Charles Edward Blake Sr.

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His Grace the Most Reverend

Charles Edward Blake, Sr.
Presiding Bishop Emeritus
Bishop Charles Edward Blake.png
ArchdioceseLos Angeles
DioceseChurch of God in Christ, Global
ElectedApril, 2007, November 2008, November 2012, November 2016
InstalledJanuary 21, 2008
Term endedMarch 20, 2021
PredecessorGilbert E. Patterson
SuccessorJohn Drew Sheard, Sr.
Orders
OrdinationAugust, 1962
by Samuel M. Crouch
ConsecrationNovember 1985
by James Oglethorpe Patterson Sr.
Personal details
Born (1940-08-05) August 5, 1940 (age 81)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.[1]
DenominationChurch of God in Christ
ResidenceLos Angeles, California
ParentsBishop J.A. Blake Sr., Mother Lula Blake
SpouseMae Lawrence Blake
Previous post(s)First Assistant Presiding Bishop (2001–2007)
Alma materInterdenominational Theological Center
MottoI SEE YOU IN THE FUTURE AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD, YOU LOOK MUCH BETTER THAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW!
Styles of
Charles Edward Blake, Sr.
Seal of the Presiding Bishop.jpg
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Grace
Religious styleBishop

Charles Edward Blake Sr. (born August 5, 1940) was the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, an 8.8 million-member Holiness Pentecostal denomination, that has now grown to become one of the largest predominantly African American Pentecostal denominations in the United States.[2][3] On March 21, 2007, he became the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, 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. In November 2012, Bishop Blake was re-elected again to serve a four-year term as the Presiding Bishop.[4] He was reelected to a third term as Presiding Bishop on November 15, 2016. On October 23, 2020, Bishop Blake announced that he would not seek a re-election as Presiding Bishop nor as a member of the General Board and that he would retire from the Office of Presiding Bishop and from the General Board in 2021.[5] He officially retired on March 19, 2021, and was succeeded by Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Sr. as Presiding Bishop on March 20, 2021.

Blake was the fifth Presiding Bishop (and seventh leader) of the historically African-American denomination from 2007 to 2021. 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.

Bishop Blake is married to Mae Lawrence Blake, a native of Michigan, and they have three children together, Charles Blake II (Jr.), Lawrence Blake, and Kimberly Blake, and they have eight grandchildren.[6]

Biography[]

Bishop Blake is the pastor of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ (COGIC),[7] one of the largest churches in the Western United States, with a membership of over 24,000, starting with only 50 members in 1969 when he became pastor.

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. Blake penned articles for Ebony and Christianity Today noting the importance of the Black churches influence on presidential elections. [8][9]

He was a member of the General Board of COGIC from 1988 until 2021.

Bishop Blake is an ardent advocate of education and academic excellence, who holds multiple academic and honorary degrees, from various educational institutions. Most recently, Biola University, 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,[10] 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. In 2009 he was appointed as a member of Barack Obama's Inaugural Advisory Council of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships where he served for one year on the council.[11] In 2016, Bishop Blake was appointed as the Co-Chairperson to the leadership council of the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America.[12] On November 15, 2016, Bishop Blake was reelected as the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ during the 2016 COGIC Election held by the COGIC General Assembly to a third four-year term. On October 23, 2020, Bishop Blake announced that he will not seek re-election as Presiding Bishop nor as a member of the General Board.[5] He officially retired on March 19, 2021, and was succeeded by Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Sr. as Presiding Bishop on March 20, 2021.

Controversy[]

In 2014, at the St. Louis, MO COGIC International Holy Convocation, former COGIC Minister and Elder Earl Carter preached a controversial sermon on Saturday night that contained statements against the LGBTQ community that were taken as offensive and derogatory. Bishop Blake subsequently apologized for his remarks and rebuked him for his controversial statements by saying, "The Church of God in Christ does not compromise its stance against homosexuality as the Word of God condemns it as sin, but "this preacher's" (referring to Earl Carter) comments were unacceptably offensive and uncalled for, and will not be tolerated by the Church of God in Christ or its leadership."[13] Earl Carter then proceeded to make allegations against Blake for impropriety, misconduct, and abuse of his power as Presiding Bishop.[14] Countless church leaders across the COGIC and across several other denominations, and Bishop Blake's own family came to his defense against Carter's allegations boldly and without reservation.[15] Elder Carter requested a Church trial before the General Assembly and Judicial Board, according to the Constitution of the COGIC, but was denied of it in 2016. He currently delivers YouTube and Facebook broadcasts of reports of alleged misconduct and impropriety within current leadership of COGIC and across other Christian (mainly African-American) denominations as well. [16][17] Earl Carter has, since the incident, also left the Church of God in Christ denomination.[citation needed] Bishop Blake won a defamation lawsuit in 2016 against Earl Carter, who was ordered to remove all defamatory videos and to cease and desist from further conduct disparaging Bishop Blake.[18] Carter was found in contempt of court for failing to obey the court order and was jailed until he removed all videos and agreed to comply.[19] Elder Carter, upon being released, assumed the title and office of Bishop/Chief CEO of his newly organized nondenominational church fellowship, the 7000 Club (not to be confused with The 700 Club from Pat Robertson).[20][21][22][23] Minister Carter continues to publish YouTube videos critical of COGIC church members.

References[]

  1. ^ "Biography of Bishop Charles E. Blake". August 1, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  2. ^ Courey, David J. (February 26, 2015). What Has Wittenberg to Do with Azusa?: Luther's Theology of the Cross and Pentecostal Triumphalism. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-567-65631-5. The controversy led to the emergence of three-step Holiness Pentecostal denominations (the Church of God, Cleveland, TN; the Pentecostal Holiness Church and the Church of God in Christ) and two-step, Finished Work denominations (the Assemblies of God and the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada).
  3. ^ Anderson, Allan (May 13, 2004). An Introduction to Pentecostalism: Global Charismatic Christianity. Cambridge University Press. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-521-53280-8. Those who resisted Durham's teaching and remained in the 'three-stage' camp were Seymour, Crawford and Parham, and Bishops Charles H. Mason, A.J. Tomlinson and J.H. King, respectively leaders of the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Cleveland) and the Pentecostal Holiness Church. Tomlinson and King each issued tirades against the 'finished work' doctrine in their periodicals, but by 1914 some 60 percent of all North American Pentecostals had embraced Durham's position. ... The 'Finished Work' controversy was only the first of many subsequent divisions in North American Pentecostalism. Not only did Pentecostal churches split over the question of sanctification as a distinct experience, but a more fundamental and acrimonious split erupted in 1916 over the doctrine of the Trinity. ... The 'New Issue' was a schism in the ranks of the 'Finished Work' Pentecostals that began as a teaching that the correct formula for baptism is 'in the name of Jesus' and developed into a dispute about the Trinity. It confirmed for Holiness Pentecostals that they should have no further fellowship with the 'Finished Work' Pentecostals, who were in 'heresy'.
  4. ^ Staff, AFRO (November 21, 2012). "COGIC Re-Elects Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. as Leader - Afro". Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "PRESS RELEASE: Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. Will Not Seek Reelection". Church Of God In Christ. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  6. ^ "Our Presiding Bishop". West Angeles Church. December 16, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  7. ^ West Angeles Church of God in Christ West Angeles COGIC official website
  8. ^ http://www.ebony.com/news-views/black-church-election#axzz4zg6c2dbf
  9. ^ http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/february-web-only/gods-place-in-black-history.html
  10. ^ "404 - Page Not Found". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2017. Cite uses generic title (help)
  11. ^ "Whitehouse.gov - Inaugural Advisory Council: Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships". whitehouse.gov. Archived from the original on January 20, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via National Archives.
  12. ^ "About PCCCNA - Leadership". Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  13. ^ "Bishop Blake Condemns 'Bad Preacher'; Apologizes to 'I Don't Like Mens No More' Guy".
  14. ^ "Church of God in Christ | Defamation Lawsuit Filed".
  15. ^ "Church of God in Christ | Defending Our Leader".
  16. ^ "Church Of God In Christ | A Letter to the Members of the Church of God in Christ, Inc". www.cogic.org. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  17. ^ "Church Of God In Christ | Minister Sidney Lassiter III vindicates Bishop Blake". www.cogic.org. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  18. ^ https://www.eurweb.com/2016/11/cogics-bishop-charles-blake-wins-defamation-lawsuit-against-minister-earl-carter/
  19. ^ http://www.charismanews.com/us/63591-man-who-attacked-cogic-bishop-charles-blake-jailed
  20. ^ BraveTalk Exclusive with Dr. Earl Carter of the 7000 Club Global Network, December 7, 2016, retrieved June 1, 2017
  21. ^ "Earl Carter". YouTube. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  22. ^ "Bishop Charles E. Blake Wins Dismissal Against Minister Earl Carter". EURweb. February 17, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  23. ^ "the-7000-club". the-7000-club. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.

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