Russ Bixler
Encyclopedia
Russell Bixler, April 24, 1927 – , was the founder, chairman of the board, and chief executive officer of Cornerstone Television, Inc.
He was also a well-known preacher, author, and charismatic leader.
, Massachusetts
in 1927 and attended public schools in Maryland
. His higher education included studies at Western Maryland College and Bridgewater College
, Virginia
, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1947; Bethany Theological Seminary
in Chicago
, where he received a M.Div. in 1959; Duquesne University
in Pittsburgh; and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
. One year of Bixler's college years was spent in the U.S. Navy
.
.
As a charismatic leader in the religious community, Bixler served for twenty years as the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the annual five-day Greater Pittsburgh Charismatic Conference. He has written for nine Christian publishers; his first book, It Can Happen to Anybody, was published in 1970 by Whitaker House
, and it has sold more than 160,000 copies in English
and German
.
Bixler is perhaps most known for his foundational work with Cornerstone Television, which includes WPCB-TV
, Channel 40 of Pittsburgh, and WKBS-TV
, Channel 47 of Altoona, Pennsylvania, both of which broadcast twenty-four hours a day across North America by two satellites. Bixler was a member of the board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters
and was chairman of its TV Committee from 1983-1984. WPCB-TV was the 1998 & 1989 recipient of the NRB’s award for Broadcast Facility of the Year for television.
Bixler has been listed in Who's Who in the East, Who's Who in Religion, Who's Who in Entertainment, and Who's Who in the Media.
Cornerstone Television
The Cornerstone TeleVision Network is a non-commercial Christian broadcast and satellite television network based in Wall, Pennsylvania, United States. Its founder and CEO is Russ Bixler...
He was also a well-known preacher, author, and charismatic leader.
Early life
Bixler was born in BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
in 1927 and attended public schools in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. His higher education included studies at Western Maryland College and Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College, is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal-arts college located in Bridgewater, Virginia, a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1947; Bethany Theological Seminary
Bethany Theological Seminary
Bethany Theological Seminary is the graduate school and academy for theological education for the Church of the Brethren. Bethany, located in Richmond, Indiana, is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the Higher Learning Commission of the North...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he received a M.Div. in 1959; Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
in Pittsburgh; and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, founded in 1794, is a graduate theological institution associated with the Presbyterian Church USA. It is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and houses one of the largest theological libraries in the nation...
. One year of Bixler's college years was spent in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Religious career
Following seminary, Bixler became pastor of the Pittsburgh Church of the Brethren and completed thirteen years there as pastor before resigning in 1972. He continued his status as an ordained minister in the Church of the BrethrenChurch of the Brethren
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination originating from the Schwarzenau Brethren organized in 1708 by eight persons led by Alexander Mack, in Schwarzenau, Bad Berleburg, Germany. The Brethren movement began as a melding of Radical Pietist and Anabaptist ideas during the...
.
As a charismatic leader in the religious community, Bixler served for twenty years as the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the annual five-day Greater Pittsburgh Charismatic Conference. He has written for nine Christian publishers; his first book, It Can Happen to Anybody, was published in 1970 by Whitaker House
Whitaker House
Whitaker House is a charismatic, theologically conservative, evangelical Christian publishing house in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, just east of Pittsburgh...
, and it has sold more than 160,000 copies in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Bixler is perhaps most known for his foundational work with Cornerstone Television, which includes WPCB-TV
WPCB-TV
WPCB-TV is a Christian television station in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA DMA. It broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 50. It is licensed to Greensburg with studios and transmitter in Wall and is the home of Cornerstone Television, which originates most of its programs from the station...
, Channel 40 of Pittsburgh, and WKBS-TV
WKBS-TV
WKBS-TV is a Christian television station serving the Allegheny area of Pennsylvania that is licensed to Altoona. It broadcasts a digital signal on UHF channel 46...
, Channel 47 of Altoona, Pennsylvania, both of which broadcast twenty-four hours a day across North America by two satellites. Bixler was a member of the board of directors of the National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters is an American organization that represents Christian religious broadcasters on American television and radio, including several high-profile televangelists and Christian radio show hosts. It claims a membership of more than 1700 organizations...
and was chairman of its TV Committee from 1983-1984. WPCB-TV was the 1998 & 1989 recipient of the NRB’s award for Broadcast Facility of the Year for television.
Bixler has been listed in Who's Who in the East, Who's Who in Religion, Who's Who in Entertainment, and Who's Who in the Media.