MOTHER BARABRA MCCOO LEWIS

GENERAL SUPERVISOR, INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN

Mother Dr. 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 was selected as Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper. She holds an Associate of Arts degree in Journalism-West Los Angeles Community College; Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism-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. During her tenure, Mother Lewis implemented a myriad of programs in the Jurisdictional Department of Women. Most notably 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 her two predecessors. The jurisdictional department of women sponsored an Annual Community Outreach on the grounds of Hale Morris Lewis Senior Complex. For sixteen years hundreds received food, clothing, hygiene products, toys, health scre ening, legal assistance, and much more. She is also President and CEO of the 501C3 BML 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 in the International Department of Women under Mother Dr. Mattie McGlothen, Mother Emma F. Crouch and Mother Dr. 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); Assistant Marshal (1992-1997) 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. Trustee Board member of C H Mason Seminary (1992-2017). She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for COGIC Charities. As a prolific writer Mother Lewis wrote articles for both Spirit-Led and Charisma magazines. She was the Women’s Editor of the Whole Truth “paper” (1983-1987) and authored the Christian Woman’s Guide to Church Protocol & Saintly Decorum and Fifty
Leadership Lessons.

With a slogan “We Progress with Team Effort” the following initiatives have been implemented during her administration:

Administrative Facilitators
4th revised Official Handbook IDOW
IDOW Official Handbook- Spanish translation
Jurisdictional Supervisors Training Academy
Widowed Bishop’s Wives Circle
Administrative Assistant Wives Circle
Standardized Curriculum for Licensing Missionaries (Evangelist and Deaconess)
Supplemental Training Handbooks for Supervisors; Training the District Missionary; Selecting and Training for Auxiliary, Band and Unit
leaders; Selecting and training Executive Staff/Team; Planning a State Women’s Convention
Examination Board for new Foreign Supervisors
Financial Assistance for Foreign Supervisors
Instructional video for wearing the civic and ceremonial habits
Concerned Crusaders hotline for women in crises
“No child hungry in the Church of God in Christ” facilitated by the Sunshine Band
Accelerated advancements in Marketing and Public Relations
Scholarship Endowment Fund
Seven scholarships (named for each General Supervisor) awarded during the WIC
Legacy Missionaries ((75 & above)
Millennial Missionaries (18-42)
Annual Gazette- pictorial review of Women’s International Convention
Supplemental Training Handbooks for Supervisors- District Missionary training; Aux, Band and Unit leaders training; Selecting and training
Executive Staff/Team; Planning a State Women’s Convention
Altar Ministry Prayer Team
Added IDOW Chaplain
Curriculum/Publication Screening Committee
On-line Registration for WIC with five registration options
Hannah Project-addressing contemporary issues

– Teen pregnancy
– Second chance- female ex-offenders
– Financial literacy
– Literacy for children
– Preparing young women for marriage

Added Foreign Supervisors Class during OT Jones Institute in the Holy Convocation
Empowerment Workshops during WIC- addressing contemporary issues of women
Covenant Sisterhood Support Group for Shepherdess and Administrators assigned to churches
Alliance of female Mental Health Professionals
Alliance of female Health Care Providers
Alliance of female Judges and Lawyers
Technology Savy for Seniors
Health Fair and Job Fair held during WIC
COGIC Women’s Book Club
Soaring Singles-virtual online support group
Single Mothers Support-virtual online support group
IDOW Directory- includes names/contact info for every entity of IDOW
Autism and other Special Needs Family support group
“Keeping It Real Breakfast” for ages 18-35 during the WIC-transparent conversations with Gen Supv
Re-activated General Supervisor’s Area Representatives
Created seven monthly Prayer lines; Caregivers prayer line; Grief Recovery prayer line; Clergy Wives prayer line; Queen Esther Daughters
(18-32); Lydia’s Daughters (33-52); Deborah’s Warriors (53-69); Titus II Teachers (age 70 and above)

Mother Lewis has served in the following jurisdictions as interim Jurisdictional Supervisor-Ontario, Canada; NY Eastern 4th; Congo, West
Africa 2nd.

Throughout the pandemic the IDOW expanded its reach of the gospel message; empowered women through prayer vigils and virtual symposiums; a 2-day virtual Annual Women’s International Convention was convened in 2020; and a 4-day virtual Women’s International Convention held in 2021.

The International Department of Women initiated with continuing efforts towards the construction of Lizzie Woods Robinson Senior Housing- Phase #1-41 cottage units and Phase #2-76-unit high rise building across the street from the Mason Campus in Memphis. One million dollars was donated to the National Church by the IDOW during the Women’s International Convention May 2024. These are restricted funds earmarked for this project.

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.