GENERAL SUPERVISOR
International Department of Women 2017 – present
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 the three preceding Jurisdictional Supervisors. 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) and Trustee Board member of C H Mason Seminary (1992-2017). 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, Administrative Assistant Wives Circle, District Missionaries WO Charge, Standardized Curriculum for Licensing Missionaries, Examination Board 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, COGIC Book Club, 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…
Since her appointment the following initiatives have been added:
- Administrative Facilitators (top level leadership assisting the General Supervisor)
- Fourth revised Official Handbook for the International Department of Women
- Standardized Curriculum/Procedural Manual for Licensing Evangelist and Deaconess Missionaries
- Jurisdictional Supervisors’ Training Academy
- Added an Examination Board and Training Session for Foreign Supervisors
- Increased financial support to COGIC Missions with funds earmarked to foreign supervisors
- Administrative Assistants Wives Circle
- District Missionaries Without Charge (title of honor)
- Shepherdess/ Administrator Support Group (women appointed by their bishops to lead local congregations)
- Legacy Circle Missionaries (age 75 and above) Millennial Missionaries (ages 18-42)
- Specialized Scholarships each named for the seven General Supervisors
- Sisterhood Network- Hannah’s Project (addressing teen pregnancy, re-entry of female ex offenders, financial literacy, helping our children to succeed, preparing young women for marriage)
- Literacy Mentoring programs for young women
- Department of Women Directory
- COGIC Women’s Book Club
- National Prayer Lines- Grief Support, Caregiver Support, Clergy Wives, Bishops Wives/Supervisors and four age specific Prayer Lines
Initiatives Implemented in the Women’s International Convention –
- Empowerment Workshops
- Job Fair, Health Fair, Lawyer’s Day Children’s Church
- Bi-Lingual Ministry
- Call In prayer line during worship services
- Online Registration with added registration options- Premier card and White card Senior Love Committee honoring seniors 80 and above
2020 – Year of Pandemic due to Covid-19 Virus and Civil Unrest
- IDOW contributed $75,000.00 to supplement the General Church budget deficit
- Emergency Grief Support Task Force- volunteer professionals established daily hours to
- accommodate those needing counseling and prayer for families who suffered loss due to covid-19 virus
- Virtual Quarterly Prayer Vigils
- Virtual Prayer Conference
- Virtual Resource Conference
- Virtual 12-hour Business-A-Thon highlighting COGIC women in Business
- Virtual Effective Bible Study Conference
- Virtual Women and Money Conference
- Virtual Women’s International Convention (May 2021)