John Michael (“Mike”) Mike Lowry was raised in Northern Illinois and graduated from Taipei American School in 1968. Mike began his ministry with the Society of Friends (Quakers) sharing in pastoral leadership for Rich Square Friends Meeting in the Spring of 1972 while a student at Earlham College. He graduated from Earlham in 1972 with B. A. in Political Science and Religion. He earned his Masters in Theology (M. Div.) from Perkins School of Theology in 1976. He received his Doctor of Ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1985.

Mike and Jolynn married in 1976 and will celebrate their 48th anniversary in August of 2024. They have a son Nathan & daughter-in-law Abigail and grandsons Simon and Adam; daughter Sarah & son-in-law Steven and grandchildren Grace and Sam.

Mike was elected to the episcopacy of the United Methodist Church at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference in July, 2008. He served for 13 & ½ years as the Resident Bishop of the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. During his tenure Bishop Lowry served the larger connection of The United Methodist Church on the Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops (2012-2016), Presiding Bishop for Path One New Church Development (Discipleship Ministries 2009-2016), and President of the South-Central Jurisdiction College of Bishops (2010-2011). He has provided leadership on a variety of institutional boards including serving as a member of the United Theological Seminary Board of Trustees, the United Methodist Publishing House Board of Directors, the Texas Methodist Foundation Board, the Texas Wesleyan University Board of Trustees, the Texas Health Resources Board of Directors along with service on the Perkins School of Theology, S. M. U. Executive Board, the Board of Trustees for Southwestern University, and the Methodist Children’s Home Board of Trustees.

At the time of his election and consecration as bishop in July 2008, he was serving as executive director of New Church Development and Transformation in the Southwest Texas Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Prior to that, he was senior pastor at University United Methodist Church in San Antonio which grew from 4,800 to 5,700 members during his tenure. His previous appointments include United Methodist Churches in Austin, Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Kerrville and, while a student, serving Plymouth Park in Irving, Texas. He has held numerous offices including Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry.

Bishop Lowry was awarded the B’nai B’rith Award in Social Ethics by Perkins School of Theology (1976) and the Harry Denman Evangelism Award from the Central Texas Conference-Foundation for Evangelism (2015). Churches under his leadership have received numerous awards and recognitions including the Habitat for Humanity Award (2004), the President’s Award from Huston-Tillotson University (2004), the Churchmanship Award from the San Antonio Community of Churches (2003) and the Moore Award Evangelism Award three times.

Upon retirement January 1, 2022, Bishop Lowry became the Bishop in Residence at United Theological Seminary and later Bishop Emeritus at Large. He currently serves United as a member of the Board of Trustees and an adjunct professor in the Doctor of Ministry program. Upon retirement he and his wife Jolynn moved to the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia to be near family.

Mike Lowry joined the Global Methodist Church as its first bishop upon the inception of the GMC as Bishop Emeritus. He served on the Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church until September, 2023. With Jeff Greenway he co-authored the Multiplying Methodism: A Bold Witness of Wesleyan Faith at the Dawn of the Global Methodist Church. Additionally, he has written numerous articles and chapters for various books. Mike retains his deep passion for Christ and for the transformation of the church as mission post of the advancing Kingdom of God.