Bishop Frank J. Beard was elected as a Bishop in the North Central Jurisdiction on July 13, 2016. Prior to his election he served as an ordained Elder in the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church. The newly elected Bishop has been assigned to The Illinois Great Rivers Conference effective September 1, 2016.
Bishop Beard has a wealth of experiences in a variety of ministry setting across the United Methodist Church. He has served as a local church pastor, a District Superintendent, and as Senior Pastor of a large congregation.
Bishop Beard is a gifted preacher and teacher. He has a passion for Jesus Christ that is contagious. His primary focus is encouraging churches to be “on fire for Jesus.” His life quote is, “I want to be so full of Jesus that when a mosquito bites me it will fly away humming ‘there is power in the blood’!”
The Reverend Doctor Frank J. Beard received the following formal education:
B.A. Degree from Taylor University, Upland, IN – 1979
M.Div. Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY – 1982
S.T.M. Degree from Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN – 1986
D.Min. Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY – 1997
Bishop Beard is married to wife Melissa, has two adult daughters: Eleanor & Emily, and three grandchildren: Maya, Elijah, and Stanton. The Bishop is an avid fisherman and loves to tell stories about his fishing adventures. When asked if he is going fishing he is quick to reply, “No, I’m going catching, anybody can fish!”
Bishop Beard may be reached by email at: bishop@igrc.org He also writes a monthly article for the Illinois Great Rivers Conference website and regularly posts sermons and reflections.