Guest Information
Bill and Shelley Isaacs
Website: www.forwardleadership.org
Twitter: @bishopbill
Book: Keep Going
Forward Leadership
2740 Airport Dr., Suite 310
Columbus, OH 43219
About Bill and Shelley Isaacs
Bill and Shelley Isaacs serve the Church of God as Administrative Bishops in Ohio. Theirs is a story of faith through times of crisis and the grace that God provides to those who trust in Him. In 2010, Shelley’s husband of 20 years, Roger, died from cancer after 7 years of suffering. In 2011, Bill’s wife of 33 years died from cancer after 22 months of treatment. Coming out of the intense emotion of caregiving, both struggled to find their way through the grief and trying to believe in the tomorrow moments still to be lived. They found each other while trying to minister to the other’s grief and ultimately met for the first time in a local Starbucks. Two years later, they came to choose a new life together–were married December 20, 2103 and now are on the pathway to healing and ministry to others. (The Isaacs welcome the chance and will be prepared to talk about their experiences with a dying spouse, grieving loss and helping others find hope)
Bishop Isaacs writes books (8 so far) and maintains a weekly blog with his sons, where they offer individual and group leadership coaching, resources and other helps. His latest book, Keep Going, builds on the story of Joshua who was called in challenging times (after Moses) to lead a huge movement of people to embrace the promises of God.
The six years of Bishop Isaacs’ leadership in Ohio has been marked by the merger of former Northern and Southern Ohio. The state has transitioned $1.5 million in property assets, moved the denominational offices to Columbus from (Cincinnati and Akron) and developed a strategy building on the concepts of community, teamwork and unity. His leadership is marked by creativity and forward innovative thinking. He speaks around the world in leadership forums, missions endeavors and other ministry interests.
He has extensive inexperience in Honduras and Brazil where he is leading Ohio to plant 100 churches this year. Prior to coming to Ohio, he led the Church of God in Louisiana during the time of Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding and restoring 30 of the 54 churches there. A NOMACC center in the lower 9th Ward became a centerpiece of the work of the people of faith to help local residents rebuild their lives. Teams of workers were housed, fed and equipped there. The story in Louisiana was a story of unity in stormy seasons.