Bishop John Drew Sheard was born on January 1, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Bishop John Henry Sheard and the late Mother Willie Mae Sheard. He was saved at a young age under the pastorate of the late Bishop John Seth Bailey and later acknowledged his call to the ministry.
He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and a Master of Education in Mathematics from Wayne State University. In 1988, he began his pastoral ministry at Great Emmanuel Church.
Bishop Sheard has worked diligently locally and nationally and in various civic capacities, including as International Youth Department President for the Church Of God In Christ, Inc., Vice-Chairman of the Church Of God In Christ, Inc.’s Auxiliaries in Ministries (AIM) convention, and Chairman of the Auxiliaries in Ministries (AIM) convention. Bishop Sheard has received multiple honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees and has been inducted into the prestigious Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers.
In 2009, he and his wife, Lady Karen Clark-Sheard, founded Karew Records, a faith-based record label focusing on various forms of gospel, Christian, and inspirational music.
Bishop Sheard was elevated to the office of jurisdictional bishop in 2010. Then, in 2012, he was elected to the Presidium of the Church Of God In Christ, Inc. In 2021, the delegates of the General Assembly re-elected Bishop Sheard as a member of the Presidium of the Church Of God In Christ, Inc., and subsequently, he was elected to the Office of the Presiding Bishop as Chief
Apostle, the leader of the worldwide organization.
As a humanitarian, he donated to pastors across the country in need due to natural disasters. Later, he organized and led an ecumenical effort to raise $100,000 to support ministerial leaders during COVID-19 and other life-threatening catastrophes.
His accomplishments as the eighth leader of the Church Of God In Christ include raising $2.5 million through the “I Love My Church”; Initiative in less than a year. Developing a partnership
with Waste Management (WM) that trains and employs formerly incarcerated individuals at a
living wage.
In 2023, Bishop Sheard formed an innovative partnership with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the
Tennessee Department of Children Services, and the Shelby County Department of Children
Services to provide transitional housing for juveniles entering the state’s foster care system. His
financial acumen and extraordinary stewardship enabled him to eliminate the Church Of God In
Christ’s entire debt in 2023.
Bishop Sheard and Lady Karen Clark-Sheard have two children, Kierra Sheard Kelly and John
Drew Sheard, II; one son-in-love, Jordan Kelly; and three grandchildren, Jacob, Kali Drew and
Khloe’-Drew.
