Bishop M. Louis Lacey, born on November 1, 1943 to the late Bishop Clara and Timothy Lacey; the eldest of two sons accepted Christ at the early age of 14 years old. Growing up in Brooklyn, NY and being cultivated by the Holy Spirit, Bishop Lacey attended the Morning Star Pentecostal Church of Mount Sinai Holy Churches of America, Inc. There he found and married, his wife, Shepherd Mother Rebecca Smiling Lacey. As they walked close to God, they were blessed with three children, Lachelle, Timothy, and Tania.
During his years at Morning Star, Bishop Lacey served as Minister of Music from 1964 to 1974. It was in the midst of his music ministry that Bishop Lacey became licensed in 1968 to not just administer the gospel through music, but through the preached Word of God.
Being led by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Lacey was relocated to Richmond, Virginia at the request of Bishop James F. Brown, Jr., to serve as Minister of Music at Jerusalem Holy Church. Additionally, Bishop Lacey shared his love, gift of music and passion for ministry with several churches throughout the Richmond area. Because of the effectiveness of his ministry through music and the preached word, Bishop Lacey was inspired to become the founding and senior pastor of the Children Of God Victory Tabernacle. As a result of his powerful teaching and exemplary leadership, COGVT has experienced growth from 22 charter members to over 200 blood-washed believers. The Tabernacle's worship experience transcended from a Holiday Inn Banquet Room to a former Restaurant-Strip Club, affectionately called the "Chicken Shack", to the former Rutledge College building in Downtown Richmond to its' current location in the Chamberlayne Farms' community located in North Richmond.
During the Fall of 2004, Bishop Lacey was awarded a full four-year scholarship to Virginia State University. In May 2008, Bishop Lacey earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology at Virginia State University, graduating Suma Cum Laude. He is currently an Academic Advisor at VSU's Academic Center for Excellence (ACE). In May 2014, the Infinity Bible Seminary honored and conferred a Doctorate of Divinity to Bishop M. Louis Lacey for his years of service and ministry to the Richmond community. After many decades of serving God's people, in September 2019, he was consecrated to the office of Bishop under the hand of Chief Apostle Olive C. Brown and Co-Consecrators Bishop Marvin G. Brown and Bishop Bernard Lambert, Jr. It was during this episcopal celebration that Bishop Lacey would pass the senior pastorate of COGVT to its second pastor in succession, Pastor Derrick L. Peterson, Sr.
Through his powerful anointing and spirit of excellence, Bishop M. Louis Lacey is not only a Shepherd to Pastors, but he is a community advocate to the homeless, inspiration to the fatherless, "Poppy" to all toddlers of COGVT and most of all "a man after God's own heart".
