Charles E. Blake
| Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. | |
|---|---|
| His Eminence, the Most Reverend Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ | |
| Church | Church Of God In Christ |
| Diocese | Southern California First Jurisdiction (former) |
| In office | 2007-present |
| Predecessor | Gilbert Earl Patterson |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1984 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
August 5, 1940 Little Rock, Arkansas, United States |
| Spouse | Mae Lawrence Blake |
| Children | 3, with 8 grandchildren |
| Occupation | Presiding Bishop, Church of God in Christ, Pastor, theologian, television personality |
Charles Edward Blake, Sr. (born August 5, 1940 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is the current Presiding Bishop 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, 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. He was reelected to a third term as Presiding Bishop on November 15, 2016.
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.
Bishop Blake is the pastor of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ (COGIC), 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.
He has been a member of the General Board of COGIC since 1988.
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.
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