Bishop Ira Combs, Jr., D.D., is the founder of Greater Bible Way Temple and has served as the senior pastor for over 40 years. He was elevated to the office of Bishop with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., (PAW) in 2010, has served as a member of the Northern District Council for over 30 years, and currently serves as Diocesan Bishop for the 5th Episcopal District/Northern District Council – Michigan/Canada.

He is the founder and Executive Director of Christ Centered Homes, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides residential services and community housing for persons with intellectual disabilities. He is also the president and chairman of IRCO Housing Development, Inc., which offers affordable apartments and single-family homes, all in Jackson, Michigan.

Bishop Combs currently serves on various community, academic, and State boards including an appointment to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission by Governor Rick Snyder in February of 2018. He is a member of the Spring Arbor University Board of Trustees, the Adult Foster Care Licensing Advisory Council (Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs), and the Aenon Bible College Board of Directors. Bishop Combs has actively served the community at large, contributing to many professional boards and committees in the areas of health, housing, and protection of the vulnerable. He is a current member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and a member of the annual National Homeland Security Conference. Also, he previously served as a member of the State Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (two terms), member of the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board (two terms), the Board of Directors for Choices for Children founded by Betsy and Dick DeVos/Great Lakes Educational Program, and the Jackson-Hillsdale Community Mental Health Committee to Develop Fee for Service Contracts.

His degrees in theology, his role as a pastor, and his experience as an executive trained in finance present a rare combination of qualifications that enable him to lead with insight, compassion, and business savvy. Bishop Combs’ educational pursuits began at Michigan State University, where he studied business marketing from 1976-79 and was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He worked closely with academic advisor Dr. Robert L. Green (Dean and Professor Emeritus, MSU College of Urban Development and former Education Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for Dr. Martin Luther King). Bishop Combs then matriculated to Indiana Bible College, Indianapolis, Ind., where he received a Bachelor of Theology degree. He received a Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry from Aenon Bible College (Indianapolis, Indiana). He has received several honorary degrees: Honorary Doctor of Divinity and Honorary Doctorate from Aenon Bible College, Honorary Doctor of Theology and Divinity degrees from St. Thomas Christian College (Jacksonville, Florida), and Grace Bible College (Louisville, Kentucky). He also studied Finance at Oxford University in Oxford, England.

Bishop Combs has served in various national political leadership roles, including being appointed by former President George W. Bush to serve as the Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the State of Michigan, in which capacity he served for eight years (2000-2008) and hosted annual local faith-based conferences.

Bishop Ira Combs, Jr. and his wife, Kimberly, have two children and reside in Jackson, Michigan.