A bishop (English derivation of the New Testament Greek επίσκοπος episcopos "overseer, guardian") is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Old Catholic, Independent Catholic Churches, and in the Assyrian Church of the East, bishops claim apostolic succession, a direct historical lineage dating back to the original Twelve Apostles. Within these churches, bishops are seen as those who posess the full priesthood and can ordain clergy including other bishops. Some Protestant churches including the Lutheran and Methodist churches have bishops serving similar functions as well, though not always understood to be within apostolic succession in the same way. It is the one ordained deacon, priest and then bishop who is understood to hold the fullness of the (ministerial) priesthood, given responsibility by Christ to govern, teach and sanctify the Body of Christ, members of the Faithful. Priests, deacons, and lay ministers cooperate and assist their bishop(s) in shepherding a flock.

Marvin Lawrence Winans (born March 5, 1958) is an American gospel singer and member of the musical Winans family. He is also known for his recurring role in the hit show Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

Winans was born in Detroit, Michigan, the fourth of 10 children of Delores (née Ransom) and David Glenn Winans, Sr., who recorded together as "Mom and Pop Winans". His siblings David II, Carvin (his fraternal twin), Benjamin (BeBe), Daniel, Michael, Ronald, Priscilla (CeCe), Deborah (Debbie), Angelique (Angie) are also musically gifted and have careers in the music industry singing, writing and producing. Marvin met and married Vickie Bowman, to whom he was married for 16 years until their divorce in 1995. His sons, Marvin Jr. (Coconut), Josiah Winans, and stepson Mario (Skeeter) are also in the music business. Mario is a producer and R&B singer. Marvin Jr., once a member of Winans Phase 2, is now a solo artist and is also a producer, and Josiah Winans is Also a Producer featured on Marvin jr's first solo project.

Thomas Dexter "T. D." Jakes, Sr. (born June 9, 1957) is the bishop/chief pastor of The Potter's House, a non-denominational American megachurch, with 30,000 members, located in Dallas, Texas. T. D. Jakes' church services and evangelistic sermons are broadcast on The Potter's Touch, which airs on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Black Entertainment Television, the Daystar Television Network, The Word Network and The Miracle Channel in Canada. Other aspects of Jakes' ministry include an annual revival called "MegaFest" that draws more than 100,000 people, an annual women's conference called "Woman Thou Art Loosed", and gospel music recordings.

In the fall of 2009, Jakes planned on launching a secular daily talk show, syndicated through the CBS Television Distribution group; however, economic troubles in the industry may put his new program into jeopardy.

In 2005 Jakes accompanied President George W. Bush on his visit to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In his book Decision Points, President Bush describes Jakes as "a kind of man who puts faith into action."

Paul Morton (May 22, 1857 – February 19, 1911) was a U.S. businessman, and served as the 36th Secretary of the Navy under Theodore Roosevelt.

He served as the Secretary of Navy between 1904 and 1905. Previous to this, he had been vice president of the Santa Fe Railroad. When it came to light that the Santa Fe had given illegal rebates under Morton, he was forced out of the cabinet to avoid scandal, though Roosevelt maintained that Morton himself was unaware of the improprieties. After leaving government service, Morton was President of Equitable Life Assurance Society.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, and growing up in Nebraska City, Nebraska, he was the younger brother of Joy Morton, founder of Morton Salt, and the son of pro-slavery racist Julius Sterling Morton, who had served as Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland. Though his father was a "Bourbon" (i.e. conservative) Democrat, Paul Morton was a Progressive Republican. This shift of party by father/son cabinet secretaries is paralleled by that of Henry Cantwell Wallace, who served as a Progressive Republican Secretary of Agriculture under Harding and Coolidge, and his son Henry A. Wallace who served in the same office as a Democrat under Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Eddie Lee Long (born May 12, 1953) is the senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, a megachurch in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, near Lithonia. When Long started as pastor for New Birth Church in 1987, there were 300 church members. Since his installation, membership has grown to 25,000.

During this time, Long was the focus of Senate investigations concerning whether he has personally profited from his church's tax exempt status and lawsuits alleging sexual relations with underage male members of his parish. Long has denied wrongdoing through his attorneys and has settled the lawsuits out of court.

Eddie Long attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina where he received a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1977.

Long donated $1 million to North Carolina Central University in 2008 to establish a professorship in his honor. Long said, "I am making (the donation) from my own personal income," which comes from various real estate ventures and also as royalties from his books.