History / President

The Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Washington, D.C. and Vicinity, was organized in 1885, and was founded to “promote the interest of the Redeemer’s Kingdom, to secure peace and prosperity of local churches, the welfare and harmony of the members to promote the cause of Christian Education and Missionary Causes; to stimulate an interest in all denominational enterprises; and to advance the Kingdom of Christ, for mutual intercourse, for social, intellectual, moral and spiritual improvements.” The MBMC consist of a local body of Christian Pastors and Ministers who are affiliated with several National Conventions. The Missionary Baptist Ministers Conference boasts of a long line of prominent pastors who have made notable contributions nationally. Such stalwart pastors as J.L.S. Hollman, E.L. Harrison, Ernest Gibson, etc. contributed to National models for Community Development paradigms and Preaching Clinics. For its exemplary Social and Political action praxis on behalf of the poor, and the preaching prowess of some members of the Conference, the MBMC has gained quite a reputation.

The Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference has a rich legacy of attracting great preachers and pastors to the Washington, D.C. Vicinity.  

Historically, the Conference has served as host to some of the world’s greatest and well known African-American preachers anywhere, Such notables include:

Dr Gardner C. Taylor, Dean of Preachers
Dr. A. Louis Patterson, pastor of ______________________
Dr. Robert Smith, jr., Professor of Christian preaching at Beeson Divinity School
Dr. Maurice Watson, Pastor of Beulahland Baptist Church
Dr. Ralph West, Pastor of ____________________
Dr. Walter S. Thomas, Pastor of New Psalmist Baptist Chruch and Past President of the Hampton University Ministers Conference
Rear Admiral Barry C. Black (Ret.), 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate
Dr. A. Russell Awkard, Pastor of the New Zion Baptist Church
Dr. Clifford A. Jones, Pastor of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Dr. Lawrence Jones, Past Dean of Howard University School of Divinity

Also, The Missionary Baptist Ministers’ Conference has a legacy of generosity when it comes to making voluntary donations to worthy causes such as:  Lott Carey, Baptist Foreign Missions; Scholarships for youths entering Colleges both local and across the nation: Financial support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Stoddard Baptist Senior Citizen Home; local Humanity Fest, which provides food and other necessities to the low income; etc.
The former presidents have served with distinction and each year since its existence the Conference has grown in stature and spirituality of purose.