His first appointment out of seminary was to Perry Memorial United Methodist Church, in Shady Spring, West Virginia, in June 1983; he served in that location for six years.
In 1989, he was appointed to serve Forrest Burdette Memorial United Methodist Church in Hurricane, West Virginia, where he pastored for the ensuing nine years.
Assigned to the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference, headquartered at Pittsburgh, he relocated to serve his first quadrennium as a United Methodist Bishop.
From 2005–2008, Bishop Bickerton also served as president of The United Methodist General Commission on Communication.
Bishop Bickerton was part of a group that created The Protocol, which was legislation intended to provide an amicable separation for the United Methodist Church.