Bishop Andrew James Ford, II, a Prophet and non-traditional trailblazer; a Man of God with the heart of a shepherd and an insatiable appetite for ministry. Bishop Ford is the eldest child of the late Bishop Andrew J. Ford Sr. and Mother Elrita Ford. He matriculated through the Philadelphia Public School system and earned his B.S. from Temple University. Bishop Ford works untiringly as the Senior Pastor of Ford Memorial Temple and the Establishmentarian and Presiding Prelate of Next Generation Fellowship Ministries Inc. He is the proud father of three gifted and beautiful children, Andrew James III, Syreeta Andrea and Shanelle Annette and the grandfather of the joy of his life, Britany Andrea.
Bishop Ford served in multiple capacities in the house of the Lord, from musician to choir director; from Minister of Music to Church Administrator. He worked diligently to make the music department stellar for its role in ministry. To avoid the call to preach the gospel, he put all his energies into his professional work and raising his children. In 1981, he founded Sweet Rain Record Company, where he discovered and produced some of America’s greatest recording artists. Some notables include: Pastor Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir, Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir featuring Rev. Daryl Coley, Institutional Radio Choir and Southeast Inspirational Choir introducing Yolanda Adams. After a lot of hard work and struggles, Sweet Rain became one of the country’s premier independent recording gospel labels.
In 1989, the sudden illness of his beloved mother shifted him into the ordained destiny of his life. In seeking God for Mother Ford’s recovery and moving back home to care for her, he heard the call again to preach the word. After her transition February 13, 1991, he finally accepted and acknowledged his call to ministry. Several years thereafter, Minister Ford served under the tutelage of his father, not knowing that very soon the mantle would be passed down to him.
On February 13, 1993, the second anniversary of the passing of his mother, God called from labor to reward his beloved father and pastor, Bishop Andrew J. Ford Sr. During one of the most difficult, confusing and lonely times of his life, Minister Ford sought the Lord for extraordinary strength to endure. He laid before the Lord for guidance and rose triumphant and focused to continue the vision of his father. On Saturday, September 18th 1993, by unanimous decision, Minister Ford was ordained Elder and installed as Pastor of the church. In honor of the dynamic vision of his parents he renamed the church: Ford Memorial Temple, Inc.
Under the watchful instruction and direction of The Apostle Robert Evans, in the year of our Lord 2000, and after several years of study, examination, catechism and Pilgrimage to Rome with The Joint College of Pentecostal Bishops. Bishop J. Delano Ellis II, Bishop Carl H. Montgomery II, Bishop Huie L. Rogers and a renowned College of Bishops, consecrated Pastor Ford to the office of the Bishopric and as Primus Episcopus of the Next Generation Fellowship Ministries, Inc., a covenant fellowship of Churches with a mandate to “Bridge the Gap” between this next generation and our predecessors and to prepare leaders and ministries for their call and destiny.
He ministers from a holistic perspective with precise execution, realizing the severity of meeting every need of God’s people - spiritually and naturally. He has remained steadfast, unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord. Bishop Andrew James Ford, II with an insurmountable “Audacity to Survive” is a visionary with a clear insight for this new millennium church.
"BRIDGING THE GAP"
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