Bishop Michael B. Golden Jr., was born in Newport News, Virginia, on September 22, 1979. He is the first-born child of Superintendent Emeritus Michael B. Golden, Sr. and Mother Deborah Green Golden. He attended the Hampton Public Schools and in May 2005 graduated from Norfolk Seminary and College with his Bachelor of Arts in Theology. Bishop-Designate Golden is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity Degree at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia.

Bishop Golden accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior at the age of 13. He served the Lord diligently at the St. Johns Church of God In Christ, under the leadership of Bishop Samuel L. Green Jr. As a young man, Bishop Golden functioned as a drummer, worked in the Drama Guild, ministered by radio with the Christian Rappers, and stepped with the Young People Parading for Christ Drill Team. As he recognized his call to ministry on May 26, 1996, his desire was to help young people.

In April of 1996, Bishop Golden continued in ministry as his father founded the Greater Emmanuel Temple Church of God In Christ in Hampton Virginia. At the young age of 16, then Minister Golden accepted responsibility of assisting his parents by whatever means necessary. His responsibility was great and in August, 1998, the young Minister Golden was ordained as an Elder of the Second Jurisdiction State of Virginia. This was an historical event as he was the youngest man to ever become an Elder in the Second Jurisdiction State of Virginia Church of God In Christ. Still a young man, he was named Assistant Pastor at Greater Emmanuel Temple COGIC in October, 2000. On July 13, 2002, God Smiled on Bishop Golden and he was united in holy matrimony to Missionary Trina Wilson; to this union were born three beautiful children: Michael Burl Golden III, Malaya Angelina Golden and Samuel Lee Green Golden.

Serving diligently in ministry, he was later appointed as Co-Pastor of Greater Emmanuel Temple COGIC in October, 2006. On December 31, 2011, he was further appointed as the Pastor of Greater Emmanuel Temple COGIC and officially installed on February 4, 2012 by his grandfather, the late Bishop Samuel L. Green, Jr. Jurisdictional Prelate of the Second Jurisdiction State of Virginia. Since his time of Pastoral appointment, the churches congregation has more than doubled in size, growing from just under one hundred to well over 600 congregants. In January 2019, Bishop Golden opened Greater Emmanuel Temple Suffolk Virginia resulting in One church in Two Locations and that ministry is growing daily!

God has consecrated Bishop Golden to serve in his local church as Business Manager, President of the YPWW and Men’s Departments. Bishop Golden was instrumental in hosting and organizing a weekly Bible Study at NASA, Langley Air force Bases along with founding the Greater Emmanuel Temple Academic Enrichment Program. On the District Level Bishop Golden has served as Financial Expeditor and Conference Coordinator. His State work continues as he serves his leaders as former YPWW President, former AIM Chairman, Assistant Jurisdictional Convention Coordinator, member of the Budget Committee and Superintendent of the Peninsula District. Nationally, Bishop Golden served as National Adjutant to the COGIC as well as Public Relations Coordinator for the International Youth Department. In November 2012, Bishop Golden was elected as a National Board of Trustee member of the Church of God In Christ and was re-elected in November 2016 for his second term. He further serves as Vice Chairman of the National AIM Convention, Chairman of the Capital Asset and Management Committee of the National Board of Trustees, and Consultant to the National General Counsel of Pastors and Elders. In 2014, Bishop Golden was the recipient of the AIM J. W. Macklin Visionary Award. In 2016, Bishop Golden served as the Chairman of the Bishop C. E. Blake Legacy Conference. Bishop Golden serves the corporate world as a Commercial Mortgage Broker, former Chief Operating Officer of FFL Richer Life Care a nonprofit organization that owned a multimillion dollar assisted living facility and is the part owner of Jabez Real Estate & Development Company. In 2017, Bishop Golden was appointed President of the International Men’s Department of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. by then Presiding Bishop Emeritus, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. and most recently re-appointed by Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard in April of 2021.

Bishop Golden has proven himself a major achiever; his accomplishments have yielded great success. He further endeavors to build up the kingdom of God and tell the world Jesus is Lord through Media and Outreach opportunities. In April 2015, Pastor Golden founded “The Emmanuel Experience” television ministry which airs weekly on Sunday Mornings at 9:00 AM and internationally on the NOW Network. In addition, he developed “GET Empowered Community Development Corporation”, a non-profit, faith-based community development corporation (CDC). It has been through these efforts many people have been touched, souls have been saved and delivered. Hundreds of families have been blessed through the efforts of food baskets and school supplies give-a-ways along with major toys give-a-away as well.

Being a mover and a shaker, Bishop Golden’s has received national and corporate recognitions such as the Coalition of Justice selected him among the “25 Most Influential Leaders” by Blessed Magazine and as “State of Virginia Citizen of the Year” for Civil Rights. He was selected to meet with President Barak H. Obama and was also named “Pastor of One of the Rising Congregations in VA” by the Vice Chairman of the DNC State of VA. Pastor Golden has recently been appointed to the Ecumenical Advisory Board for Seymour Institute of Princeton University.

A visionary indeed and a man who has a heart for the people of GOD everywhere Bishop Golden continues to push forward by faith, and seeks out other avenues to assist him in enlarging the Kingdom for GOD. On 12/28/20, Bishop Golden was appointed as Bishop Designate in the Church Of God In Christ with the be blessing of the General Board, General Assembly and the sanction of his jurisdictional prelate, Bishop Wilbert L. Daniels, Sr. Lastly, on June 23, 2021, Bishop Golden was consecrated as Bishop at our World Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee.

This is Bishop Goldens' time. He is a man of great vison and great accomplishments.