Bishop J. Darrell Robinson is an accomplished leader in the Philadelphia community, with over 30 years of ministerial experience, 24 of which have been in a pastoral capacity. During his tenure as pastor of the Philadelphia Revival Temple Church, he founded The Ruwach United Fellowship. The organization is comprised of several churches in and outside of the US with the express purpose of strengthening independent churches and supporting pastors around the world. This humble organization, which began with churches in Philadelphia and Harrisburg, PA, is now a national and international organization with churches in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Florida, Rhode Island, South Africa, and Ghana. In 1998, then-Pastor Robinson was inspired to establish Yesha Ministries Worship Center, a holistic faith institution that has a prison ministry, food bank, youth ministry, and other community-related services. Subsequently, in 1999, Pastor Robinson was consecrated to the office of Bishop. Bishop Robinson believes that this office is merely a position of servitude.
Bishop Robinson earned his Bachelor of Theology Degree from The National Theological Seminary and College in Baltimore, Maryland, and he received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from The Springfield Christian College/Logos Graduate School in 2000. Additionally, Bishop Robinson serves on the Steering Committee of the Philadelphia Interdenominational Council of Pastors, and he has worked with many denominational organizations such as the Southern Baptist Convention, Southeast Pennsylvania Chapter, United Methodist, African Methodist Episcopal (AME), Church Of God In Christ (COGIC), and Church of God among others.
Bishop Robinson’s desire to see churches grow and change lives has inspired him to develop leadership training curriculums and facilitate workshops and seminars on the following topics: church order, auxiliary/ministry establishment, ordination ceremonies, church planting, and music and youth discipleship. In 2001, his commitment to changing lives led Bishop Robinson to work with Public Private Venture, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the effectiveness of social policies, programs, and community initiatives. One of its programs was called AMACHI, a partnership between secular and faith-based organizations to provide mentoring to children of incarcerated parents. Bishop Robinson worked as a key consultant with former Philadelphia Mayor W. Wilson Goode to recruit, train, and match mentors with children.
His other community-based projects include coordinating a partnership between the Philadelphia Ex-Offender After Care Program (P.E.A.P) and Prison Fellowship Ministries, a national prison reentry program. He was instrumental in developing the bridge between the two programs to assist and equip ex-offenders for employment, education, and recovery, and thus reduce recidivism. In addition, he was one of seven pastors to conference with President George Bush regarding the National Faith Based Initiative. Bishop Robinson also co-coordinated the Freedom from AIDS Campaign, which worked with The Balm in Gilead and other AIDS/HIV Education/Awareness programs in Philadelphia to increase AIDS/HIV testing, awareness, and prevention in Philadelphia.
In addition to his various religious accomplishments, Bishop Robinson is the Program Director of Operation 4 Peace, which is a nonprofit organization that has sponsored such events as the Charlie Mack Party 4 Peace Celebrity Weekend held annually in Philadelphia, PA. This anti-violence movement is one of several community-based programs that Bishop Robinson and Yesha Ministries work closely with, including the Philadelphia Police Department, Men United for a Better Philadelphia, and Mothers in Charge, just to name a few. In 2007, Bishop Robinson, along with entertainment mogul Charles “Charlie Mack” Alston and 215 Aphillyated, organized “A Call To Action: 10,000 Men.” This event, which received international recognition, mobilized 10,000 men to be trained as peacemakers in their communities and serve as a deterrent to crime in Philadelphia.
Currently, Bishop Robinson has developed relationships with cable television networks. His dynamic leadership style has forged a strategic partnership with Trinity Broadcasting Network, the international leader in Christian television programming, as the featured host of their Philadelphia-based television program. Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) has given Bishop the opportunity to spread God’s gospel nationally and internationally by way of their “Praise the Lord Show.” Recently, he has been scheduled to appear on The Word Network as a guest on “Rejoice in The Word with Bishop Greg Davis.” Rejoice in the Word is a live television show with a studio audience that can be seen on The Word Network every Friday at 8:30 pm.
Bishop Robinson has a beautiful wife, Elaine, and four children (James Darrell, Jr., Tiffany, Justin, and JaceDean). Bishop Robinson and his family reside in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
