Bishop Earnest L. Palmer
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Bishop Earnest L. Palmer is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Full Gospel Baptist Church, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Founded with forty-one (41) members in 1993, Cornerstone was his third pastorate, preceded by tenures at First Baptist Church, Northport (1981) and Eastern Star Baptist Church of Demopolis, Alabama (1970). Cornerstone Ministries, Inc. has been actively engaged in health promotions and wellness and has been a contractor for the Center for Disease Control and the State Health Department in eliminating Syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases.
As a teacher, lecturer, and consultant, he has authored several books on educational issues and applications of Christian principles, including: Vocational Education and Rurality,Manual of Spiritual Warfare and Tactics, This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Church, Questions of Faith for Maturing Saints Who Have Been Sincerely Wrong, The Chosen and the Proved, Child of God Be Still, Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling, and others. He has made presentations to thousands of audiences, including U.S. Congressional Committees, Christian Conventions and Conferences, and National television broadcasts. He holds degrees from Stillman College (B.A.), Livingston University (M.Ed.), and the University of Alabama (ED. S).
Bishop Palmer entered the workforce, after becoming a reservist with the U.S. Marines, as a production clerk with U.S. Steel Corporation in Fairfield, Alabama in 1966, followed by his employment as a Deputy Health Officer for the Jefferson County (Alabama) Public Health Department in Birmingham, Alabama.
After a college placement position at Stillman College, he served as Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of Public Schools in Greene and Perry County (Alabama) school districts, respectively. Other academic assignments included: Shelton State Community College, C.A. Fredd Technical College, and Oral Roberts University (Extension).
In 1985, Bishop Palmer began a career as a financial advisor with The Equitable Assurance Companies, Safeco Insurance, and John Hancock Life Insurance Company, managing retirement, disability, investment, and insurance portfolios for professionals. He has served as a Board Member for the Tennessee – Tombigbee Commission on the Aged in rural Wilcox County, Alabama and currently serves as an Officer and Board Member of Whatley Health Services, FOCUS on Senior Citizens in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the Tuscaloosa Ministerial Alliance, Inc. He was recently elected to the Board of Regents for Beacon University, Columbus, Georgia and is a 2000 graduated of Leadership Tuscaloosa.
Bishop Palmer’s recognitions include: Man of the Year for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Most Distinguished Alumnus Award for Stillman College; Most Intriguing Person, Tuscaloosa Magazine (2004); Agent of the Year (1988) for the Equitable Life Assurance Company and numerous other awards.
In November 1999, the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship consecrated him as State Bishop of Alabama jurisdictional diocese. In 2001, he was appointed Provost for the Fellowship’s Department of Christian Education and the Department of Training and Church Development, with responsibility for implementing programs of certifications, credentials, and higher education. In July 2006, Bishop Palmer was appointed CEO of Full Gospel Publishing Company, Inc. with the culpability to provide Sunday School materials, Hymnals and all other types of printed Christian material for distribution.
His family includes wife, Evett, six children, and three grandchildren.
As a teacher, lecturer, and consultant, he has authored several books on educational issues and applications of Christian principles, including: Vocational Education and Rurality,Manual of Spiritual Warfare and Tactics, This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Church, Questions of Faith for Maturing Saints Who Have Been Sincerely Wrong, The Chosen and the Proved, Child of God Be Still, Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling, and others. He has made presentations to thousands of audiences, including U.S. Congressional Committees, Christian Conventions and Conferences, and National television broadcasts. He holds degrees from Stillman College (B.A.), Livingston University (M.Ed.), and the University of Alabama (ED. S).
Bishop Palmer entered the workforce, after becoming a reservist with the U.S. Marines, as a production clerk with U.S. Steel Corporation in Fairfield, Alabama in 1966, followed by his employment as a Deputy Health Officer for the Jefferson County (Alabama) Public Health Department in Birmingham, Alabama.
After a college placement position at Stillman College, he served as Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of Public Schools in Greene and Perry County (Alabama) school districts, respectively. Other academic assignments included: Shelton State Community College, C.A. Fredd Technical College, and Oral Roberts University (Extension).
In 1985, Bishop Palmer began a career as a financial advisor with The Equitable Assurance Companies, Safeco Insurance, and John Hancock Life Insurance Company, managing retirement, disability, investment, and insurance portfolios for professionals. He has served as a Board Member for the Tennessee – Tombigbee Commission on the Aged in rural Wilcox County, Alabama and currently serves as an Officer and Board Member of Whatley Health Services, FOCUS on Senior Citizens in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the Tuscaloosa Ministerial Alliance, Inc. He was recently elected to the Board of Regents for Beacon University, Columbus, Georgia and is a 2000 graduated of Leadership Tuscaloosa.
Bishop Palmer’s recognitions include: Man of the Year for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Most Distinguished Alumnus Award for Stillman College; Most Intriguing Person, Tuscaloosa Magazine (2004); Agent of the Year (1988) for the Equitable Life Assurance Company and numerous other awards.
In November 1999, the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship consecrated him as State Bishop of Alabama jurisdictional diocese. In 2001, he was appointed Provost for the Fellowship’s Department of Christian Education and the Department of Training and Church Development, with responsibility for implementing programs of certifications, credentials, and higher education. In July 2006, Bishop Palmer was appointed CEO of Full Gospel Publishing Company, Inc. with the culpability to provide Sunday School materials, Hymnals and all other types of printed Christian material for distribution.
His family includes wife, Evett, six children, and three grandchildren.