Today we’d like to introduce you to James Bishop.
Hi James, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Elder Bishop accepted Christ in his life in 1999 at Toliver Memorial Church of God in Christ under the anointed, soul-stirring preaching of the Late Supt. L. V. Whitaker. Pastor Bishop received and accepted the call to the preaching ministry at the age of 24. In March of 1999, he gave his very first sermon in the Toliver Memorial COGIC. Many Saints and friends from around the city of Willis and State of Texas came to hear the sermon entitled “Do You Know Him?” focusing on Luke 9:18-21. In January of 2007, he was ordained an Elder in the Church of God in Christ.
In October of 2000, he founded Humble Lamb Ministries as a personal outreach ministry. He continued to serve under Supt. L. V. Whitaker at Toliver Memorial Church of God In Christ as the Adult Sunday School teacher and Associate Minister. On February 17, 2007 The Lord called Supt. L. V. Whitaker from labor to reward. After the death of Pastor Whitaker, Elder Bishop continued to serve under the Bishop C. L. Bryant for eighteen months. In March 2008, he decided to follow his God-given destiny and begin his Pastorate at Kingdom Harvest.
Elder Bishop is a very high-spirited servant of Christ who devotes his life daily to fulfilling his calling. Elder Bishop prays, fasts, and studies the Word of God daily in an effort to further understand and commit his life to the work God has for him. Elder Bishop wants nothing more than to have his cup to run over with the love of God and the spirit of the Holy Ghost. His ultimate desire is to have God’s will fulfilled in his life.
In March of 2008, the Lord led Elder Bishop to gather individuals together to organize Kingdom Harvest Church of God In Christ, a ministry that operates in reconciliation, empowerment, healing, and exemplifying the love of Jesus Christ. As “Evangelizing the sinner, Equipping the Saints, Exalting the Savior.”
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting a church from the ground up presented some of the most significant challenges of my life, but they taught me invaluable lessons about perseverance, faith, and community building.
Financial Struggles and Creative Solutions
In the beginning, we had no start up funds only just a dream and a calling. We started by renting a school cafeteria for Sunday services and a local community center for Wednesday night Bible study. Each week was a financial challenge, but our small congregation rallied together. Everyone contributed what they could, and we made it work through collective commitment and sacrifice.
Building Community and Outreach
To grow our congregation and serve our community, we got creative with outreach. We would meet at the local IHOP for prayer and Bible study, then walk through the halls of the nearby medical center to pray with families in the ER. This grassroots approach taught me that ministry isn’t confined to four walls it’s about meeting people where they are and showing genuine care during their most vulnerable moments.
Navigating Complex Dynamics
Leading a predominantly African American congregation while being in an interracial relationship presented unique challenges. I had to earn trust and respect while honoring the church’s culture and traditions. This experience taught me the importance of authentic relationships, cultural sensitivity, and letting actions speak louder than words.
Overcoming Youth and Inexperience
Being seen as a young man stepping into spiritual leadership with little formal church leadership experience was initially intimidating. I had to prove myself through consistency, humility, and a willingness to learn from others. I surrounded myself with wise mentors and never let my age or inexperience become an excuse for not giving my best effort.
Balancing Family and Ministry
Starting a church while raising young children required incredible time management and family support. My family became part of the ministry journey, and I learned early that sustainable leadership means maintaining healthy boundaries and priorities.
The Breakthrough
After six months of renting spaces, we found a church building for sale by a Pentecostal congregation. This was our breakthrough moment proof that persistence, faith, and community support could overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.
These challenges shaped me into a more resilient leader who understands that setbacks are setups for comebacks, and that authentic leadership is built through adversity, not comfort.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My professional journey has been deeply rooted in service to others, spanning over 27 years in public education while simultaneously serving as a bi-vocational pastor for 18 of those years. This dual calling has shaped my approach to leadership and my commitment to making a positive impact in people’s lives.
I began my career in education as a classroom teacher, where I spent 10 formative years learning the fundamentals of instruction, student engagement, and educational excellence. Those years in the classroom gave me invaluable insight into the daily challenges students face and the critical role educators play in shaping young minds.
For the past 17 years, I’ve served as an assistant principal, which has allowed me to expand my impact from individual classrooms to entire school communities. My experience spans Pre-K through 12th grade campuses, giving me a comprehensive understanding of the educational journey from early childhood through graduation. This broad perspective has been instrumental in helping me understand how students develop and what they need at each critical stage.
Early in my career, I had the privilege of serving as assistant boys basketball coach at Huron University in Huron, South Dakota. This experience taught me valuable lessons about mentorship, teamwork, and helping young adults reach their potential both on and off the court. The leadership skills and relationship-building abilities I developed during that time have continued to serve me throughout my career.
What makes my journey unique is the parallel path I’ve walked as a bi-vocational pastor. Balancing educational leadership with pastoral ministry has required exceptional dedication and time management, but it has also enriched both aspects of my service. My educational background helps me connect with families in my congregation who are navigating school challenges, while my pastoral heart brings a deeper level of care and understanding to my work with students, teachers, and parents in the school setting.
What drives your passion for education and ministry?
Both education and ministry are fundamentally about transformation and hope. In education, I get to witness students discover their potential and achieve goals they never thought possible. In ministry, I have the privilege of walking alongside people during their most challenging and triumphant moments. The common thread is service using my gifts and experience to help others grow, succeed, and find their purpose.
Twenty-seven years in education, combined with pastoral ministry, has taught me that effective leadership is about relationships first. Whether I’m working with a struggling student, supporting a teacher through a difficult situation, or counseling a congregation member, success comes from genuine care, active listening, and meeting people where they are. My diverse experience across all grade levels has also shown me the importance of understanding the bigger picture how decisions made in elementary school can impact a student’s high school experience, and how strong foundational relationships create lasting positive outcomes.
This dual calling has made me a more compassionate leader who understands that everyone students, staff, and congregation members brings their whole selves to the environments where I serve. My role is to create spaces where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I firmly believe that nothing ventured, nothing can be gained. This philosophy has guided some of the most transformative decisions in my life, particularly when it comes to stepping out in faith to pursue God given dreams and purposes.
Biblical Foundation for Risk Taking
My approach to risk is grounded in Luke 14:28-33, where Jesus uses parables of a tower builder and a king going to war to teach about the importance of counting the cost before making major commitments. Jesus emphasizes that before committing to follow Him, one must consider the potential sacrifices family, possessions, even one’s life to ensure complete and enduring commitment. This passage taught me that meaningful risk taking isn’t reckless; it’s calculated, purposeful, and rooted in faith.
The Ultimate Risk: Starting Our Ministry
With this biblical principle in mind, I made one of the biggest risks of my life when I met my wife and children. Together, we decided to follow our God-given dream to start a ministry, despite having no startup funds, limited experience, and facing numerous cultural and social challenges. We counted the cost the financial uncertainty, the potential for failure, the judgment from others and decided the potential impact was worth the risk.
Transformative Benefits of Taking That Risk
Personal Growth: Taking the risk to start our ministry forced me to develop resilience, creativity, and leadership skills I never knew I possessed. Each challenge we faced from weekly fundraising to building trust in the community stretched my capacity and deepened my character.
Deeper Faith: Risk-taking has strengthened my relationship with God. When you step out with nothing but faith, you learn to depend on divine guidance in ways that comfort zones never teach you. Our journey from renting cafeterias to owning a church building became a testimony of what’s possible when you trust God’s plan over your fears.
Community Impact: By taking the risk to start our ministry, we’ve been able to serve our community in ways that wouldn’t have been possible from the sidelines. Our outreach at the medical center, our grassroots community building none of this would have happened if we’d played it safe.
Family Legacy: Taking this risk with my wife and children taught them that pursuing your calling, even when it’s difficult, is worth it. They’ve seen firsthand that faith based risk taking can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
The Principle Applied
Whether in ministry or in my educational leadership role, I’ve learned that calculated risks those taken after prayer, planning, and consideration of the cost often lead to the greatest rewards. They push you beyond your comfort zone, reveal your true potential, and create opportunities for impact that safe choices simply cannot provide.
Risk-taking, when guided by purpose and principle, isn’t gambling it’s investing in the possibility of transformation, both for yourself and for those you’re called to serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kingdom-harvest.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.l.bishop.35
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069487103590
