denomination, which spans more than 106 countries across the globe.
Bishop Sheard, who has served as the leader of the Church Of God In Christ since 2021, has assembled a team of dedicated individuals to build on the church’s legacy and expand its impact in spiritual, community, and global outreach. The appointments include key positions in the church’s governing board, auxiliaries, and departments.
Bishop Sheard responded to the announcement with the following statement:
“It is with immense joy and a deep sense of purpose that I introduce these new appointments. The caliber and commitment of these leaders are truly exceptional. Each of them brings a unique set of skills, spiritual insight, and a heart for service that aligns with the mission of the Church Of God In Christ. Their passion for ministry inspires me, and I am confident in their ability to help guide our denomination into a new era of growth, unity, and excellence.”
The new appointments include both returning and first-time leaders, emphasizing continuity and fresh perspectives in the church’s leadership. These leaders will work closely with Bishop Sheard to execute strategic initiatives aimed at fostering spiritual revival, social justice advocacy, youth empowerment, global missions and so much more.
The Church Of God In Christ is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world, known for its rich history and dedication to faith, family, and community. As the denomination moves forward under Bishop Sheard’s continued leadership, these appointments mark a significant step in its commitment to serving its members and the wider world.
The Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard has appointed the following 2025–2028 quadrennial leaders which must be ratified by the General Assembly in April, 2025:
(Not all of the forthcoming appointments are included in this list.
There will be additional appointments in the future.)
Chief Operations Officer
Bishop Keith Kershaw
General Counsel
Attorney Jonathan Saffold
Bishop Uleses Henderson (Special Counsel to the Presiding Bishop)
Senior Executive Assistants
Bishop Clarence Sellers
Bishop John Mark Johnson
Special Assistant to the Presiding Bishop
Bishop Ethan Sheard
Director, Office of Conference, Events & Travel
Deacon Christopher Payton
General Board Clerk
Bishop Talbert W. Swan II
Senior Executive Administrative Assistants
Sister Bernita Sheard
Sister Sharon D. Jackson
National Adjutancy
Adjutant General, Bishop Dickerson Wells
Deputy Adjutant General, Superintendent Herman Platt
Deputy Adjutant General, Superintendent John Smith
Deputy Adjutant General, Pastor Glen McKinney
Scribe, Elder Nic South
Adjutant Apostolic, Supt. Waddee Thoroughgood
Adjutant Mother, Doretha Fields
Deputy Assistant Adjutant Mother, Linda Ratcliff
Deputy Assistant Adjutant Mother, Mary Bell
Deputy Assistant Adjutant Mother, Felicia Brokaw
Senior Advisory Board to the Presiding Bishop
Bishop Alphonso Denson, Sr., Co-Chair
Bishop Benjamin Collins, Co-Chair
Bishop Roger Jones
Bishop Stenneth Powell
Bishop Felton Smith
Bishop Mark Walden
Bishop Juan Lawson
Bishop James Jordan
Bishop John Richardson
Bishop Dwight Green
Mother Sylvia Law
Mother Mildred Linzy
Mother Mary Tucker
Mother Sharon Bordeaux
Bishop Oscar Meadows
Bishop Christopher Milton
Bishop Adrian Williams
Bishop Frank Anderson
Mother Mary Walton
Global Public Relations and Communication Director
Brother Robert Coleman, Jr.
Marketing Director
Dr. Holly Carter
Director of Technology
Pastor Keith Odom
Web Master & Graphics
Pastor Charles Henderson
Social Media Manager
Sister Angela Joseph
COGIC APP
Elder David Perry
Leadership Conference
Chairman, Bishop Charles McClelland
Vice-Chairman, Bishop Carl Pierce
Vice-Chairman, Bishop Micaiah Young
Vice-Chairman, Bishop Herbert Davis
Vice-Chairperson, Sister Myra Banks
Vice-Chairman, Pastor Jeffery Lewis
Finance, Bishop Guy Glimp
Men’s Ministry
Co-Chair, Bishop Patrick Wooden
Co-Chair, Bishop Roderick Hennings
Vice President, Elder Ernest Sweat
Vice President, Pastor Kyle Mann
Vice-President, Bishop Charles Brewer
International Women’s Department
General Supervisor, Mother Barbara McCoo-Lewis
1st Assistant Supervisor, Mother Wilma Hughey
2nd Assistant Supervisor, Mother Vanessa Gatlin
3rd Assistant Supervisor, Mother Mary Jane Walton
Chair of Administrative Facilitators, Mother Barbara Bryant
International AIM Convention
Chairman, Supt. Nathaniel Green
Vice Chairman, Elder Ryan Allen
Vice Chairman, Evang. Althea Sims
Vice Chairman, Deacon Christopher Payton
Vice Chairman, Pastor Billy Evans
Executive Secretary, Pastor Steven Tipton
Assistant Executive Secretary, Evang. Tahaiti Tinsley
International Youth Department
President, Pastor Kale Mann
Vice President, Pastor Gary Lee
Vice President, Supt. Andrew Jackson
Vice President, Joe Thompson
Vice President, Elder Ronelle Jones
Vice President, Marcus Golden
Chairlady, Evang. Vandalyn Kennedy
Assistant Chairlady, Evang. Takeitha Peterson Carter
Assistant Chairlady, Evang. Rhonda Rippy
Assistant Chairlady, Evang. Tiffany Glover
Assistant Chairlady, Evang. Bridgette Wright
Youth Church
Director, Elder Tirrell McCoy
Assistant Director, Elder Jovan Custis
International Music Department
President, Dr. Myron Williams
Vice President, Evang. Kierra Sheard Kelly
Vice President, Elder C. Ivan Johnson
Vice President, Elder Derrick Starks
Vice President, Evang. Rosalind Jones
Vice President, Evang. Crystal Rucker
Vice-President, Elder Zacchaeus Hayslett
International Music Department Advisory Board
Chair, Mance L. Aytchan
Elder Kevin Beamon
Cynthia Bennings
Jason Wright
Sidney Oliver
International Sunday School Department
President, Superintendent Mark Ellis
Vice President, Elder Michael Payton
Vice President, Superintendent Rodney Atkins
Vice President, Supt. Carl Davis
Field Representative, Lady Bonita Shelby
Assistant Field Representative, Waynell Henson
Assistant Field Representative, Charla Johnson
International Department of Evangelism
President, Pastor Gary Sprewell
Vice President, Pastor Andrew Singleton
Vice President, Superintendent Waverly Bumbrey, Sr.
Vice President, Elder John Delly
Elect-Lady, Evang. Dorinda Clark-Cole
Assistant Elect-Lady, Latara Tillman
Assistant Elect-Lady, Lashaun Dillard Berry
Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry
Co-Director of Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry, Dr. Lawrence C. Boles II
Co-Director of Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry, Evang. Vivian Renita Porter
International Department of Missions
President, Bishop Terence P. Rhone
Elect Lady, Mother Lee Van Zandt
Executive Vice-President, Bishop Nate’ M. Jefferson
Vice-President, Bishop Bevin Lawrence
Vice-President, Supervisor Faye M. Butler
Vice-President, Bishop Solomon Iyobosa Omo-Osagie (International & Diplomatic Affairs)
Vice-President, Supervisor Maddaline Norfleet
Assistant Elect Lady, Supervisor Sherri Penson
Finance Director, Supervisor Tiffanie Lewis
Scholastic Motivation Ministries
President, Elder Jessie Williams
Education Commission
Commissioner, Bishop Chad Carlton
Deputy Commissioner, Bishop Matthew Brown
Deputy Chancellor for Communications, Dr. Monica Clayton
All Saints Bible College
President, Dr. Joseph Fisher
All Saints Board
Dr. Valda Slack
Dr. Cynthia Buckley
Additional Names To Be Determined
C.H. Mason Theological Seminary
Dean, Dr. Harold V. Bennett
OT Jones Institute
President, Bishop Charles Brown
Vice President, Avery Brown
Church Growth Ministry
President, Pastor Terry Ellison
Vice President, Pastor Otis Lockett, Jr.
Executive Team Member, Pastor Wil Nichols
Executive Team Member, Superintendent Samuel Moore
Hispanic Initiative
Director, John Perez
Security Commission
Commissioner, Bishop William McMillan
Deputy Commissioner, Bishop Rothel Highsmith
Deputy Commissioner, LaVell Whitaker
Ushers Department
President – Connie Sawyer
Vice-President – Larry Garner
Vice-President – Catherine Webb
Vice-President – Lisa Lewis-Moss
Institutional and Military Chaplaincy
Commissioner of Chaplains – Carlos Bell
Assistant Commissioner of Chaplains – Bishop Herman Hicks
COGIC Urban Initiatives (C.E. Blake Ministries)
Director, Pastor Anthony Coleman
Assistant Director, J. Robert Harrison
Assistant Director, Evang. Elizabeth Wilson
Assistant Director, Pastor Lloyd Allen
Bishop J. Louis Felton
Administrative Staff Development
Director, Ursula Higginbotham
Office of Governmental Affairs
Director, Bro. Art Blackwell
Assistant Director, Dr. Stephen Lackey
Dorothy Brown
Attorney Ruth Barrett
John Christian
Virgie Rollins
Pastor Elliot Powell, Esq.
Prayer Ministry
Co-President, Bishop Larry Perkins
Co-President Mother Frances Kelley
Executive Team, Mother Martina Martin
Executive Team, Mother Carol Pryor
Bishop Alphonso Denson
Bishop J. Rashad Jones
Bishop Nate Jefferson
Mother Lena McClain
Benita Austin
Mother Kathy Glover
Evang. Connie Russell
Missionary Van Hill
Supt. Tommy Legrand
Soul Winning Ministry
Director, Bishop Bob Jackson
Bishop Ron Hill
General Board Resolution Advisory Committee
Chair, Bishop David Hall
Bishop Malcom Coby
Bishop E. Charles Connor
Judge E. Lynese Bryant
Publishing House Board
Chairman, Bishop Uleses Henderson
Vice Chairman, Bishop Alton Gatlin
Secretary, Bishop Reggie Witherspoon
Board Member, Bishop Christopher Martin
Board Member, Deacon Stephen Savage
Board Member, Supervisor Gracie Davis Harris
Board Member, Bishop Phillip Jackson
Board Member, Pastor Eric Slack
Board Member, Cathy Oliver
Board Member, Dr. Dwight Radcliff
Board Member, Na’khia Washington
Board Member, Elder Aaron Macklin
COGIC Charities Board
Chair, Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard
Board Member, Bishop Jerry W. Macklin (General Board Representative)
Board Member, Bishop Michael Hill (General Board Representative)
Board Member, Dr. Jerry Maynard, II
Board Member, Supervisor Barbara McCoo-Lewis
Board Member, Dr. Sylvia Law
Board Member, Dr. J.O. Patterson, III
Board Member, Mr. Robert Coleman
Board Member, Elder John Penton
Board Member, Bishop Mark Gilkey
Board Member, Bishop Carl D. Hodges
Board Member, Attorney Pat Ways
Board Member, Dr. Timothy Fair
Board Member, Dr. Terrance Merritt
Board Member, Dr. Kendra Brown
Board Member, Dr. Larry Meeks
Board Member, Bishop Joseph Norfleet
Jubilee Broadcasting Board
Co-Chairman, Jeffery Melvin
Co-Chairman, Glen Plummer
Bishop Nathiel Wells
Bishop J. Louis Felton
Bishop Lonnie Lynch
Bishop Sheldon Rhodes
Sister Doreen Graves
Sister Glenda Curry
Pontotoc Board
Chairman, Bishop Darin Burns
Co-Chairman, Board Member, Bishop Dwight Walls
Board Member, Superintendent Melton Timmons
Board Member, Missionary Cari Barnes
Advisor to the Board, Bishop Brandon B. Porter
Advisor to the Board, Bishop Charles McClelland
COGIC Health Ministry
Secretary General of Health, Elder Readus Smith
Commissioner, Bishop Elton Amos, MD
Board Member, Supervisor Dr. Gloria Johnson Rodgers
Board Member, Dr. Alice Smith
Board Member, Dr. Sharon Westbrook
Social Justice Ministry
Director, Bishop Talbert Swan
Assistant Director, Pastor Ladarius Beal
Elder Jamar Boyd
Bishop Ron Griffin
Attorney Sheila Stuart
Prison Ministries
Assistant Director, Pastor Sean Calhoun
Pastor Andrew Riley
Marriage & Family Ministries
Dr. Rozario Slack
Dr. Angela Slack
National Economic Development
Chair, Bishop David Whittley
Vice-Chair, Pastor Gary Lee
Pastor Kevin Ford
Elder Gerald Simpkins
Bishop Mark Gilkey
Bishop Dan Fitzgerald
Elder Lamarcus Keels
Advisor, Elder Derric Scott
Advisor, Bishop Darin Burns
Advisor, Dr. Sha’ron Westbrook
Corporate Sponsorship
Director, Dr. Stephen Lackey
Mance Aytchan
Willie Brooks
Grant Writing Commission
Director, Tracey Knox
Kym Feltus
PK Connection
Chairman, Bishop Curtis Sexton
1st Vice-Chair, Admin. Asst. Joel Pullen
2nd Vice-Chair, Evang. Tekeitha Peterson Carter
COGIC Administrative Staff Development
Director, Missionary Ursula Higginbotham
Insurance Committee & Retirement
Chair, Bishop Guy Glimp
Bishop Lonnie Lynch
Bishop Christopher Milton
Byron Strong
Bishop Roland Sanders
Mother Georgia Macklin Lowe
Bishop Adrian Williams
Dr. Lisa Hill
Dr. J. Alexandria
Dr. David Sanders
Dr. Nathaniel Hall
Bishop E. Charles Connor
Supt. Jonathan Davenport
Doctrinal Compliance Committee
Chair, Supt. Ronald Alexander
Dr. Kathy Oliver
Dr. Goldie Wells
Executive Finance Council
Chairman, Bishop Dwight Walls, Sr.
Vice-Chair, Missionary Cari Barnes
Advisor, Bishop Frank A. White
Mason Day Celebration
Coordinator Bishop Brandon B. Porter
Asst Coordinator Bishop Jerry Maynard
Asst Coordinator Bishop Linwood Dillard
Loyalty Day
Co-Chairs
Bishop Jerry Macklin
Bishop Brandon B. Porter
Supervisor Barbra McCoo Lewis
Bishop Frank Anderson
