 |
The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (July 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr.
| |
|---|---|
| Born | Charles Edward Blake, Sr. (1940-08-05) August 5, 1940 (age 83) |
| Occupation(s) | Presiding Bishop, Church of God in Christ,clergyman, bible scholar, theologian, Television personality |
| Years active | 1962-present |
| Predecessor | Gilbert E. Patterson |
| Spouse(s) | Mae Lawrence blake, 1962?-present |
| Children | 3, with 7 grandchildren |
Bishop Charles Edward Blake Sr. (born August 5, 1940 in North Little Rock, Arkansas) [1]serves as the international Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., a 6 million-member Pentecostal-Holiness denomination. On March 21, 2007, he became the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ,(COGIC) Inc., as a result of Presiding Bishop Gilbert E. Patterson's untimely death. In a November 2007 special election, he was elected to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor as Presiding Bishop. Then again in November 2008, Bishop Blake was re-elected to serve a four year term as Presiding Bishop.
Blake is the fifth Presiding Bishop (and seventh leader) of the historically African-American denomination. Since 1985, he has been the Jurisdictional Prelate of the First Ecclesiastic Jurisdiction of Southern California, overseeing the more than 250 churches that make up the jurisdiction.
Bishop Blake is the pastor of the West Angeles Church of God In Christ (COGIC)[2], one of the largest churches in the Western United States, with a membership of over 24,000. He is recognized as one of the great preachers of this generation with a message that ministers to the whole person and brings people of various racial and ethnic backgrounds together. In 1982 he was recognized by "Ebony" magazine as one of the 15 "Greatest Preachers in America". Since 2007, Ebony has selected him as one of the 100+ influencial African-Americans, in it's annual listing.
Bishop Blake has been long noted and respected for his intellectual, dynamic, expository delivery and style of preaching. He is an ardent advocate of education and academic excellence, who holds multiple academic and honorary degrees, from various educational institutions.
In response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, Blake founded and is president of the Pan African Children's Fund (PACF). Save Africa's Children, a program of PACF currently provides support to over 160 orphanages throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
He was the founding Chair of the Board of Directors for [3], and has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, and as a Board Member of the Board of Directors for the Interdenominational Theological Seminary. Blake has served as Chair of the Executive Committee, member of the Board of Directors of Oral Roberts University, and as a member of the Board of Directors of International Charismatic Bible Ministries.
Blake has also formerly served as an Advisory Committee Member of the Pentecostal World Conference, and as the founder and Co-chair of the Los Angeles Ecumenical Congress (LAEC), an interdenominational coalition of religious leaders and pastors. He has also been awarded the Salvation Army's William Booth Award, the Greenlining Institute's Big Heart Award, and was the designated recipient of the L.A. Urban League's Whitney M. Young Award for the year 2000.
He is married to Mrs. Mae Lawrence Blake, and they have three children and 7 grandchildren.
