B I O G R A P H I C A L    S K E T C H
BISHOP DESIGNATE ERIC A. LAMBERT, II

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bishop Designate Eric A. Lambert, II, is the son of the late Eric A. Lambert, Sr. and Mozelle Lambert (brother of Garry, Sr. and Jackie). Following in his father’s footsteps, he attended Murrell Dobbins Vocational High School. He became a Carpenter and served this trade with distinction for many years.

Prior to his present responsibility as the Founding Pastor of Bethel Deliverance International Church, Inc., he served the body of Christ with fervor and diligence, working in a variety of ministries at Deliverance Evangelistic Church under the Pastorate of the late Dr. Benjamin Smith, Sr. In 1974, sensing a call to the preaching ministry Bishop Lambert enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. During his tenure, he discovered that he could not run away from the great call on his life. After serving the Marine Corps with distinction, he returned to Philadelphia and was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in 1980. Since that time he has dedicated himself to winning the lost to Christ through his cutting-edge delivery and pragmatic approach to the Word of God.

From the beginning of his walk with the Lord, Bishop Lambert has committed himself to the study of God’s Word. His academic achievements are diverse and continuing. He is a graduate of the Deliverance Evangelistic Bible Institute with General Theology and Evangelical Training and Teaching. He completed studies at the Back to the Bible Institute where he concentrated his studies in Bible Doctrine. He is a graduate of the Liberty University Bible Institute graduating with a Diploma in Biblical Studies. Bishop Lambert also attended the Center for Urban Theological Studies where he studied for the work of ministry. He is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. In 2007, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree from Saint Thomas Christian College, Jacksonville, Florida. He is a lover of foreign language and speaks fluent Italian and is also mastering Russian. Bishop Lambert currently attends Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia where he is pursuing a Doctorate in Psychology.

Consistent with his commitment to the study of God’s Word and Christian Education, Bishop Lambert is the founder of the Bethel Bible Institute which currently has three campuses with locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is a seasoned sought after Bible teacher, known for his humorous no-nonsense approach to the study of Christian Apologetics.

In 1987, Bishop Lambert was released with his Pastor’s permission and blessing to establish the Bethel Deliverance Church. He was instructed of the Lord to, “find a building and plant a church.” Bethel began with seven committed believers adopting the motto, “A Church Family that Cares.” Since that time, Bethel has moved rapidly to influence the Kingdom through Evangelism, strengthening believers in the disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and Holy living. The church now has more than 35 ministries to meet the needs of the mind, body, and soul. Located in the town of Wyncote, near the Mt. Airy section of the city of Philadelphia, Bethel impacts the community through countless outreach programs and community-empowering programs orchestrated by Bishop Lambert.

He serves as the Founder and CEO of The Lights of the World, Inc., a community development corporation working to meet the holistic needs of underprivileged urban communities. Because of his love for children and commitment to the next generation, Bishop Lambert established the Summer Lights Day Camp Program, “The Little Lights of the World Day Care,” and the Bethel Christian Academy.
Following the Lord’s direction, in 2003, Bishop Lambert officially changed the name of the church to Bethel Deliverance International Church, Inc., to reflect its national and international ministries. He also began an aggressive church planting ministry that has resulted in the expansion of Bethel through the planting of three churches with plans for four new locations in the near future.

Fulfilling his apostolic call and utilizing his ministerial gifts for planting and organizing, Bishop Lambert co-founded the Partners in Harvest Fellowship of Pastors in 2001. He is the Founder and President of The Bethel Deliverance International Fellowship of Churches, Inc. (”BDIFC”). Under his visionary leadership, the BDIFC has grown to more than 25 churches focusing on the achievement of Apostolic Unity; the mentoring and development of Pastors, Evangelists and Ministers; the training of ministerial and support staff; Christian Education; and Job partnership programs.

A man of vision, recognizing that media communication is a key thread to the expansion of the Kingdom’s sphere of influence, Bishop Lambert skillfully uses the media outlets of radio and television to promulgate the Good News of Jesus Christ. In 2002, Bishop Lambert founded the “Climbing Higher” media ministry. This outreach media ministry includes radio, television, and the quarterly “Beyond” Magazine. He was a trailblazer in creating the template for today’s “Call-In” Christian Radio Talk-Show. He served as co-host of the radio show “The Whole Truth”, which ran for more than ten years. The “Climbing Higher” broadcast is currently seen in several countries worldwide and has resulted in many being saved and set free.

A noted author and prolific writer, Bishop Lambert is the author of three books: “The Reality of the Christian Living,” “The Ingredients of Prayer,” and “The Kneeling Mind.” His fourth book, “The Christian and the Culture” is scheduled for release in 2011. Bishop Lambert is revered, locally and nationally as a dynamic man of leadership and integrity. He is a much sought after speaker known as a “Preachers'-Preacher,” his captivating and powerful messages are masterfully captured in a number of audio and video series which include: “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King,” “Throw A Tree In It,” and "You Have Been Here Long Enough."

Bishop Lambert is the recipient of numerous awards, commendations, and accolades in recognition of his life changing ministry. Most recently he received the prestigious “Measure of a Man Award” from the Philadelphia Council of Clergy, Inc. with citations from the Senate of Pennsylvania, the City Council of Philadelphia, the Mayor of Philadelphia, the State of Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Governor Edward G. Rendell, and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives. He has also been selected to receive the NAACP 10th Annual Freedom Fund Award for Religious Community Service for 2010.

Bishop Lambert and his wife Sheila have been married for more than 34 years and are the proud parents of Shaneena and the godparents of Darius.  The couple has also served as surrogate parents for many others in the church community.

After more than 23 years in the pastorate, Bishop Lambert continues to serve with vigor and tenacity. He brings to Bethel and the body of Christ a genuine concern for and commitment to the spiritual growth and development of the people of God. It is Bishop Lambert’s desire that the church be a place where people come to the Lord, learn to apply the Word of God to their daily lives in a practical manner, and develop a personal relationship with the Lord for themselves.