Bishop Robert A. Culp

First Church of God

Bishop James Robert Allen Culp, co-chair of the Toledo Community Coalition, was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania to Fred and Esther Culp. He is a graduate of Sharon Public Schools and received his BA from Anderson University, Anderson Indiana and his Master of Divinity from Anderson University School of Theology. While attending Anderson University, he was an All-Star basketball player and was later inducted into the Anderson University Hall of Fame. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Bishop Culp was a part of an elite group of athletes that played basketball and ministered the Word of God in South America and Southeast Asia. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Anderson University.

Bishop Culp was called to the ministry as a youth. He served as the Youth Pastor of the Cedar Avenue Church of God in Sharon, Pennsylvania, before moving to Anderson, Indiana, to attend college. While in graduate school he pastored the Williams Street Church of God in Danville, Illinois.

In 1961, he was called to be the senior pastor of First Church of God in Toledo, Ohio. Under his leadership, First Church of God has thrived and reached the community through several ministries including the First Church of God Christian School, the FACTS and FORWARD program for substance abuse, and the Four Corners Project serving youth and children. He has made a significant impact nationally as well, launching several “spiritual sons” who pastor churches from Pasadena, California, to Brooklyn, New York, and planting churches in Alabama and Mississippi.

Bishop Culp was consecrated to the office of Bishop in 2014.

Bishop Culp has served in several leadership roles in the Church of God nationally including Chairman of the General Assembly of the Church of God, Anderson Indiana, and President of the National Association of the Church of God and the National Youth Convention of the Church of God, West Middlesex, Pennsylvania.

Fondly referred to as Toledo’s Bishop, Bishop Culp has served the Toledo community in several capacities as well, including president of the Toledo Chapter of the NAACP, president of Covenant Community Development Corporation, founder and board chairman—Toledo Academy Charter School, founder and board member of Family House homeless shelter, founder of Sparrow’s Nest, operated by Cherry Street Mission Ministries, and member of the founding team of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union.

Bishop Culp currently serves as a member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Citizen Review Board, Lucas County Fatherhood Committee, and Hope for Toledo Board.

He is a founder of the Toledo Community Coalition.

He has been the recipient of numerous awards including Phi Delta Kappa Community Service Award, Pace Setter Award for Affirmative Action, and Toledo Branch NAACP Lifetime Award and Toledo Area Ministries Impact Award.

Bishop Culp enjoys being married to his wife, Maggie, for 61 wonderful years. They are the proud parents of four children and six grandchildren.