Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ

By reannjubran

  • Start of Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ World-Wide

    The Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ World-Wide was an African-American Oneness Pentecostal denomination started in 1957 in Washington, DC.

  • New Leader

    In 1991, Rogers and Campbell were seen as future leaders and church visionaries by the church after the death of Williams. Following the death of Williams, the Order of Succession and the Constitution declared that Lawrence Campbell and Rogers must serve a trial term of three years each. Then the body of the church voted to find out who will succeed Williams officially.

  • Members

    In 1995, the church had about 300,000 members in 350 congregations worldwide.

  • Presiding Bishop and founder Smallwood Edmond Williams

    In 1997, there was a breakdown about who was Bishop President Edmonds Williams' legitimate heir and founder Smallwood. This conflict eventually led to the division of the Church into two distinct organizations: the church of Huie L. Rogers under the same name; and Cornelius Showell's International Bible Way Church Of Jesus Christ.

  • Sabbath

    The General Assembly voted to keep for a 'sabbath' a year Rogers and his government on 4 July 1997 at the 40th Convocation. The rationale was that a motion was presented during the General Assembly to approve the Sabbath resolution, which was partly adopted," that voting would be postponed for a Sabbath year and all current officers would remain in place until July of 1998." The motion was approved with approximately 85% for and 15% for.

  • First Woman

    The ritual of ordaining women as elderly started with Apostle Campbell. Showell was appointed as the first woman in the district in July 2006, as Pastor Bonnie Hunter.

  • Third Woman District Elder

    In July 2011, Pastor Marcia Fountain (Bridgeport, CT), was appointed as the third woman District Elder.

  • Majority

    The majority of Campbell's bishops, pastoral leaders and denominations, with about 1000 or more churches worldwide, remained this branch by 2012.

  • Elder

    From 2012, the diocesan liaison (Central Carolina Diocese), under Apostle Cornelius Showell, was named by Pastor Deborah Barnette-Street, a woman pastor from Roxboro North Caroline who serves as the Diocesan of present times. She also works in International BibleWay's District Elder office. She is currently the District Older Chairperson for International Bibleway, as well as a diocesan liaison and district elder.

  • Naming (part 2)

    In 2014 Apostle Floyd E. Nelson Sr was named Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of International bibleway.

  • Naming

    In 2006, Bishop Cornelius Showell, pastor of First Apostolic Faith Church in Baltimore was named Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the International Bible Way Church Of Jesus Christ.

  • First Woman Bishop of International Bibleway

    As of July 2017, District Elder Bonnie Hunter was so inspired to become episcopal in July 2018 at the 61st Holy Convocation as he was led by the apostle Floyd E. Nelson sr as the First Woman Bishop of International Bibleway.