Bishop Alexander is a first-generation college graduate whose life and leadership have been shaped by a deep commitment to faith, service, and helping others discover their God-given purpose.

Bishop's commitment to leadership and service was evident throughout his educational journey.

After graduating from Itawamba Agricultural High School, he attended Itawamba Community College, where he was elected Student Body President, representing the student body and developing a passion for servant leadership.

He later transferred to the University of North Alabama, where he was again elected Student Body President, becoming one of the few individuals to serve as student body president at both the community college and university levels.

Bishop earned a Bachelor of Science in History with a minor in Political Science from the University of North Alabama before completing a Master of Criminal Justice degree. He plans to continue his academic journey by pursuing a doctorate with a concentration in Administration and Leadership.

Professionally, Bishop has served in higher education for the past 12 years, dedicating his career to student success, alumni engagement, leadership development, and building meaningful relationships that strengthen educational communities. Before his career in higher education, he served as a Congressional aide in the United States House of Representatives.

Ministry has been the defining calling of Bishop's life. For the past 28 years, he has faithfully served in ministry as a pastor, preacher, mentor, and public speaker. His passion is proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, equipping believers to grow in their faith, and inspiring leaders to serve with integrity, humility, compassion, and biblical conviction.

Whether preaching from the pulpit, mentoring emerging leaders, or speaking at conferences and community events, Bishop seeks to encourage others to live lives that honor God and impact their communities.

Bishop is actively involved in civic and community leadership. He is a graduate of Leadership Shoals Class 32 and Leadership Alabama's Alabama Leadership Initiative (ALI) Class V.

He is a past president of the Greater Shoals Area Rotary Club and serves on numerous nonprofit, educational, and community advisory boards, believing that faith should inspire meaningful service both inside and outside the church.

When he is not serving through ministry or his work in higher education, Bishop enjoys traveling, investing in relationships with family and friends, and encouraging others through teaching, speaking, and leadership development.

He resides in Alabama, where he remains committed to serving God, his church, and community.

www.linkedin.com/in/bishopalexander

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Welcome to 12 Minute Convos with Jesus Believers.

God chose first to have a conversation with us, His creation.

Our prayer is that this listening space brings growth and transforms your life forever.

Praise God for you, Bishop Alexander.

It's a great pleasure to connect with you.

What part of the world are you in today?

Well, I reside in America.

I live in Alabama.

Are you originally from Alabama?

No, I'm originally from Mississippi.

I was born in a small town.

But yet, I tell people I had big dreams.

And what got me to Alabama was college.

I was going to college, a junior college in Mississippi, and then I transferred to a university in Alabama, the University of North Alabama, which is located in Florence.

And at that time, I was involved in ministry throughout the world.

I served in ministry under Karen Wheaton.

She's a gospel recording artist and preacher, teacher.

I mean, does it all.

And she has a ministry right now in Hamilton, Alabama called The Ramp.

And from 2001 to 2007, I had the opportunity to serve on her ministry on a team called Chosen, which was made up of young people from all walks of life.

But I will say this, through that, through her ministry, I was able to go places and see places that I never had been, but also to see how God can move in all parts of the world.

And I still consider her my spiritual mother.

And just learning a lot.

I tell people, that's why, you know, in ministry, like I give all the credit back to God using her to select me to be on the team.

Because, I mean, at the time, I tell people she didn't know who I was, but she was just led by the Holy Ghost to select me when I submitted my application to be on Chosen.

But I will say those years were just a lot of great years of just learning, learning, learning of just who God is and what God can do and how he can use anybody.

Take our test and make it out of a testimony.

Take our mess and make it out of a message.

And it's just been amazing, you know, just how through her ministry I was able to learn how to do what I'm doing today.

How did you meet Jesus?

I met him when I was young.

I tell people my testimonies, I mean, I never really got into anything bad.

I was just, I went to church like, you know, like most.

Grew up in a great family.

My mother, who's, she's, this will be 10 years that she's went on to be with the Lord.

She was an evangelist.

But before then, we were part of a denomination that was pretty much just, you know, you went to church on Sunday and Wednesday and that was it.

But then I remember getting introduced to non-denominational through her and got saved.

I tell people I got baptized, but it was a learning experience.

But it also taught me like even being on Chosen under Karen Wheaton, you know, we went into many, there were many times we went into many churches that were, most people would consider religious.

But it was just a way of just, because even whether it was a small church or a big church or a mega church, as I would say, there was a lot of people that were just sitting on the pew, sitting on their gifts.

And Ms. Karen would always challenge them to open yourself up to God, see what he can do.

And that was pretty much what I learned in my years of still serving in ministry.

Is embracing the Holy Spirit and just saying, okay, Lord, here I am.

How do you want to use me?

You know, I even, and that's something I was kind of striving to do every day, whether I'm at work or whether I'm at church serving or whether I'm out volunteering is, you know, everything that I do, making sure that it gives glory to God.

You talked about before we got recording, mopping the floors and just being elated by making it the best mopped floors ever.

Where did that work ethic come from?

Pretty much from watching my parents.

My father worked construction and my mother, she worked for the Department of Human Resources.

But I mean, even in my family, my uncles, they have a successful logging business.

I mean, and they still to this day, they get up at 5am in the morning and they don't get back at 10pm at night.

And I mean, hard work.

And so a lot of, pretty much my family, I watch.

They're all hard workers.

Many of them are entrepreneurs.

And it's just, it's this work ethic that we've kind of just not only be stealing ourselves, but we've now passed down to our nieces, nephews, and children.

But I tell people that I'm a hard worker, but I've learned, you know, because I don't like to sit around.

I'm one of those, I want to get up and go.

And so, but yeah, just even with just a simple thing as mopping the church, I was so excited.

And still to this day, I tell people, like even in the ministry I serve under, you never can get to the point to where you think you're so important that you can't, you know, serve in the parking ministry or serve on the usher team or serve on the media team.

As a leader, always be available to help and serve wherever you can, because that really teaches people, it shows them how to, you know, follow your guidance as their leader.

When you're willing to say, I'm gonna roll up my sleeves, like, what can I do to help?

When did you fall in love with education?

Oh, I would say during my years of serving in college, just as a leader, as a student leader, that really, because the ministry that I was involved with catered to young people, college students.

And so I found myself now serving in higher education.

And, but through that, I mentor student leaders and kind of just, and I kind of let it organically happen, but every opportunity that I get, I use what I've learned to help a student along the way.

Because as a first gen, I know what it was like when you're kind of on your own, but I'm so thankful how I'm able to, like, lead also, not only from the platform, but also in education and help students from all walks of life know that they have a plan, that God has a plan and a purpose for their life.

And if they can do anything, they can do anything they set their minds to.

Was that very much a counterculture move of you going the route of education versus the construction and the logging business that your family would have been set into?

Yes, yes.

Because many times, you know, you just, when you're on the path of life, on the journey of life, as I would call it, you never know.

And it's all about saying, okay, Lord, because a lot of times our plans are not His plans.

But I, and even still today, I still pray, Lord, God, order my footsteps.

You know, what is my, what is my assignment?

And I want to make sure that whatever assignment you give me, I do it well.

And so, you know, I've learned that God, He can move in the marketplace just as well as He can move in the church.

How important is that to you, the marketplace and seeing God show up there?

It's very important because a lot of times, you know, there's reasons why people, a lot of people are not in church.

But it's amazing how God can bring the church to them.

And I've seen that continually happen of just how He can move because there's a lot of people out there, especially in these uncertain times that are looking for answers.

And what's been amazing is how the Lord can work in mysterious ways.

He can show up at the store.

He can show up at their job.

He can show up at an event outside the church.

But it also encourages us, anybody that's involved in church, don't just keep what God is, you know, don't just keep what you're learning in the four walls of the church.

Take it beyond the walls and just, and allow God to use you in the marketplace because we never know.

There's so many people that are ready to throw the towel in, but the minute they meet, you know, meet that person, you know, just, it's just a divine appointment.

It just encourages them to know that God will meet you right where you are.

Where you are in terms of the college that you serve, is it a welcoming concept, the Jesus believer, Bishop Alexander that shows up?

Yes, yes.

And it's just, it's the thing about embracing because, well, what I'm grateful for is just the opportunity to encourage people, especially college students, because, I mean, they're living in a world where there's so much is changing around them, but it's just amazing to let them know that they're not by themselves.

And so I've seen that not only happen on the campus I serve, but also in college campuses everywhere.

And so I would encourage anyone, you know, just go in with an open heart and say, okay, Lord, if you're a professor or if you're a staff member, or if you're, you know, just if you're in some way, form or capacity, and you have a connection with that, or if you're a graduate, you know, allow the Lord to use your talents and skills to give back to your alma mater.

Five years from today listening to this conversation, you would have heard the eloquence, the development of yourself.

Nevertheless, what's a message you'd leave for future you listening?

I would encourage anyone listening to this podcast to know that God has a plan and purpose for your life.

Don't doubt yourself and take Him, you know, continually seek His face, you know, in prayer, continually seek His face in word.

And if you're in, and for those of you that are in churches, you know, really get involved, you know, don't just be somebody who sits on the pew, you know, get up, ask your leadership, you know, what can I do to serve?

How can I help lift the load off you?

Because through that, you will continually to grow, not only in your church, but also in God.

And that's just something that I continually do is I continually seek His face, seek His word.

And I'm always looking for opportunities to continually to grow.

So that's something I always encourage leaders as a leader is never stop learning, always be open to keep your ear to the ground, you know, just listening to the Holy Spirit.

And, you know, as long as you continually do that, because He's going to take you places that even you're going to look back thinking, how did I get here?

A lot of it's going to be God got you there.

But while you're there, do everything you can to be used in the utmost for His glory.

It's been an honor to have this conversation.

In closing, is there anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you.

Thank you for this opportunity to just to participate in the podcast.

And thank you for all that you do continually.

And I'm continually praying for you and just inspired by what you're doing.

And thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

You're welcome.

Bishop Alexander, a pleasure, a treasure.

Thank you for being on What is Inspired by 12 Minute Converse.