Jekiel Bishop

Jekiel Bishop

Name	Jekiel Bishop
Birth Place	East Meadow, New York
Other Names	Jay Bishop, Kiel
Occupation	Leadership coach, author, pastor, podcast host
Years Active	2010s–present
Known For	Founder of Shepherd’s Way Leadership; author of The Leadership Workbook
Citizenship	United States
Alma Mater	Southern New Hampshire University (Organizational Leadership)
Mother	Vivian Bishop
Father	Ivory Bishop
Family	Bishop & Brock

Jekiel Bishop (often credited as Jay Bishop) is an American leadership coach, author, pastor, and U.S. Army veteran. He is the founder of Shepherd’s Way Leadership, a faith-centered coaching and training organization focused on servant leadership and character-based management. Bishop has published a practical guide titled The Leadership Workbook: A Leader’s Guide to Development and Discovery and creates online content about leadership and faith. He co-hosts the podcast Black, White, and the Red Letters, which explores Christian discipleship and culture from a pastoral viewpoint.

Early life and education

Public information about Bishop’s early life is limited. He is frequently referenced as “Jay,” a shortened form of his given name. Bishop studied organizational leadership at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). His name appears in the university’s Spring 2025 Commencement program under the online business programs roster as “Jekiel A. Bishop.”

A speaking profile lists additional study in kinesiology at Lionel University and indicates that Bishop has been active as a coach and leadership trainer in the private sector; these details are primarily sourced to event and speaker directories.

Military career

Bishop served in the United States Army infantry (MOS 11C, indirect fire infantryman). A Department of the Army Headquarters by-name selection list published by Military Times shows “BISHOP JEKIEL AHMED SGT 11C” among soldiers selected for promotion to Staff Sergeant effective November 1, 2015.

According to his organizational biography, Bishop later served in senior non-commissioned officer roles and credits his military experience with shaping his approach to developing teams under pressure and uncertainty. His public content often references leadership lessons learned during deployments and training environments.

Shepherd’s Way Leadership

Bishop founded Shepherd’s Way Leadership as a faith-driven leadership development practice that integrates biblical principles—particularly servant leadership—with practical coaching for organizations, churches, and public-sector teams. The firm offers executive coaching, workshops, and speaking engagements on topics such as organizational culture, accountability, and the formation of values-aligned leaders.

In public descriptions, Shepherd’s Way Leadership emphasizes “leadership grounded in faith, family, and community,” aligning pastoral care metaphors with managerial practice. Bishop maintains a blog on the site where he writes short reflections on transparency, compassion, community, and the day-to-day habits of a servant-leader.

Writing

Bishop is the author of The Leadership Workbook: A Leader’s Guide to Development and Discovery, a practical workbook designed for self-guided growth or team workshops. The book positions leadership development as an iterative discipline that blends self-assessment, values identification, and accountability practices. Retail pages and bibliographic listings credit Bishop as the author and describe the volume as a tool for aspiring and current leaders seeking structured exercises.

Bishop also publishes short essays on the Shepherd’s Way Leadership blog, covering topics such as transparency and wisdom in leadership, kindness as a public witness of faith, and bridging social gaps through community-first service.

Speaking and coaching

Through conference appearances, church seminars, and organizational trainings, Bishop presents on servant leadership, “employee buy-in,” mentoring emerging leaders, and building psychologically safe teams. Directory listings note that he is available for engagements in North America and Europe and that his background includes roles as an infantry NCO and company-level first sergeant.

Bishop’s approach centers on three themes frequently cited in his talks and short-form videos: (1) humility and accountability in leaders; (2) practical systems for coaching (e.g., “Check, Inspect, Correct”); and (3) the integration of faith-anchored ethics with professional effectiveness.

Media and online presence

Bishop actively uses social platforms—particularly TikTok—to share short lessons on leadership, influence, and discipleship, often drawing on biblical narratives and military experience. His material has been reposted by other leadership-oriented accounts and faith-based organizations, extending its reach beyond his own channels.

He co-hosts the Christian podcast Black, White, and the Red Letters, described by its platform listing as a frank conversation between two pastors on culture and discipleship; the contributor page presents Bishop as a 14-year Army infantry veteran, pastor, coach, and founder of Shepherd’s Way Leadership.

Ministry

Bishop publicly identifies as a pastor and is associated with church teaching and lay leadership activities in the southeastern United States. Event notices show him leading Bible studies and men’s ministry sessions in local congregations. His ministry work informs the tone and content of Shepherd’s Way Leadership, which frames leadership as a vocation of service modeled on the life of Jesus.

Themes and approach

Across his writing, talks, and media, Bishop’s themes center on:

Servant leadership — modeling humility, courage, and care for people before tasks;

Formation and accountability — building leaders through habits, candid feedback, and aligned values;

Faith-integrated practice — treating leadership as character in action, not merely positional authority.

These emphases are consistent with the “shepherd” metaphor used throughout his brand and ministry communications, echoing a pastoral approach to organizational and team leadership.

Selected works

The Leadership Workbook: A Leader’s Guide to Development and Discovery (self-published workbook).

Selected speaking and media

Podcast co-host: Black, White, and the Red Letters (2024–present).

Short-form video series on leadership and faith (TikTok, 2022–present).

Personal life

Platform biographies and social pages describe Bishop as a husband and father; his podcast contributor listing states that he has been married since 2010 and is a grandfather. Additional details about his private life are not widely published.

Recognition and reception

Because Bishop’s work largely occurs through direct coaching, church engagement, and social media content, reception is documented mostly through platform engagement and event listings rather than mainstream press coverage. His materials are frequently shared within church leadership and small-business communities for their straightforward checklists and emphasis on character-first leadership.

See also

Servant leadership

Christianity and leadership

Organizational leadership

External links

Jekiel Bishop on TikTok

SpeakerHub profile

Black, White, and the Red Letters – podcast page

The Leadership Workbook – retailer listing