Bishop Edward T. Cook is the eldest of six (6) children and is married to Sheila Lynn Terry Cook whom he married July 15, 1972. They have two children; Terrilynn Michelle and Keith Lamont and two grandchildren; Branden Mykal and Manhattan Michelle.
Bishop Cook previously was the pastor of the New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ and the Zion Church of God in Christ, both in Toledo, Ohio. In 1994, New Life Church of God in Christ came into existence through the merger of Zion and New Jerusalem. He led the merger of these two established churches and congregations and was recognized locally and nationally for his efforts.
He is a lifelong, third-generation member of the Church of God in Christ and has served in various leadership capacities within the denomination at local, district, jurisdictional, and national levels. He served as the Jurisdictional Financial Secretary under the leadership of Bishop William M. James (1988-2000) and as Director of Operations/Administrative Assistant under the leadership of Bishop Walter E. Jordan (2000-2008). On July 25, 2008, Pastor Edward T. Cook was recommended by the pastors of Ohio North First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to succeed Bishop Walter E. Jordan as Jurisdictional Prelate, the seventh in succession.
He is past president and Board Chairman of Covenant Youth Development Corporation, an after-school intervention program operated in conjunction with the Lucas County Juvenile Court, serving at-risk boys ages 10-14 and their families. He was a founding member of Covenant Pastors of Toledo, and the Covenant Community Development Corporation, a local Christian Community Development Corporation. The Covenant Pastors have been instrumental in several initiatives that have revitalized the inner city of Toledo, Ohio. Included among them was the formation of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union; where in the past he served on its Advisory Board and its Board of Directors. He is past president and Board Chairman of New Beginnings Development Corp., an extension of New Life COGIC established to facilitate its outreach ministries. He has served on numerous boards for community-focused organizations that further his commitment to the City of Toledo and beyond.
Bishop Cook has received several individual awards which reflect his dedication and life-long commitment to serving others. He was a joint recipient of the NAACP President’s Award in 1998 and a recipient of the NAACP Humanitarian Award in 2005. In April 2007, he was inducted into the Edward Drummond Libbey High School Hall of Fame, and in May 2009, received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Theology. He is also the author of four books; God’s Inspirations in 160 or Less, No Sting (Death in Life) - No Victory (Life in Death), From God’s Heart - To My Heart - To You Volumes I & II.
Amongst being a Pastor, Bishop, and author, he currently serves as the Director of the Enhancement and Professionalism Training Program (EPTP) for the Board of Bishops in the Church of God In Christ, Inc., which seeks to educate and train Bishops on an on-going basis.
