Church of God in Christ launches Bishop J. Drew Sheard’s first audiobook

By AI, Created 4:35 PM UTC, May 19, 2026, /AGP/ – The Church of God in Christ has released Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard’s debut audiobook, available now exclusively at cogic.org. The one-hour title marks the denomination’s first audiobook produced and distributed by a sitting presiding bishop and centers on leadership, ministry, and faith.

Why it matters: - The release gives Church of God in Christ members and broader Christian audiences a new leadership resource tied to the denomination’s top office. - The audiobook is the first in COGIC history to be produced and distributed by a sitting Presiding Bishop. - The title arrives as COGIC continues to position its global leadership around biblical authority, ministry renewal, and community engagement.

What happened: - The Church of God in Christ announced the release of When Purpose Calls: A Guide For Leaders Chosen to Serve by Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard. - The audiobook is available now for download exclusively at cogic.org. - The project was recorded in Sheard’s own voice and runs about one hour. - The audiobook includes a foreword recorded by Tony and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor, producer and author Courtney B. Vance. - The release is framed as a debut audiobook from Sheard and a first for the denomination under a sitting presiding bishop.

The details: - The audiobook has seven chapters built around principles of faithful leadership. - Those principles include making choices based on understanding rather than fear, staying true to Scripture and the Spirit, focusing on Christ, supporting the next generation, returning to prayer and the altar, being honest in service, and recognizing the Church’s role as a voice in society. - Sheard’s personal testimony and decades of pastoral experience are woven into each chapter. - The recording includes stories about Sheard’s life as a pastor, father, husband and leader. - The retail price is $7.99. - Courtney B. Vance is described as a longtime friend of Sheard. - Vance is best known for portraying Johnnie Cochran in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and for his work in Lovecraft Country. - Sheard said the book is for anyone who has heard God’s call and wondered whether they are enough to answer it.

Between the lines: - The release extends Sheard’s ministry message into a new format that can travel beyond the pulpit and into personal listening. - The focus on practical leadership principles suggests the audiobook is aimed at pastors, lay leaders and professionals, not only formal church settings. - Using Vance for the foreword adds cultural reach and signals an effort to connect faith leadership with a wider audience.

What’s next: - COGIC is positioning the audiobook as an immediate download product through its official website. - The release could set a precedent for future digital leadership content from the denomination’s top leadership. - Sheard’s message may also deepen his role as a public voice for the church’s direction and priorities.

The bottom line: - COGIC has turned a major leadership message into a first-of-its-kind audiobook, blending ministry guidance, personal testimony and digital distribution in a single release.