Bishop Raymond E. Watts is a pastor, preacher, Bible teacher, lecturer, conference speaker, author and inventor holding 2 technical US patents. He is the Pastor of New Direction Church of God in Christ, Upland CA, electrical and electronic engineer, a real estate professional, investment consultant and accomplished businessman.
 

Bishop Watts has served New Direction COGIC as Senior Pastor for 42 years, being assigned by the late Bishop J.A. Blake in the summer of 1980. Under his leadership the church, then located at 177 W. Monterey Street, Pomona CA, acquired 6 properties and the membership grew to approximately 1800 members. The church sold those properties and purchased a large property at 1100 E Holt Ave Pomona where under the leadership of Bishop Watts built a beautiful 26,000 square foot church and served Pomona CA as one of the
leading churches in the city.
 

After the great recession of 2008 to 2012, the church moved to the City of Rancho Cucamonga in 2013 and served as a light to the city for seven years. In the year 2020, Bishop Watts, being a Real Estate professional, saw the opportunity to lead the church in the purchase of the historical downtown Grove Theater of Upland California. The building was acquired and renovated into a beautiful church facility that lends itself to the modern ministry of dynamic praise and worship, drama, live streaming, gospel music concerts, and the
production of television ministry.
 

Bishop Watts was the founder and superintendent of the Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction’s Inland Empire District, where he led and served 7 churches. During those years he was elevated to serve as an Administrative Assistant to Bishop Charles E. Blake, who appointed him to the position, Director of Southern California First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction’s Department of Conferences and Institutes.

On November 14, 2006, Bishop Watts was inducted into the College of Bishops and consecrated as the Jurisdictional Prelate of California Southern Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ where he served as the overseer of up to 42 churches for 10 years. Upon retiring from that position, he continues to serve the National Church of God in Christ as an Auxiliary Bishop, and Resident Bishop of California Southern First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.
 

Bishop Raymond Watts is a Bible scholar with a passion to teach the Lord’s people the word of God. His anointed teaching method, “through the entire Bible, book-by-book” style of teaching is carefully outlined to help spiritually hungry Christians draw close to God. He is a church organizer and mentor for many ministries and start-up churches guiding them to develop church growth and community evangelism procedures. He is the author of 3 books; Does the Plan Still Work, Back When People Prayed, and The Plot to Sabotage My Friend’s
Faith in God.
 

Bishop Watts has a B.S. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering with emphasis in bio-medical/ respiratory electronics, from California State Polytechnic University Pomona, M.A. in Business Management from the University of Redlands, M.A. in Religion and PhD in Church Administration from California Graduate School of Theology Glendale, CA., Honorary D.D. and Th.D. from Next Dimension University, Ontario, CA. He has been the loving husband of his charming wife, Dr. Anita Y. Watts for 46 years, the father of four children and the grandfather of three wonderful grandchildren.