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Man’s 44-year ‘vocation’ leads to bishop position
By LINDA M. LINONIS
youngstown
The Rev. Emmitt L. Nevels Sr. didn’t set out to be a preacher. But he now is bishop-designate of the Ohio West Jurisdiction of the International Churches of God in Christ.
“It’s not an occupation but a vocation,” said the minister of 44 years.
As a young man, he tried different lines of work — as a salesman, singer and other ventures he’s forgotten. But he met with no success.
“One day I was walking along Jamaica Avenue in New York City — but you don’t really walk there; you get carried along,” Bishop Nevels said. “I didn’t know God at the time.”
He said his life was a bit in disarray; he and his wife were on separate paths. He noted that when people don’t have God in their lives, “They don’t think right.”
But on that noisy, crowded street, the longtime minister said he “heard a voice” speak to him. He listened. And he returned to Youngstown, where he had lived as a boy and his father, Robert, had worked at U.S. Steel.
“I went to church, and something happened to me,” he recalled. “God turned my life around.”
He reunited with his wife, Frances. On Feb. 6, they celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. “My wife is my helper, and she is so devoted to our children,” the 76-year-old said.
He became a minister in 1967, and in 1974, he founded Bright Star COGIC on Clyde Street. The minister holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from International Seminary in Orlando, Fla.
“The congregation grew so we looked for another location,” Bishop Nevels said. In 1977, the congregation moved to its current location at 939 Elm St., a former synagogue. Bright Star remains the name of the congregation; Nevels Temple is the building.
Though he never imagined being a preacher, Bishop Nevels said he found his niche.
Citing Romans 10:15, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!’”
“God gave humans the power of choice, and that allows us to do certain things,” Bishop Nevels said. His choice of the ministry was right for him. He explained that the COGIC is a Pentecostal Christian denomination with a predominant African-American membership. Worldwide, the church is in 60 countries with 8 million members. In the United States, there are more than 12,500 churches and 6.5 million members.
Bishop Nevels explained that the Ohio West Jurisdiction of the COGIC came from the Ohio Central Jurisdiction that was divided into East and West. As the leader of the West Jurisdiction, he oversees 35 churches.
Although he will be installed as bishop in November during a COGIC gathering in St. Louis, he has assumed the bishop’s duties. He is meeting with superintendents, who supervise three to four churches. Bishop Nevels is responsible for appointing pastors and filling leadership positions in such areas as youth, evangelism, music and finances. He also is charged with seeing that the churches “function financially”; some money goes to support the national church.
As a minister, Bishop Nevels said he will be engaged in revivals in Columbus and Cincinnati in the upcoming months. Part of his work is to preach, spread the word and plant churches.
He will lead a church-workers meeting from Wednesday through Saturday at Nevels Temple; services will be at 7 p.m. nightly.
Bishop Nevels and his wife are the parents of four daughters, Debra, Venice, Gail and April, who perform as The Nevels Sisters, national Gospel recording artists. “They get it from their mother,” he said of their musical gift.
A son, Emmitt L. Nevels Jr., is an associate minister at his father’s church and also a singer. The family includes 10 grandchildren.