Meet the Pastor
Elder Dr., Lionel Thomas Rush B.S., M.A.R., D. Min.: was born to the late James and Geneva Rush in 1948.
- He is the 16th of 19 children, the 9th of 10 boys, who were all raised inIndianapolis
- He is a product of the IPS School system
- He attended and graduated from IPS School 56
- He graduated from IPS Arsenal Technical High School
- Bachelors Degree from Indiana University– Business Administration
- Masters of Arts Degree of Urban Ministry–MartinUniversity
- Doctorate Degree – Oral Roberts University/Ft Wayne Theological Seminary
- He served his country as a Paratrooper – US Army – 509th Airborne
- Honorably discharged in 1970
- Married to LaShelle Rene Rush, Father of four adult children, Beleta, Lynnee,
- Barbara Lynette Monica, Bethany LeVerne Bernice, and Betrina LaVera
- Elizabeth, and the “Baby,” Lionna Shellese. The oldest two daughters fights the dreaded Sickle Cell Disease
- He has been a Community Activist all of his adult life
School Board or Educational Involvement
- Past Board Member of CEDAC
- Past Board Member of the IPS Discipline Board
- Involved with numerous IPS actions as a Pastor and Community Activist
- Help Set up C. H. Mason System of Bible Colleges inSouth Bend,IN
- Served as first Assistant Dean
- Adjunct Prof.MartinUniversityReligious Studies Dept.
- Served as Professor atRehobothBibleCollege–OT and Eschatology
- Served as Professor atSimmonsBibleCollege
- Ran for Candidate forIPSSchoolBoard-at-Large in 2000; came in second out a of field of ten; IPS isIndiana’s largest School District with over 41,000 students: PLATFORM “CHILDREN FIRST”
Past and/or Present Affiliations and Involvements in the Community
- Member of NAACP
- Member of SCLC
- Member of ICLC
- Member of Concerned Clergy
- Second Vice-President Concerned Clergy
- Chairman of Legislative Committee
- ConvenerStateof BlackIndianapolis
- Community Activist
- Member of Kappa Alpha Psi
Led or Participated in numerous Public Out Cries and Protest in the years between 1987 and 2002, two such Protest were know as “Michael Taylor” and “Downtown Brawl” these two in particular were done with Longtime Friend and Associate Rev. Dr. Wayne Taft Harris before Dr. Harris’ untimely death in 2002
Served on the Mayoral Task Force of 34 persons to create Civilian Review of Public Safety: Served as Chairman of the Composition Committee. This Committee was charged with giving shape to the Civilian Review Board
Has had thousands of Television, Radio and or Media Appearance, Interviews or Host in the last ten years
Numerous speeches and presentations on a plethora of subjects
Spokesperson for Leaf RadFord Alliance Against Police brutality and abuse
Public Advisor to Governors Frank O’Bannon and Joe Kernon
Advisor of Mayors Of Both Major Parties and fromIndianapolis,Carmel, andLawrence,IN
Confidante and Advisor to a host of Legislators both State and National including, Rep Bill Crawford
Church Involvement
- Past – Pastor of True Victory COGIC
- Past – Pastor of Greater Harvest Institutional COGIC
- Presently the very proud Pastor of the Greater Anointing Fellowship COGIC
- Worked extensively in a number of Ministerial foci in the last twenty years, including: Homelessness, Gangs, Music, Nursing Homes, Education, Youth, etc.
- Interdenominational MinisterialAllianceofIndianapolis, Member
- Interdenominational MinisterialAllianceofIndianapolis, Past President
- PastBoardmemberChurchFederation
- Chaired By Laws Committee for 1st Jurisdiction COGIC,Indiana
- Founding Chairman for UnitedAuxiliaryStateConference 1st Jurisdiction,Indiana
- Founding President ofIndianapolisMetropolitan MinisterialAlliance
- In ministry for nearly four decades
- Four Times – District Superintendent – Assigned for over 24 years
- Served as one of 70 out of 10,000 Pastors and Elders for the International COGIC Executive Committee For the General Assembly –MemphisTenn.Under Bishop Levi Willis and Bishop Frank Ellis
- District Superintendent of Third JurisdictionIndianapolis
- Special Missionary to Bishop for Educational Concerns
- Founding Chairman of AIM for 3rd Jurisdictional of State ofIndianaCOGIC
- Served asIndianaHost Delegate for National COGIC Leadership Conference of COGIC in January 2002
- Served as Chairman of Jurisdiction Dinner
- Served on Committee and as Local Liaison for National AIM of COGIC in July 2002, specifically, worked on Security, Governmental, Transportation, Site and other Issue that Chairman Bishop Jerry Macklin Assigned
Awards
- Congress of National Black Churches Certificate of Community Involvement
- Insurance Institute ofAmericaCertificate of Appreciate
- City ofIndianapolisOutstanding Demonstration of Community Involvement
- Outstanding Support of Leadership for Amalgamated TransitUnionfor Public Mass Transit
- Building for the Future Award –MartinUniversityCertificate of Outstanding Involvement
- Outstanding Churchman Interdenominational MinistersAllianceINDY
- Outstanding Leadership Award IMMA COGIC
