Church of God In Christ
Bishop Marcus R. Ways, Sr.
Pastor & Founder
As the founding Pastor of Christian Gospel Center Church of God in Christ, Bishop Marcus R. Ways, Sr. has been walking with Christ for fifty plus years and has thirty plus years in the ministry. He is an anointed gospel preacher and masterful bible teacher. Bishop Ways’ vision for Christian Gospel Center is to “reach the lost for Christ”; to make an investment in the lives of people; to encourage God’s people to reflect outwardly the internal working of the Spirit and Logos (Word of God); and to impact the community for Christ.
In addition to his pastoral duties, Pastor Ways has served in the church on the local, state, and national level for most of his saved life. He has served as District Youth Department President, Chairman of the Workshop and Seminar Session for the Annual State Youth Convention, and Youth Department President for six years in the Michigan Southwest First Jurisdiction. He has served as the International Finance Chairman & Executive Board Member for both
both the Music & Youth Conventions of the Church of God in Christ. Currently, he serves as the Jurisdictional Bishop of the Michigan Southwest First Jurisdiction of the Church of God In Christ where he leads and provides spiritual oversight for over 50 churches.
At the community level, Bishop Ways is well known and respected by his peers as a role model, bridge builder and resourceful liaison to many city, county, and state politicians. As a community leader he participated in the first memorial service held in honor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Royal Oak Township. He served on several executive boards, including the Macomb County Branch of the NAACP and the Michigan Spartans AAU Boys and Girls Basketball Club. At the request of President Barack Obama, he was invited to the White House as a panelist to discuss education and policy reforms. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan commissioned Bishop Ways to lead his Bridge Builders Transition team and to serve as the Director of Faith Based Programs for the city of Detroit. His international reach extends to South America, specifically to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he taught classes on church administration to Pastors and Elders; he also preached in their A.I.M. Convention. In 2019, Bishop Ways was a part of Compassion International's mission trip to Africa.
Bishop Ways has always been involved in building lives and enhancing communities by being the establishmentarian of Christian Gospel Center Community Development Corporation (a 501-c-3 organization), Scholarship Fund, and Ministry Partner with Genesis House II Women’s Shelter, Transition of Prisoners, and a Wayne County Sherriff Chaplain. In 2011, Bishop Ways was honored by the Michigan Chronicle at the 2011 Inaugural Michigan Chronicle Salute to Pastors.
As a former Senior Manager at DaimlerChrysler Corp. (now Fiat Chrysler), Bishop Ways was the corporate representative to many national professional organizations such as the NAACP, Urban League, Congressional Black Caucus, Black MBA and the Leadership Education and Development Program (LEAD – Project for High School Students).
Bishop Ways holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Information Systems and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Ashland Theological Seminary. He is also a candidate for an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from St. Thomas Christian College.
Bishop Ways has been happily married to Attorney Patricia A. Ways (JD, BSN, BA Psychology) since July, 1981. They are the devoted and proud parents of three accomplished adult children, Faithe, Marcus, Jr., and Maurice Ways, and proud grandparents of one adorable grandson, Marcus Greyson Ways.