Bishop Chandler David Owens elected presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ

Jet, July 17, 1995

The 12-member general board of the Church of God in Christ recently elected Bishop Chandler David Owens as presiding bishop over its 8.5 million members.

The election of Bishop Owens, who resides in Atlanta, was announced at a special meeting of the general board in Chicago.

Bishop Owens succeeds the late Bishop Louis Henry Ford, of Chicago, who died March 31 (JET April 17).

An internationally known evangelist, teacher and pastor, Bishop Owens has served as a member of the general board of the church for 20 years and has been assistant presiding bishop for 10 years.

"Bishop Owens is a bridge between generations and is a consensus builder," said general board member Bishop P.A. Brooks. "He served as chairman of the Church of God in Christ Constitution Committee and is an expert on church constitutional matters."

The Church of God in Christ is the largest Pentecostal denomination in America, with congregations in every state and 57 foreign countries.