In 1991, 18-year-old Bishop Bell was shot in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun over a bad drug deal. His doctors gave him 48 hours to live. He survived six-weeks in a comma and then regained consciousness. When he awoke, he discovered he was totally blind. "I know it was through the prayers of my Mama and the churches she had praying for me that I pulled through. But I didn't thank God for keeping me alive. I didn't know how. My thing was to hang out on the streets and sell drugs. So when I went back to the streets, I always asked a friend who could see to come along and help me from being short changed or cheated," Bell said. 

 

After returning to the streets as a blind man, Bell turned bitter towards God and the entire human race. "It got to the point where I just didn't care any more," he added. And it was that attitude that got him into trouble time and again. "One evening I'm with my friend, John, and we stop by another friend's house to make a phone call. On our way back to the car, I heard someone yell 'What's up you Suckers!?' Then I heard gun shots. I hit the ground and crawled to the curb. Not too far from me, I could hear John moaning and gasping. I pulled myself over to him and heard him say, "I'm hit, man. I'm dying. I'm dying." Then he called out his friend's name, who was in the house, and that was the last thing he said. The ambulance came and took him to the hospital, but he was dead by the time he got there. "At his funeral the preacher said, 'Dear Lord, I'm hoping that John's last moments of life were spent asking you to forgive him and to give him eternal life in your kingdom.' When I heard that, my heart started beating real hard. I knew what John's last words were, so this got me to start thinking about my relationship with God." But it didn't stop Bell from selling drugs and committing petty crimes.

 

On another occasion he got mad and shot out the windows of a woman's house. He was afraid he would be arrested for shooting out the windows, so he fled to Jacksonville, Florida. "I got back into the drug scene in Jacksonville. One night I got into a fight with a guy who beat my head with a 9 mm gun. He literally beat Jesus Christ into my life because he beat me so badly, I couldn't cry out for help. I was hurt so badly, I thought I was dying. My mind raced back to that night John was shot and his last words. So I awkwardly called out to God to help me clean up my life and to show me what to do. "

 

On December 21, 1997, I completely sold out to God. I asked Him to cleanse me, to deliver me, and to make me into His mouthpiece. He delivered me COLD from drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, everything. Even my nasty temper and bad language got dealt with. Now I'm a THUGG for Christ! That stands for True Homeys Under God's Grace! "And I know God wants to offer you the same new life in Him as what He's given to me." Bishop Bell wants to bring a message to you, “Don’t go where I have been”. Bishop Bell has preached in Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma, California, and New York for over 15 years. His hip hop influences are magic when he combines them with the word of God. He connects with our youth of today by walking them through a life threatening experience that is very real to him and others. Bishop Bell also known as T.H.U.G.G. Bishop has a mission to save the lives of our youth. T.H.U.G.G. is an acronym that stands for True Homies Under God’s Grace. To Bishop, it takes a strong person to be humble and grateful for the wonderful things in life. It’s okay to have a moment of silence, ask for forgiveness, and change your ways.