Charles E. Blake
Encyclopedia
Bishop Charles Edward Blake Sr. (born August 5, 1940 in Little Rock, Arkansas
) serves as the 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 death. In a November 2007 special election
, he was elected to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor as Presiding Bishop. 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. From 1985 until 2009, he was the Jurisdictional Prelate of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Southern California
, overseeing more than 250 churches that compose the jurisdiction. He was succeeded by Bishop Joe L. Ealy.
(COGIC), one of the largest churches in the Western United States
, with a membership of over 24,000. In 1982, he was selected by Ebony
magazine as one of the 15 "Greatest Preachers in America". Since 2007, Ebony has recognized Bishop Blake annually, as one of the 100+ most influential African Americans.
Bishop Blake is an ardent advocate
of education and academic excellence, who holds multiple academic and honorary degrees, from various educational institutions. Most recently, California State University, Los Angeles conferred an honorary doctorate upon him on June 12, 2010.
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 220 orphanages throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
He was the founding Chair of the Board of Directors for, 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 eight grandchildren.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
) serves as the Presiding Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ is a Pentecostal Holiness Christian denomination with a predominantly African-American membership. With nearly five million members in the United States and 12,000 congregations, it is the largest Pentecostal church and the fifth largest Christian church in the U.S....
, Inc., a 6 million-member Pentecostal-Holiness
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
. 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
Gilbert E. Patterson
Bishop G. E. Patterson was an American Pentecostal-Holiness, Charismatic minister who served as the international Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ , Inc....
's death. In a November 2007 special election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
, he was elected to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor as Presiding Bishop. 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. From 1985 until 2009, he was the Jurisdictional Prelate of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, overseeing more than 250 churches that compose the jurisdiction. He was succeeded by Bishop Joe L. Ealy.
Biography
Bishop Blake is the pastor of the West Angeles Church of God in ChristWest Angeles Church of God in Christ
West Angeles Church of God in Christ is a Baptist Christian church and a member of the Church of God in Christ denomination. It is located in the West Adams Historic District of Los Angeles, California, USA....
(COGIC), one of the largest churches in the Western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with a membership of over 24,000. In 1982, he was selected by Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
magazine as one of the 15 "Greatest Preachers in America". Since 2007, Ebony has recognized Bishop Blake annually, as one of the 100+ most influential African Americans.
Bishop Blake is an ardent advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
of education and academic excellence, who holds multiple academic and honorary degrees, from various educational institutions. Most recently, California State University, Los Angeles conferred an honorary doctorate upon him on June 12, 2010.
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 220 orphanages throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
He was the founding Chair of the Board of Directors for, 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
Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
, 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
Pentecostal World Conference
The Pentecostal World Conference or Pentecostal World Fellowship is a fellowship of Pentecostal believers and denominations from across the world....
, 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
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
's William Booth Award, the Greenlining Institute
Greenlining Institute
The Greenlining Institute is a public policy, research, and advocacy non-profit organization based in Berkeley, California. The Greenlining Institute's mission is to empower communities of color and other disadvantaged groups through multi-ethnic economic and leadership development, civil rights,...
'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 eight grandchildren.