Presenters FMMF Consultation 2009

Bishop Emeritus Gerald Bates

Gerald Bates is a life-long servant of the Free Methodist Church. After graduating from Spring Arbor Junior College, Greenville College and Asbury Seminary, he began a twenty-eight year career of missionary service in Central Africa. During those years he also received a MTh from Western Theological Seminary and a PhD from Michigan State University. In 1985 he was elected Bishop of the Free Methodist Church and served in that position until 1999. From 2007 to 2008 Gerald served as Interim President of Spring Arbor University.

Currently Gerald is President of Friends of Hope Africa University. He sees HAU as both a culmination of his life-long missionary call and the future of the Free Methodist Church in Central Africa. The university has gone from its infant beginnings in Kenya to a full-fledged university. Though Gerald has been a key leader in the university’s development, he gives witness to the fact that leaders in Central Africa are primarily responsible for the success of HAU.

Gerald is married to Marlene and they are the parents of three (David, Bill and Beth Ann), grandparents of five.

Dr. Michael Traylor

Michael is both a pastor and community-minded physician. Michael Traylor’s academic training includes degrees from Oberlin College, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Cleveland State University. He also completed Physician Executive leadership training at the Weatherhead School of Business in Cleveland, OH. Michael attended Ashland Theological Seminary and is continuing his theological studies at Northeastern Seminary.

While practicing pediatrics in Cleveland, Michael felt called to pastoral ministry. He founded the Christ Community Fellowship FMC in Twinsburg, OH. In 2008, Michael was appointed to New Hope FMC, Rochester, NY, where he serves as senior pastor. Michael continues the practice of pediatrics at the Anthony Jordan Health Center in Rochester. His medical experiences have included directorships of health centers, Free Clinics, and child advocacy programs. He has been involved in short term missions programs in Kenya and Malawi.

Michael’s passions include leadership development, community development, and relational wholeness. He has served as coordinator of ministerial groups and has directed numerous community based ministries. His ministries as pastor, community leader, and physician are driven by his holistic understanding of the Gospel. He has developed significant interests in organizational change and transformational leadership.

Michael and his wife Amelia Cleveland-Traylor, MD have two children, Matthew (16) and Michaela (12).

Rev. David Bates

David Bates is a child of Africa and a servant of the disadvantaged of the city. He was born and raised in Central Africa. The experiences of day-to-day life in Africa, both in the urban and village context, became the defining components of David’s cultural identity. He is a 1982 graduate of Spring Arbor University where he majored in Social and Political Science. Later he earned a MS in education and a MA in Public Administration.

David’s work and ministry experiences have been varied and cross cultural. He has served in pastoral ministry and Arab church planting in the Free Methodist Church; lived in Jordan where he studied the Arabic language and helped to develop an entrepreneurial ministry; and spent eight years in western New York state where he threw his heart and soul into the struggle for justice and healing for the African American, Hispanic/Latino, and farm-worker communities.

For the past thirteen years David has served as Executive Director of the Olive Branch Mission of Chicago, working tirelessly to redefine an organization rich in history but in need of restructuring. With God-given vision and gifts, he has been able to see OBM restored to its historic prominence and its role in providing life changing ministries in the heart of the city of Chicago. David proclaims that God must be at the center of a sweeping movement that will create authentic opportunities that change lives, change community, and change the city.