Celebrating Bishop John E. Lang Jr.
August 2019
Bishop John Edward Lang Sr. was born to the late Elder Claude Lang and Hazel Watson -Lang on December 31, 1935. He is the second oldest of six siblings: the late Nancy Samuels; Gloria Gregory, Hazel Mace, Saranettia Claudia Pitts, and the late Phyllis Adams.
He is the father of Shawnette, John Jr., La ’Rhonda, Tony, Claude, Garry, Fredalyn, Chiquita, Marcellus, La’Shunda, Brittney, and Jaila Lang and grandfather to sixteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Bishop Lang started his early education in East Chicago and sang in the school choir, then transferred to Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois. In 1956 he graduated from Roosevelt High School in East Chicago, Indiana. He pursued higher education at Indiana University and Ivy Tech College.
Bishop Lang is a charter member of the National Management Association where he served as the publisher of its monthly Newsletter. Bishop Lang is an alumnus of C.H. Mason Bible college where he obtained Certification in Homiletics.
He traveled on Evangelistic Tours with Bishop J.A. Blake Sr., San Diego, CA, Bishop Crouch, Los Angeles, CA., Bishop L.H. Ford, late Presiding Bishop of the Church Of God In Christ, who also ordained him “Elder” in 1987, and in 1991 installed him Pastor of Paradise Temple Church Of God In Christ, founded by his late uncle, Pastor James T. Watson, former Illinois State Youth’s President.
Bishop Lang stands on the shoulders of giants, who have transitioned but positively impacted his life through the impartation of godly wisdom unto him, such as his own father, the late Elder Claude Lang and others Elder Rollie Gulley, Bishop W.M. Davis, Bishop C.E. Bennett by whom he was baptized, Bishop Chester B. Cole (grandfather of Bishop H.W. Bell), Bishop Oscar Freeman, Bishop Boone, former Prelate of Central Indiana Jurisdiction, Bishop Isaiah Roberts, former Prelate of Northern Illinois jurisdiction, his late uncles, Bishops T.T. Rose and Milton L. Hall Sr., as well as Bishop William O. Blakely, his former pastor, and the late Bishop Robert R. Sanders, his lifetime friend, who appointed him District Superintendent of the C.H. Mason District in 2003.
Community Involvements:
Annual Street Fair.
Clothes, shoes, and school supplies giveaway, food pantry, and a soup kitchen for the needy and the homeless.
Mother Lucinda Scroggins Annual Prayer Breakfast.
Breast Cancer Survivors Recognition.
Vacation Bible School.
Prison Ministry.