Dr. Craig E. Soaries
Dr. Craig is also the Presiding Bishop-elect of the Global Empowerment Fellowship of Churches & Ministers and will be consecrated to Bishop on Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 11 am eastern in Atlanta, GA, by Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. as Chief Consecrator, as the culmination of the 1st Holy Convocation of the GEFCM commencing on Thursday, August 11, 2011.
He began his life’s work in serving people in the 1980’s with the formation of Faith and Missions International Outreach, which he created to foster missions work in many countries including Haiti and Jamaica. He then, upon receiving the call of God to move to Atlanta, GA, started the Victory House in 1992 in an old dilapidated Victorian House in Grant Park. The initial mission of Victory House was to reach “at risk”, marginalized and displaced African-American men with the hopes of helping them discover their place in mainstream society. For almost two decades, The Victory House Outreach program has served well over 100,000 men of all ethnicities through an active bus ministry, feeding and clothing program, housing and job training, and spiritual formation. Due to his determination and faithfulness, Dr. Craig’s work flourished into what is now the Global Empowerment Ministries, a multi-faceted operation serving people of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnic groups, which include the Global Empowerment Center Church, Victory House Outreach and Men’s Program, Victory CDC Properties, Inc. and several other businesses and ministries. The Global Empowerment Center reaches thousands around the world through their weekly radio and internet broadcast, its international following on social utilities such as Facebook(over 60,000 fans) and other media efforts. Dr. Craig’s multi-service and multicultural operation continues to reaching and touching lives around the country and the world, including Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean through an excellent multi-level media program. Dr. Craig is also a strong proponent of education and recognizes the need for quality training and skills acquisition. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Classical Organ/Piano) and Sociology from Ithaca College, a Master of Arts in Intercultural Computer Ethics from Old Dominion University, and a Doctor of Management from Case Western University. Although he is passionate about his educational pursuits, he has a passion for more than just obtaining knowledge for himself. He uses his knowledge to educate others and as such subsequently taught research methods to doctoral candidates at Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management. He has excelled in all of his educational pursuits and has mastered the science of Linguistic Anthropology. As an anthropologist he has conducted extensive research on human behavior, communications and how ones culture affects both and he has presented his findings at conferences nationally and globally relevant to topics including community development, business management, and Linguistic Anthropology. Dr. Craig is also a member of ARNOVA, the Academy of Management and the American Due to his unending commitment to the work of the Lord through ministry, business, and academia, Dr. Craig has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including: The Donner New Leadership Fellow by the William H. Donner Foundation (New York), The Frances Hesselbein Community Innovative Fellows (Drucker Foundation) and was named a Fellow in the Mandel Center for Nonprofit, at the Weatherhead School of Management (Case Western University, Cleveland, OH). He has been married to his lovely wife of 30 years, Lady Shirley Soaries. The Soaries have been blessed to have thousands of sons and daughters through the ministry, their outreach work, and world travels and reside in Atlanta, GA (USA). Dr. Craig has also been an Ordained Minister of the Independent Assemblies of God, International since 1984. |
Dr. Craig is a dynamic Christian business and spiritual leader who seeks to empower, educate, and train people to reach the world for Jesus Christ. He founded 
Anthropological Association