Crenshaw Climbs to Top Presidential Post of the Board of Bishops

Even during these very difficult times and virtual season, the work of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (A.M.E. Zion Church) continues to move forward and in the tradition of Zion Methodism a new President of the Board of Bishops will be elected in July 2020. The Presidential Mantle will be passed to Bishop George D. Crenshaw, the 103rd Bishop in the line of succession of the A.M.E. Zion Church, and Presiding Prelate of the Central Southern Africa Episcopal District. In this Episcopal District he serves and provides leadership to East Angola, West Angola, India, South Africa, and Zimbabwe Conferences.

Born in Jefferson County, Alabama, George Dwayne Crenshaw was ordained as a Christian Minister in the A.M.E. Zion Church in 1986. He is married to the former Laurenna Yevetta Hardy of Birmingham, Alabama and is the father of three children Quentin Dewayne, Kennedy Diane and Debora Janae.

Bishop Crenshaw has had a blessed and productive life in ministry having served in the capacities of Pastor and Presiding Elder. As a Pastor, Bishop Crenshaw has served in Calcis, Alabama; Indianapolis, Indiana; Cheraw, SC; Lancaster SC, and Smyrna, Georgia. His position as Presiding Elder has placed him in the Indianapolis District, Cheraw-Bennettsville District and Lancaster District.

Among his many accolades, Bishop Crenshaw holds an Honorary Doctorate Degree from both Clinton College and Livingstone College; a B.A. from Indiana University, a Masters of Divinity from Hood Theological Seminary, and a high school diploma from McAdory High School in McCalla, Alabama.

Bishop Crenshaw has exercised his dominant spiritual gifts of administration, teaching, shepherding and preaching to fashion a ministry designed to empower and edify.

In addition to his educational accomplishments, Bishop Crenshaw has held many outstanding memberships and positions as well as having been recognized for many distinguished accommodations to include: President of the Cheraw Branch NAACP; a member of the A.M.E. Zion Connectional Budget Board; and First Vice President of the Presiding Elder’s Council 2001-2005. Bishop Crenshaw is a past board member of the Chesterfield General Hospital.

Bishop Crenshaw is a seven time delegate to the A.M.E Zion Church General Conference; a delegate to the 2001 World Methodist Conference in Brighton, England; a delegate to the 2006 World Methodist Conference in Seoul Korea; a delegate to the 2011 World Methodist Conference in Durban South Africa; and a delegate to the 2016 World Methodist Conference in Houston, Texas. Bishop Crenshaw has also served as an Executive Board Member of the World Methodist Council.

Bishop Crenshaw is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is a Life Member of the Connectional Lay Council of the A.M.E. Zion Church and a Life Member of the NAACP. While pastoring Shaw Temple AME Zion Church, Bishop Crenshaw received the 2011 Atlanta Gospel Choice Award as one of the “Chosen 10 Pastors” in the state.

On July 26, 2016, Bishop Crenshaw was elevated to the Episcopacy from Shaw Temple A.M.E. Zion Church as the 103rd Bishop in the line of succession. Bishop Crenshaw was assigned to the Central Southern Africa Episcopal District on the first quadrennium of its existence. This Episcopal District includes East Angola, West Angola, India, South Africa, and Zimbabwe Annual Conferences. Endowed with a spirit of evangelism, Bishop Crenshaw will bring the following provisional conferences to the 2020 General Conference for Admission: Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Angola, South Korea, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, East Congo and West Congo. P