Bishop James E. McKnight, Jr.
Presiding Bishop

Bishop James E. McKnight, Jr. was born in Gainesville, Florida to Bishop James E. and Sister Jessie McKnight. As a young boy, he was always serious about the work of the Lord by integrating preaching, praying and teaching into his normal childhood routines. At the age of 18, he committed his life to Christ and served in various capacities including youth minister, deacon, musician, choir president and Sunday school teacher at his local church.

In 1985, Bishop McKnight received his call into ministry and later was led to plant a church in Starke, Florida. With a clear vision, strong faith, determination and God’s help, he founded Starke Church of God by Faith in March 1987. He studied business administration at Santa Fe College and received his license as an ordained Elder of Church of God by Faith Inc. in December of 1991.

Bishop McKnight is also president and founder of Bradford County Faith Community Center, a faith-based organization that serves North Central Florida by providing HIV testing and counseling, a recovery program, prison outreach, food distribution and a family literacy program.

His dedication and ministry in the Church of God by Faith was recognized by the leadership of the church and as a result, he was recommended as a candidate for Ruling Elder. In December of 2003, he was selected by the National Church at-large and became a member of the Executive Board.

On December 20th, 2014, he was elected and appointed by the Executive Council as the presiding Bishop of the Churches of God by Faith.

His life and ministry is driven by the fact that, every soul matters to God. His mission is to reach people and develop lives with a message of life and hope. Moreover, his ultimate passion is to resource and help leaders build strong local churches.

Bishop McKnight has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Delois Turner McKnight since 1978 and they have three children and three grandchildren.

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Executive Council

Executive Council

Executive Council | Meet Our Leaders

Bishop James McKnight, Jr.
Bishop James E. McKnight, Jr.
Presiding Bishop
Bishop James McKnight, Jr.

Bishop James E. McKnight, Jr. was born in Gainesville, Florida to Bishop James E. and Sister Jessie McKnight. In 1985, Bishop McKnight received his call into ministry and later was led to plant a church in Starke, Florida. With a clear vision, strong faith, determination and God’s help, he founded Starke Church of God by Faith in March 1987. He studied business administration at Santa Fe College and received his license as an ordained Elder of Church of God by Faith Inc. in December of 1991. His dedication and ministry in the Church of God by Faith was recognized by the leadership of the church and as a result, he was recommended as a candidate for Ruling Elder. In December of 2003, he was selected by the National Church at-large and became a member of the Executive Board. On December 20th, 2014, he was elected and appointed by the Executive Council as the presiding Bishop of the Churches of God by Faith.

Ruling Elder James Williams
Ruling Elder James E. Williams
Executive Secretary
Ruling Elder James Williams

Ruling Eder James E. Williams was born and raised in the Church of God by Faith. He is the son of Superintendent Emeritus Elder James and the late Mother Cora Williams of the Gainesville District.

Elder Williams pastored New Life Church of God by Faith in Ft. Myers, Florida for ten years. He also pastored two years at Plant City, Florida.

In December 2008, Elder Williams was appointed Superintendent of the Tampa Westcoast District, and was elected Ruling Elder in December 2014. Presently, Elder James E. Williams is the pastor of The Rock Church of God by Faith, Tampa, Florida, District Superintendent of the Tampa Westcoast District and Executive Secretary of the Executive Council.

Ruling Elder Horace N. Turner
Ruling Elder Horace N. Turner, Sr.
Executive Treasurer
Ruling Elder Horace N. Turner

Ruling Elder Horace Nelson Turner, Sr. accepted the Lord and Savior in his life in 1980. In 1986, he was ordained a minister. Later, he built Sears Street Church of God by Faith, Inc. located in Douglas, Georgia where he currently serves as pastor. In May 2004, he received a Doctoral Degree from Faith Bible College in Theology under Dr. Bivins. On December 19, 2004, Dr. Turner was elected as a National Ruling Elder of the Church of God by Faith, Inc. Ruling Elder Turner is a man of God that loves the church and his family.

Ruling Elder James Ware
Ruling Elder James Ware
Executive Council Member
Ruling Elder James Ware

Ruling Elder James Ware was ordained a minister in Church of God by Faith in 1989 and continued to be a student of the Word of God. In 1995, at the hand of God and the Executive Council, he accepted the charge of presiding Elder of the Ocala District where he currently serves as the Pastor of Greater Macedonia Church of God by Faith. In 2012 he was appointed to the Executive Council as Ruling Elder under Bishop James E. McKnight, Sr.

Ruling Elder Reginald Daymon
Ruling Elder Reginald L. Daymon
Executive Council Member
Ruling Elder Reginald Daymon

Ruling Elder Reginald L. Daymon has a passion for studying, preaching and teaching the word of God. He began his Christian life in 1980, where he served as bass guitar player and junior deacon at the Greater Adams Street C.O.G.B.F. under the leadership of the Emeritus Ruling Elder Dr. David C. Rourk.

In early 1985, Elder Daymon accepted the call to the ministry and God led him to Buffalo, New York where he founded New Hope C.O.G.B.F. Elder Daymon continued to work faithfully in the ministry while pursuing his license to become an ordained minister, and was ordained an "Elder" in the Church of God by Faith in 1990 during the National Assembly at Atlanta Georgia.