Bishop-Elect Ronald B. Dewberry
Bishop Ronald B. Dewberry, known for his visionary and leadership acumen, is a highly respected prophetic voice, theological academician, events organizer, mentor, under-shepherd and Kingdom practitioner. As a highly sought after speaker and teacher, he has served in pastoral, prison and campus ministry for over 30 years in Ohio and Upstate New York, and has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Jordan, Israel, parts of Africa and the Bahamas.
Bishop Dewberry is a native of Columbus, Ohio, married for over 30 years to Pastor Cindy Marie Dewberry, and father of two adult sons, Aaron and Jared. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Mass-Media Communications from the University of Akron (Akron Ohio) in 1981, a Masters Degree in Religious Studies, Masters of Divinity equivalency, and completed all of the required doctoral studies courses in Black Church Studies at Ashland Theological Seminary (Ashland, Ohio) in 1999. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Black Church Studies and is currently completing his Doctoral of Ministry thesis project on Transformative Leadership at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (Rochester, NY) in 2012. In May 2006, he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from St. Thomas Christian College (Jacksonville, FL).
The scope of Bishop Dewberry’s work and legacy encompasses a number of notable achievements. Known as a humanitarian, Bishop Dewberry has served on a number of civic, community organizations, foundations and corporate boards. He has also served as a Campus Chaplain at the University of Akron and as a Chaplain for the New York State Department of Correctional Services. He was the first African American pastor in the City of Syracuse to formulate his own 501 C-3 housing corporation (Bethany Community Housing Development Corporation) and non-for-profit agency (NESCO) for job training and placement assistance. He spearheaded an effort to raise over $250,000 to conserve Underground Railroad Faces sculpted by runaway slaves hidden in old downtown Wesleyan Church during the abolition period, donated the originals to the Onondaga Historical Society, and gifted duplicate copies to the Archeological Department of Syracuse University, Colgate University, The National Underground Railroad Center (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Bethany Baptist Church (Syracuse, NY). He has served as a board member for community development for On-Bank Corporation (M&T Bank) and Fleet Bank of Boston, MA (Bank of America), in addition to being a consultant for minority management recruitment of graduating students from Historical Black Colleges in Northeast America; He has been a national preacher, motivational speaker, organization consultant and conference convener. Bishop Dewberry is the founder and Senior Pastor of New Life Temple of Praise, New Life Institute for Theological and Biblical Training and New Life Center of Hope.
Bishop Dewberry was baptized in the Holy Ghost with the laying-on-of-hands by Bishop T. D. Jakes at the Pastors and Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas on October 20, 2000, and has been a member of The Potter's House International Pastoral Alliance (PHIPA) for over eleven years. He is Kingdom partner with Dr. N. Cindy Trimm, Kingdom University Alumni Association and Trimm International. After many years of dedication in Kingdom building, Bishop Dewberry was elected to the College of Bishops of Temple of Praise International Fellowship of Churches Inc. (Washington, D.C), Bishop Glen A. Staples, Presiding Prelate, in 2011.