Bishop Dr. Raymond Daniel Sutton, II is the Senior Pastor of the Zoë Bible Fellowship Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  A Philadelphia native, Bishop Sutton is the youngest of four children born to the Rev. Dr. Raymond Daniel and Mrs. A. Vivian Sutton, retired pastor and first lady of the Liberty Baptist Church of West Philadelphia, Inc.
 

He received his call to preach the Gospel at the age of fourteen and received his license at Liberty Baptist, his home church, under the pastorate of his father, Rev. Sutton, Sr. Since that time, Bishop Sutton has successfully worked to build an innovative and socially relevant ministry. Bishop Sutton assumed his first pastorate at the age of 23 at the Mount Deborah Church of the Pentecost in Philadelphia. He later served lengthy pastorates in Stoneville, NC, Martinsville, VA, and Austin, TX. Bishop Sutton also previously served as the mid-regional Bishop for the United Assemblies of Christ, having been inducted into the College of Bishops in April of 2001.

A creative and motivational speaker, Bishop Sutton is known for his strong leadership skills and tireless dedication in leading people to new pathways following Godly principles and precepts. Under Bishop Sutton’s administration, Zoë Bible Fellowship has grown, and his congregation has fellowshipped with other churches across the Metropolitan area, as well as across the country. He has also conveyed God’s Word using mediums such as television, radio and the Internet.

From childhood through adulthood, Bishop Sutton has been involved in civic pursuits. He has trained volunteers who minister to the downtrodden in the region including the homeless, youth and ex-offenders. Through his efforts the community surrounding their former location realized numerous community clean-up and beautification efforts coupled with community food drives for area residents. He also initiated a “Big Brother/ Big Sister” style youth program with an each one-reach-one focus and a Food Certificate Program through a local grocery chain was initiated for needy individuals and families. Other efforts include serving hot meals and distributing clothing to the needy. This vision is further expanding through the founding and development of a nonprofit, 70 Times Seven Community Resources, which will address these and other efforts directly.

Bishop Sutton served as Delaware State Adjutant for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship in 1994 under the leadership of Bishop Paul S. Morton.  Bishop Sutton served as the Presiding Prelate of the Zoë Fellowship of Churches, which was founded in February of 2000. This ministry is designed to share and teach God’s people how to effectively inspire those under their leadership with purpose and to make the vision of those houses of God become reality. Zoë’s motto is, “A fellowship where life can begin anew”. Bishop Sutton espouses the mission of Zoë Fellowship which is to provide a fellowship where the Word of God can be preached and taught, to produce healing for the whole man, spirit and body.

Bishop Sutton also served as the Presiding Prelate of Churches United for Fellowship (CUFF) and the Past President of the Baptist Pastor’s and Ministers’ Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity. In October 2019 Bishop Sutton received a Doctor of Divinity from United Cornerstone University Thomasville, NC. Bishop Sutton is pursuing his Masters of Pastoral Counseling from Faith Evangelical Seminary in Tacoma, Washington. In October 2021 Bishop Sutton joined in fellowship with New Day Interfaith of Churches and Ministries under the Leadership of Bishop Albert N. Jarman, II, as the Executive Bishop; and in January 2023 during Episcopal Conclave, he was installed as an Assistant Presiding Bishop to serve alongside of Bishop Jarman. The Lord has blessed Bishop Sutton’s ministry yet again. In the summer of 2024, he will install Reverend Gemell and her husband Tirrell Wilson, as the Pastor and Deacon of his first seed in Duplin County, NC.

Bishop Sutton is blessed to share his ministry with his wife, Mrs. Akua Hearne-Sutton. They are the proud parents of Di’mond Monte, Raymond Daniel III and Rayna D’Shay.