Our Pastor: Elder Lionel T. Rush

Elder Rush ministering to youth at Cityhill's Hip Hop Haven in Indianapolis' Haughville neighborhood.

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 in Indianapolis  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– Martin University  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 in South Bend, IN  Served as first Assistant Dean  Adjunct Prof. Martin University Religious Studies Dept.  Served as Professor at Rehoboth Bible College –OT and Eschatology  Served as Professor at Simmons Bible College  Ran for Candidate for IPS School Board-at-Large in 2000; came in second out   of field of ten, IPS is Indiana'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  Convener State of Black Indianapolis  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 from Indianapolis, Carmel, and Lawrence,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 Ministerial Alliance of Indianapolis, Member  Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Indianapolis, Past President  Past Board member Church Federation  Chaired By Laws Committee for 1st Jurisdiction COGIC, Indiana  Founding Chairman for United Auxiliary State Conference 1st Jurisdiction, Indiana  Founding President of Indianapolis Metropolitan Ministerial Alliance  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 – Memphis Tenn. Under Bishop Levi Willis and Bishop Frank Ellis  District Superintendent of Third Jurisdiction Indianapolis  Special Missionary to Bishop for Educational Concerns  Founding Chairman of AIM for 3rd Jurisdictional of State of Indiana COGIC  Served as Indiana Host 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 of America Certificate of Appreciate  City of Indianapolis Outstanding Demonstration of Community Involvement  Outstanding Support of Leadership for Amalgamated Transit Union for Public Mass Transit  Building for the Future Award – Martin University Certificate of Outstanding Involvement  Outstanding Churchman Interdenominational Ministers Alliance INDY   Outstanding Leadership Award IMMA COGIC  
AuthorshipA comparative analysis of the theology and ethic of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., using the methodology of Paul J. Achtemeier and James H. Cone. (Unpublished)The Jewish sources of the Sermon On The Mount; The environment and exegesis of St. Matthew 5-7 (Compare Luke 6:20-49) and the religious, theological and ethical implications (Unpublished)“The Ark” creating a model of ministry for the preservation and enhancement of the African-American male. (Unpublished)

5740 Thunderbird Road

Indianapolis, IN 46236

  click for map HERE