MOTHER BARBARA MCCOO LEWIS

GENERAL SUPERVISOR OF WOMEN

Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis was appointed the seventh General Supervisor of the International Department of Women by Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake and the General Board April 2017. She was re-appointed by Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard in 2021.

She was born to Pastor Richard and Mother Sue McCoo in Los Angeles and was saved and baptized in the Holy Ghost at the age of nine. She is a lifetime member of Southern California Jurisdiction One and a third-generation member of the Church of God in Christ. She holds an Associate of Arts degree in Journalism from West Los Angeles Community College; Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from California State University at Los Angeles; She matriculated at Fuller Theological Seminary and completed her graduate work at Southern California School of Ministry where she holds a Master of Arts degree in Theology and an honorary Doctorate degree.

Mother Lewis served in multiple district and jurisdictional roles of Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and was selected to serve as Jurisdictional Supervisor by Prelate Bishop Charles E. Blake and appointed by Dr. Mattie McGlothen during the National Holy Convocation in 1988. She served for thirty-three years and requested Emerita status in 2021. Mother Lewis implemented a myriad of programs in the Jurisdictional Department of Women. She was the visionary and led the women in completing the Hale Morris Lewis Senior Complex. The Los Angeles based 4.7 million dollar 41-unit complex was completed in 2002 and named after Mother Lewis and the two preceding Jurisdictional Supervisors. During her tenure the Department of Women sponsored an Annual Community Outreach on the grounds of Hale Morris Lewis. Hundreds each year received food, clothing, hygiene products, toys, health screening, legal assistance, and much more. She is President and CEO of the 501C3 Southern California COGIC Economic Development Corporation and the 501C3 Barbara McCoo Lewis Ministry which partners with multiple entities to enhance the quality of life for the underserved in urban America.

Mother Lewis served under Mother Mattie McGlothen, Mother Emma Crouch and Mother Willie Mae Rivers. She was a member of the Advisory Board (1990-1995); member Executive Board (1996-2017); The General Supervisor’s West Coast Area Representative (2006-2013); Chairperson Special Convention Assistance Committee (1994-present); Chairperson Program Committee ((1999-2017); International Marshal (1997-2017); She was appointed by Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake as the Assistant General Supervisor and Chairperson Executive Business Affairs under Mother Willie Mae Rivers in 2013. Mother Lewis was also Women’s Editor of the Whole Truth “Paper” (1983-1987), Trustee Board member of C H Mason Seminary (1992-2017) and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for COGIC Charities. She authored the Christian Woman’s Guide to Church Protocol & Saintly Decorum.

Since her appointment as General Supervisor the following initiatives have been added: Administrative Facilitators, 4th revised Official Handbook IDOW, Jurisdictional Supervisors Training Academy, Widowed Bishop’s Wives, Administrative Assistant Wives Circle, District Missionaries WO Charge, Standardized Curriculum for Licensing Missionaries, Examination Board for Foreign Supervisors, Financial Assistance for Foreign Supervisors, Legacy Missionaries ((75 & above), Millennial Missionaries (18-42), On-line Registration and additional registration options for WIC, Hannah Project (addressing contemporary issues-teen pregnancy, female ex-offenders, financial literacy, literacy for children, preparing young women for marriage), Sisterhood Support Group for Shepherdess, The COGIC Woman’s Book Club, Soaring Singles, and Single Mothers Support Group, IDOW Directory, Senior Love Committee (honoring seniors 80 & over), seven monthly Prayer lines for the diverse constituency of women.

Dr. Lewis was married 57 years to her life partner, the late Bishop James A. Lewis. In 1970 she co-founded with her husband the New Antioch Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles and is currently the Church Mother. She has two sons Elder James A. Lewis Jr (wife Sonya) and Administrative Assistant Jeffrey M. Lewis who is her Pastor (wife Floetta). She has two adult grandchildren Shannon and Jeffrey Jr..

The theme of her life is… I Can Do All Things Through Christ Which Strengthens Me.