John Richard Bryant is
the son of the late Bishop Harrison James (82) and Edith Holland
Bryant. He was elected
and consecrated the 106th Bishop of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church at the 1988 General Conference in Forth Worth, Texas.
He has taken seriously the words “Study to show thyself
approved…
*Morgan State University – B.A., 1965
*Boston University School of Theology – M.Th., 1970
*Colgate Rochester Divinity School – D.Min., 1975
He also holds an
Honorary Doctorate from Paul Quinn College, Payne Theological Seminary
and Virginia Seminary. He
received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from both Boston University
School of theology and Morgan State University.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame of his High School,
Baltimore City College.
“The spirit of
the Lord is upon me…” is reflected in the witness of John Richard
Bryant. He has
pastured three (3) churches: Bethel A.M.E. Church, Fall River, MA, St.
Paul A.M.E. Church, Cambridge, MA and Bethel A.M.E. Church, Baltimore,
MD. With an emphasis on
church growth, community development and political empowerment, he has
preached and/or taught on more than 25 college campuses.
Preached on five continents and was a Peace Corps volunteer in
West Africa from 1965 to 1967.
“Who will go for
us? Here am I, send
me…” is the living testimony of John Richard Bryant.
The Gospel is being proclaimed as he preaches not only in the
major cities, but also in the towns, villages and hamlets throughout
the United States and the world.
Bishop John Serves on
several boards, including the interdenominational Theological Seminary
(Atlanta, Georgia), the Congress of National Black Churches
(Washington, DC), South Dallas Accents, the Nation Church Advisory
Council of the American Bible Society, and Vice President, North
American Section, World Methodist Council.
In 1988, Bishop John
Richard Bryant was assigned to the 14th Episcopal District
(West Africa) where he presided over 101 churches and 25 schools. He was given the additional assignment of the 10th
Episcopal District (Texas) in January 1991.
The Episcopal Committee of the 44th Session of the
General Conference A.M.E. Church, (July, 1992) assigned him to preside
over the 10th Episcopal District, there he presided over
300 churches where he served faithfully.
In July 2000, the Episcopal Committee of the 46th
General Conference assigned him to the 5th Episcopal
District, where he presides over the A.M.E. Churches in 14 states West
of the Mississippi.
Honors, Awards and
Accomplishments: Bishop
John has received the Boston Jaycee’s Outstanding Young Man’s
Award, the Delta’s Outstanding Achievement Award, an award from
Prince Hall Masons and is listed on Ebony Magazine’s Honor Roll of
Outstanding African American Preachers.
In 1997, he published a collection of sermons entitled “God
Can: Sermons of encouragement from the Life of Elijah.”
Bishop John is married
to Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant and the father of Dr. Jamal
Harrison Bryant and Thema Simone Bryant, Ph.D.
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