Presiding Prelate, Bishop OC Allen III
Bishop O.C. Allen III, a religious trailblazer, human rights advocate and spiritual shepherd is the founder and Senior Pastor of the nationally known 3500+ member Vision Church of Atlanta. He is known for his oratorical gifting and prophetic and provocative ability to teach and preach. He is also founder and Presiding Prelate of the United Progressive Pentecostal Church Fellowship Inc. The UPPC is a growing fellowship that oversees more than 90 affirming covenant Pastors and leaders including Apostles and Bishops, Churches and faith-based organizations around the United States including, New York, California, Washington, the District of Columbia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Ohio and beyond. In June 2011, Bishop O.C. Allen III was consecrated Presiding Bishop of The United Progressive Pentecostal Church Fellowship (UPPC), by an interdenominational College of Bishops representing the Church of God in Christ, United Church of Christ, Pentecostal and other Progressive Christian denominations.
Bishop O.C. Allen III, has been preaching and leading ministry for over 25 years, preaching and teaching across the United States, Canada and Bermuda. In 1999, Bishop Allen also served as an International Evangelist and Missionary in Ghana, West Africa; planting Churches and training ministers in Kumasi, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi and Accra. His vast experience in urban and international ministry prepared him for ministry on the margins. Through his liberation theology, ministry, leadership and cutting-edge approach to ministry – many have moved from a life of dependency to self sufficiency. In a short number of years his unique and cutting-edge ministry has grown from 12 to thousands. In 2003, he sensed a divine call of God to create a place of refuge and empowerment for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class or background. This place would be called "The Vision Church" In the fall of 2004, Bishop Allen began developing and training leaders to initiate the birth of this spiritual refuge. Since its inception, many are calling The Vision Church “one of the South’s fastest growing Churches” and “the home of a new progressive Pentecostalism” The Vision Church of Atlanta has become a multiracial, welcoming and affirming ministry experiencing explosive growth since its inception. Heralded in a BET documentary as “Atlanta’s new alternative to sexism, homophobia and identity oppression in the Black Church", Bishop Allen and The Vision Church have been transforming Atlanta’s “Church culture” to become more relevant, cutting-edge and inclusive ministries influencing all people to live not just spiritually but authentically. Also, recently featured on the Word Network in a 2-part series, with over 80 million homes watching, Bishop Allen and The Vision Church are positively changing the way this generation views Kingdom ministry. Many Pastors and ordinary people around the world are using Bishop Allen's authentic and passionate approach to ministry as a guide to transforming their communities and Churches.
His vision has reached beyond the church into the community through several entities. He is also the Executive Director of The Vision Community Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization created to address socioeconomic and health gaps that exist in the urban community; providing GED training, weekly "Bread of Life" food distribution, clothes bank for homeless families and HIV/AIDS counseling and testing. He has launched, The Vision Counseling Center which delivers mental and emotional counseling to the community. Additionally, he has established numerous active ministries addressing women, men, youth, health and wellness.
In the fall of 2010, Bishop led The Vision Church in the purchase of a 2.9 million dollar property in the Grant Park area of Atlanta, Georgia. The new property houses the new Vision Church "Cathedral" the Vision Empowerment and Education Center, the Vision School of Performing Arts, Vision Counseling Center, Vision School of Businss and other outreach ministries and future businesses. He received his education from, Morgan State University, Morehouse College and is currently completing degrees at Harvard University, Harvard Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is married to Mr. Rashad Burgess. They live in Atlanta with their 2 dogs.