Biography of Larry Elliott
Bishop Larry Elliott was born the fifth of 10 children, on May 15, 1952, in Southampton County, Virginia to Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Elliott. He was the first of the children to attend college, thereby inspiring his brothers and sisters to further their education. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Norfolk State University in 1974.
He married the late Brenda Elliott on May 7, 1977. They were blessed with 7 daughters, 8 grandsons and 9 granddaughters. Sister Brenda worked faithfully in the church as a Junior Missionary, Social Missionary, Senior Missionary, Secretary, and Treasurer. She served as a missionary for thirty-four years and was president of the Sisterhood.
As a child growing up, Bishop Elliott summarizes his life as happy, sad, angry, abused and oftentimes humiliated because of sickness, race and family life. He recalls always knowing, even as a child, that all men were created equal, but could not understand the reason why so many thought that wasn’t so. I couldn’t understand my father’s alcoholism and weekly abuse of our mother. I couldn’t understand why a child could be so abused and humiliated by their peers because of sickness and being different.
During his teenage years Bishop Elliott began to follow in the footsteps of his Father and as he grew into a young adult found himself, not only heavy into alcohol, but also drugs. After a series of mishaps, sickness and an inability to stop drinking and drugging, he found himself, as he saw it, at the end of his life. But a very miraculous, sudden, and exciting and personal event occurred in his life that changed him and has made him the person he is today. He says, the Lord Jesus healed, saved, delivered him in one week and redirected his life, filling it with love, joy and peace. He often rejoices in how good it feels to be free of hatred and resentment and being full of love for all people. Again, the change in his life inspired his family and many who knew him to also be changed.
Since being called into the ministry 38 years ago Bishop Elliott has served the Bible Way Organization as Deacon, Young People President, Evangelist, Elder, Pastor, District Elder and the National Director of Finance. He now serves as the Pastor of Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Incorporated of Meriden, Diocese Bishop for the New England Diocese Bible Way Churches, a member of the Executive Board of Bishops and National Treasurer.
Bishop Elliott also served as an Office Manager for an African American owned supermarket in New Haven, Connecticut, was Chief Fiscal Officer and temporary Director of the Greater New Haven Inner City Day Care Council, accountant and bookkeeper for Junta for Progressive Action and Fair Haven Parents’ Ministry, managed a Golden Skillet Restaurant in Virginia for 3 years and a general accountant for ABCD, Inc in Bridgeport, Ct. Tragedy caused his Executive Director to move him from his position to being Director of Energy and Weatherization Services. This, of course, placed him in the social service field. Later, he was hired at the Meriden Community Action Agency with the same position. When New Opportunities, Inc. assumed the responsibility for the Community Action Agency Bishop Elliott remained, eventually being made Director of New Opportunities of Greater Meriden. Bishop Elliott say’s, this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in his eyes.
Yes, Bishop Elliott has received many awards and has been honored on many occasions, but believes that the greatest honor one can have is knowing that God’s Love, from within, is the greatest of all and excels all diamonds because it crosses over all boundaries and brings believing repentant individuals together as one in the Body of Christ by being born again of the water and of the Spirit.
He married the late Brenda Elliott on May 7, 1977. They were blessed with 7 daughters, 8 grandsons and 9 granddaughters. Sister Brenda worked faithfully in the church as a Junior Missionary, Social Missionary, Senior Missionary, Secretary, and Treasurer. She served as a missionary for thirty-four years and was president of the Sisterhood.
As a child growing up, Bishop Elliott summarizes his life as happy, sad, angry, abused and oftentimes humiliated because of sickness, race and family life. He recalls always knowing, even as a child, that all men were created equal, but could not understand the reason why so many thought that wasn’t so. I couldn’t understand my father’s alcoholism and weekly abuse of our mother. I couldn’t understand why a child could be so abused and humiliated by their peers because of sickness and being different.
During his teenage years Bishop Elliott began to follow in the footsteps of his Father and as he grew into a young adult found himself, not only heavy into alcohol, but also drugs. After a series of mishaps, sickness and an inability to stop drinking and drugging, he found himself, as he saw it, at the end of his life. But a very miraculous, sudden, and exciting and personal event occurred in his life that changed him and has made him the person he is today. He says, the Lord Jesus healed, saved, delivered him in one week and redirected his life, filling it with love, joy and peace. He often rejoices in how good it feels to be free of hatred and resentment and being full of love for all people. Again, the change in his life inspired his family and many who knew him to also be changed.
Since being called into the ministry 38 years ago Bishop Elliott has served the Bible Way Organization as Deacon, Young People President, Evangelist, Elder, Pastor, District Elder and the National Director of Finance. He now serves as the Pastor of Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Incorporated of Meriden, Diocese Bishop for the New England Diocese Bible Way Churches, a member of the Executive Board of Bishops and National Treasurer.
Bishop Elliott also served as an Office Manager for an African American owned supermarket in New Haven, Connecticut, was Chief Fiscal Officer and temporary Director of the Greater New Haven Inner City Day Care Council, accountant and bookkeeper for Junta for Progressive Action and Fair Haven Parents’ Ministry, managed a Golden Skillet Restaurant in Virginia for 3 years and a general accountant for ABCD, Inc in Bridgeport, Ct. Tragedy caused his Executive Director to move him from his position to being Director of Energy and Weatherization Services. This, of course, placed him in the social service field. Later, he was hired at the Meriden Community Action Agency with the same position. When New Opportunities, Inc. assumed the responsibility for the Community Action Agency Bishop Elliott remained, eventually being made Director of New Opportunities of Greater Meriden. Bishop Elliott say’s, this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in his eyes.
Yes, Bishop Elliott has received many awards and has been honored on many occasions, but believes that the greatest honor one can have is knowing that God’s Love, from within, is the greatest of all and excels all diamonds because it crosses over all boundaries and brings believing repentant individuals together as one in the Body of Christ by being born again of the water and of the Spirit.