History

Arkansas Second Jurisdiction COGIC
from 1951 to Present

JURISDICTIONAL LEADERS

*Submitted to the Office of the General Secretary by the Executive Secretary to the Bishop,
Bishop Robert G. Rudolph, Jr.

In 1950, Bishop Minor Jones was the leader of the entire state of Arkansas. Under his
leadership the state was divided in the same year. His action allowed six districts to be formed
from this division creating the “Southwest Arkansas” diocese of the Church of God in Christ,
which is today known as the Arkansas Second Jurisdiction.

Arkansas Second Jurisdiction Bishops

Bishop W. A. Washington

Served 1951
Bishop Washington was appointed as the first Bishop of the divided state, serving only one day.

Bishop W. H. Kendricks

Served from 1951 until 1957.

Bishop Donne L. Lindsey

Served from 1974 to 2009
Under Bishop Lindsey’s leadership, the Jurisdiction initially grew from eight districts to fifteen districts. In 1993, upon the leading of the Lord, Bishop Lindsey, with permission of the Presiding Bishop L. H. Ford and the General Board, was able to divide the Jurisdiction to promote growth. It resulted in the formation of the Arkansas Third Jurisdiction, with Bishop R. E. Matheney being appointed as the jurisdictional prelate. In the year 2000, the Jurisdiction was divided again to form the Arkansas Fourth Jurisdiction with Bishop Wallace Johnson being appointed as the jurisdictional prelate.

Bishop John L. Lewis

Served from 1958 to 1968.
Under his leadership, the State Temple in Camden, AR was purchased. It was to his sacred memory that is was named “Lewis Temple”.

Bishop R. B. Hatley

Served from 1968 to 1974.
Hatley, was appointed as Bishop Lewis’ successor. It was during his dynamic leadership that the State Temple was freed of debt.

Bishop Frank J. Anderson

Served from 2009 to the present
Today, the Arkansas Second Jurisdiction has twenty one districts and over 100 churches and missions in both Arkansas and Louisiana.

Arkansas Second Department of Women's Ministries

JURISDICTIONAL SUPERVISORS

MOTHER JESSIE B. WASHINGTON
1951 - 1983

MOTHER EVA McGEE
1984 - 1993

MOTHER BERNICE BARRON LAMBERT
1994 – 2010

MOTHER JEANETTE ABRAHAM WATKINS
2010-PRESENT

General Supervisors for the Department of Women
Church of God In Christ

Mother Lizzie Woods Roberson
First General Mother (1911–1945)

Mother Lillian Brooks Coffey
Second General Supervisor and Founding President of the Women's International Convention (1946–1964)

Mother Annie l. Bailey
Third General Mother (1964–1975)

Mother Mattie McGlothen
Fourth General Supervisor (1975–1994

Mother Emma F. Crouch
Fifth General Supervisor (1994–1997)

Mother Willie Mae Rivers (Emeritus)
Sixth General Supervisor (1997–2017)

Mother Barbara McCoo Lewis
7th General Supervisor
2017

International Women's Dept

ARKANSAS BLACK HALL OF FAME

In 2002, the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame honored our founding father, Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, posthumously inducting him into the institution. Our Presiding at that time, Bishop G. E. Patterson accepted this award on behalf of the Church of God in Christ. The Arkansas Second Jurisdiction and Bishop D. L. Lindsey were honored to participate in that gala affair in which the sitting U. S. President Bill Clinton was also a Hall of Fame inductee. In 2009, Our International Prelate, Bishop Charles E Blake was inducted and in 2015, Bishop D. L. Lindsey was inducted into the Black Hall of Fame.