Bishop Craig N. Coates
Fresh Start Church, Inc.
Bishop Coates, senior Pastor of Fresh Start Church, Inc. was
licensed as a minister in 1987 under the National
Baptist Conference. He answered the call to
Pastor in 1994 under the leadership of Bishop
Wilbert Baltimore. While Pastoring the Rapture
Church with two locations, he was ordained to
the office of Bishop in January, 2002 under
the Holy Christian Orthodox church and oversees
the Diocese of the Annapolis region. He is currently
serving as Secretary General for the International
Holy Christian Orthodox Fellowship of Brethren.
Recently Bishop Coates was reunited with Kings
Apostles World Ministries overseen by his spiritual
Father, Sr. Bishop Wilbert L. Baltimore.
He is currently pursuing his Doctorate Degree
in African American Studies and Family Therapy
at the University of Maryland. He is currently
on the Dean’s List maintaining a 4.0 GPA and
serves as a student teacher in the field of
Ethnopsychology.
His most recent projects include a business
institute geared at raising the conscious level
of African Americans aspiring to become entrepreneurs
and the establishment of My Brother’s Keeper
Barbershop and Trade School located at 135 West
Street in Historic Annapolis, MD.
Bishop Coates talents in the music arena are
extensive as he plays the keyboard, sings, and
composes. He has also been called upon to organize
and facilitate Praise and Worship workshops
within the local body and on the West Coast.
The next project for Bishop Coates will be
to publish his dissertation on African-centered
education. He is also in the process of establishing
a country-wide tour of workshops geared toward
church growth and community partnerships. A
lecturer to the Church body, he is able to present
practical insight and plans that will assist
in the growth of the Church and Community.
Bishop Coates loves the Lord and enjoys serving
God’s people. His greatest mentors have been
his Uncle, the late Apostle Richard Johnson
III and his grandfather, the late Richard Johnson,
Jr.
