SDPC National Site - Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REV. DR. CHARLES G. ADAMS Hartford Memorial Baptist Church Detroit, Michigan	Reverend Dr. Adams is Senior Pastor of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Adams served as president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and is recognized as one of the most gifted preachers in the world. He teaches at the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit and serves on the board of trustees of Morehouse College. Dr. Adams has spoken before many audiences, including the United Nations.
DR. IVA E. CARRUTHERS General Secretary, SDPC, INC. Chicago, Illinois	Dr. Iva E. Carruthers is General Secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc. She has had an active academic life and ministry in the areas of justice and social policy. She is Founder and Director of Lois House, an urban retreat center, serves as a Trustee for the Chicago Theological Seminary and is an active member of Trinity United Church of Christ. She is Professor Emeritus and former Chairperson of the Sociology Department at Northeastern Illinois University and former president of a computer technology firm. She has consulted and lectured extensively in the U.S. and throughout Africa and the Diaspora. She served as Executive Director of the Black Theology Project. Author of many publications in several fields, her publication, The Church and Reparations: An African American Perspective, was distributed by her denomination in several languages at the 2001 U.N. World Conference Against Racism. She received the Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University and a Master in Theological Studies degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary.
REV. DR. MARCUS D. COSBY Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church Houston, Texas	Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby serves as the Senior Pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. A former member of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Dr. Cosby is a gifted musician. An activist preacher, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston; the Home Mission Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. and the Houston Area Urban League. He is also a national officer of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and has served on the Texas Commission for Community Service and Volunteerism. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and English from Fisk University, Master of Divinity degree from Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta and a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Homiletics from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary of the Associated Chicago Theological Schools.
REV. DR. JAMES A. FORBES, JR. Riverside Church New York, New York	Reverend Dr. James A. Forbes is Senior Pastor of the Riverside Church, an interdenominational, interracial church built by John D. Rockefeller in 1927. Known for his insightful and unique command of the Gospel in this time of globalization, he was the inaugural Luce Lecturer at the Harvard Divinity School. He is a consultant to the Congress of National Black Churches. Dr. Forbes has accepted board appointments at Fordham University and Columbia University.
REV. DR. ROBERT M. FRANKLIN Emory Candler School of Theology Atlanta, Georgia	Reverend Dr. Robert M. Franklin is Presidential Distinguished Professor At Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, Georgia. He is the former president of the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. And former program officer at the Ford Foundation. He has served on the faculties of his alma maters, the University of Chicago and Harvard University Divinity schools, and at Colgate-Rochester Divinity School. He is the author of many publications.
REV. DR. CYNTHIA L. HALE CO-CHAIR, SDPC, INC. Ray of Hope Christian Church Decatur, Georgia	Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Hale is the founder and Senior Pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Georgia. Ray of Hope was honored as Church of the Week, by the 700 Club, and as one of 300 excellent Protestant congregations in the United States. Preaching throughout the world, her ministerial gifts have reached thousands. Dr. Hale was inducted into the Africa Biographies Hall of Fame and the Martin Luther King's Board of Preachers.
REV. DR. FREDERICK D. HAYNES, III CO-CHAIR, SDPC, INC. Friendship-West Baptist Church Dallas, Texas	Reverend Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III is Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. The congregation is currently engaged in the development of Friendship Community, a multi-dimensional endeavor that will include a school, athletic complex, holistic health center, family life center, office retail center and a museum dedicated to the history of the African American Church. Rev. Haynes sits on the Evangelistic Board of the National Baptist Convention and earned a Doctorate of Ministry from Oxford University.
BISHOP GREGORY G. M. INGRAM PRESIDING PRELATE, 10th DISTRICT African Methodist Episcopal Church Dallas, Texas	Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, is presiding prelate of the Tenth Episcopal District and President, Council of Bishops, African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME). Elected as the 118th Bishop of the AME Church, Ingram presided over the 15th Episcopal District, based in Capetown, South Africa where he presided over more than 300 churches. Prior to his election and consecration as a Bishop, he served for 13 years as the senior pastor of Oak Grove AME Church in Detroit. He is a dynamic teacher and lecturer, with special expertise in the area of Stewardship and Tithing. He has authored a number of publications, includng his well known work, Equipping the Saints for Service. Bishop Ingram holds a Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Il and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH.
REV. PORTIA WILLS LEE Trinity African Baptist Church Mableton, Georgia	Rev. Portia Wills Lee is senior pastor and founder of Trinity Tabernacle Baptist Church, formerly Trinity African Baptist, in Mableton, GA. Since its formation, Trinity has experienced tremendous growth in its Christian witness, community involvement and membership, planting an evangelical and family-centered congregation. Rev. Lee is a recipient of many awards for her outstanding ministry activism in serving "the least of these." She is a member of many civic organizations and advises and mentors seminary students in the Master of Divinity program at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Rev. Lee holds a B.A. in education from Middle Tennessee State University and earned her master of divinity degree with concentration in Pastoral Care and Counseling from Emory University. Rev. Lee served at Cascade United Methodist Church in Atlanta before giving birth to Trinity.
REV. DR. ANN F. LIGHTNER-FULLER Mt. Calvary AME Church Towson, Maryland	Reverend Dr. Ann F. Lightner-Fuller is Senior Pastor of the Mt. Calvary African Methodist Episcopal Church in Towson, Maryland. Dr. Lightner-Fuller has a very prominent radio and television ministry that is heard throughout the Baltimore, Md. area. With degrees in communications and theology, she also holds a Doctorate of Ministry degree for the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. She is the author of several books.
Rev. Dr. Earl B. Mason Bible-Based Fellowship Church, Inc. Tampa, Florida	Rev. Dr. Earl B. Mason is founding and senior pastor of the Bible-Based Fellowship Church of Temple Terrace, Inc. in Tampa, Florida. His congregation and ministry extend abroad through involvement as co-sponsor of African Relief Burkino Faso, West Africa, and most recently, a joint relief effort in the Gambia with the Hillsborough County Center of Excellence. Rev. Mason is President of EBM Ministries, Kingdom Furniture, Child Care Center, Inc., Charities, Inc and Cribbers Crawlers and Toddlers, Inc. of Bible-Based Fellowship Church, Inc., Tampa, FL. Rev. Mason is active in community service and participates in several organizations, including the Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce and the Florida-Based Association.
REV. DR. RUDOLPH MCKISSICK, JR. Bethel Baptist Institutional Church Jacksonville, Florida	Rev. Dr. Rudolph W. McKissick, Jr. is Senior Pastor of Bethel Baptist Institutional Church. Under his leadership Bethel has grown in numbers and ministry, recently purchasing and establishing Bethelite Christian Conference Center, including a hotel. With his father, Dr. McKissick Sr., they have developed what is a model ministry for partnering in the pastorate. Dr. McKissick has distinguished himself as a national preacher and teacher, with a focus on homiletics and sacred music. He is a published writer and professional recording artist.Dr. McKissick holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Virginia Union University School of Theology, a Doctor of Ministry degree from the United Theological Seminary where he was a Proctor/Booth Academic Fellow along with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Bethune Cookman College.
REV. OTIS MOSS, III Tabernacle Baptist Church Augusta, Georgia	Reverend Otis B. Moss, III currently serves as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ. Prior to Trinity UCC, Rev. Moss served as pastor of the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, Augusta, GA. A graduate of Morehouse College, Yale University and Iliff School of Theology, he has done extensive research in the areas of African-American culture, theology and youth development. The African American Pulpit Journal recently named Rev. Moss one of the "20 to Watch" young ministers shaping the future of the African American church. His passion for youth ministry led him to create the Issachar Movement, a consulting group designed to bridge the generational gap within churches and train a new generation of prophetic church leadership. He has preached in places such as South Africa, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Egypt. *Newsweek* magazine recently cited Rev. Moss as one of “God's Foot Soldiers” committed to transforming the lives of youth.
REV. DR. SUSAN K. SMITH Advent United Church of Christ Columbus, Ohio	Reverend Dr. Susan K. Smith is Senior Pastor of Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio. She has used a variety of formats to minister to countless people throughout the world. Rev. Dr. Susan K. Smith received her Doctorate of Ministry degree in 1992 from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, studying under the late Dr. Sam Proctor and was an associate pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois under the tutelage of the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright. She earned her Masters of Divinity and studied African American history at Yale University. Rev. Dr. Smith is also the author of the book From Calvary to Victory and children's book Carla and Annie.
Rev. Gina Stewart Christ Missionary Baptist Church Memphis, Tennessee	Reverend Gina Marcia Stewart currently serves as pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. She is the first African American female elected to serve a Baptist congregation in Shelby County. She earned a bachelor degree from the University of Memphis and a master’s degree from Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee and master of Divinity degree from Memphis Theological Seminary. She is pursuing a doctor of ministry degree at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Rev. Stewart has received numerous honors and awards for her outstanding service to the church and community. Pastor Stewart currently serves as a team leader for the Pastoral Excellence Program for the Lott Carey International, a development and advocacy organization.
Rev. Dr. Lance Watson St. Paul's Baptist Church Richmond, VA	Rev. Dr. Lance Watson serves as senior pastor of the Saint Paul's Baptist Church of Richmond, Va. H eyes also host of the telecast "Positive Power" seen nationally on the Inspiration channel and the MBC (Major Broadcasting Company) network. Dr. Watson has been honored as an outstanding communicator and Minister of the Year. He is listed in Who's Who in Religion and he is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Dr. Watson holds the Bachelor of Science, the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Arts from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. He has a Master of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University and he is a graduate of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia.
REV. DR. JEREMIAH A. WRIGHT, JR. Trinity United Church of Christ Chicago, Illinois	Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. is Senior Pastor of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Under his leadership, Trinity membership has grown from 87 adult members to 10,000, with over seventy active ministries. He has authored many articles and books and lectured throughout the world. Crossing denominational and faith boundaries, Dr. Wright's commitment to political activism coupled with his dedication to the African American sermonic tradition has earned him a unique reputation. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including several honorary doctorates and three presidential commendations.