Pastor Wesley
Pastors BIO
Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley was installed as the 8th pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church on September 28, 2008. A native of the south side of Chicago, he is only the 8th pastor in the 208 year history of this church. He is married to Debbie McCain Wesley, and they are the proud parents of two sons, Howard-John, II and Cooper Reece.
Since taking the pulpit in April 2008, nearly 3,000 have joined in fellowship with the Alfred Street Baptist Church family, bringing its membership to nearly 5,000. The Single's Ministry has been revived and new ministries have begun, including the Recovery Ministry, Agape Ministry (Mental Health Ministry), Career Change Ministry, Single Parent Ministry, Married Couples Ministry, Grief Ministry, Divorce Ministry and the Intercessory Prayer Ministry. A new member orientation process has been recreated to meet the needs of the acclimating new members and new believers under the leadership of the Board of Deacons and the Phillip Ministry is being created to train lay leaders within the church to assist in ministering to those God leads to join the Alfred Street family. The Liturgical Dance, Young Adult Dancers and Drama ministries now minister monthly in the morning worship services.
A new worship service was initiated for the young adults age 20 – 30 something. Come As You Are (CAYA) worship service is held on the first Wednesday of every month. In addition, a program that raise children and youth to know, love and serve Christ – the AWANA program – begun in September 2009. Also, in September 2009, a Saturday worship service was added, increasing the number of worship services to three; a Senior's Bible study, Men's Bible study, Praying with the Pastor and Coffee with the Pastor have also been added to the spiritual programs of the church. He has begun the Christian Life Institute, offering courses throughout the year to help members address relevant life issues and to help with growth in spiritual development as disciples.
Under the leadership of Dr. Wesley, the Mission Ministry has placed more emphasis on domestic violence awareness, community awareness, breast cancer support, mentoring programs and after incarceration assistance. He has led a delegation of Alfred Street missionaries to New Orleans to minister to pastors, the homeless and families in need; led the congregation in a Month of Community Service involving over 90% of the congregation in daily community services; and in July 2010 sent a delegation to Haiti to begin the rebuilding of homes after the January earthquake. Also under his leadership, Pastor Wesley led the church to purchase property adjacent to the church that kept affordable housing in historical Olde Town Alexandria
Dr. Wesley has preached in Johannesburg, South Africa for the Progressive National Baptist Convention, was a member of the Pastoral Excellence Program with the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Convention, and just recently formed a partnership with the Regent Road Baptist Church, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley represents the fourth generation of Baptist preachers in his family. The son of the late Rev. Dr. Alvin J. Wesley and Dr. Helene J. Wesley, he acknowledged and accepted his calling into the Gospel ministry at the age of sixteen and was licensed to preach in 1989. He was ordained in 1997 at his father's church, the Hermon Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois by the Greater New Era Baptist District Association of the Baptist General State Convention of Illinois. He has also served on the staff of the Orange Grove Baptist Church of Durham, NC and the Concord Baptist Church of Boston, MA. .
Dr. Wesley is a 1994 magna cum laude graduate of Duke University where he doubled majored in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering. After his first year in medical school, he yielded to God's call once again and walked away from a medical career to attend seminary in preparation for serving God's people. He attended the Boston University School of Theology where he was a Martin L. King, Jr. Scholar and a 1997 summa cum laude graduate concentrating on Biblical Studies and African-American religious history. His passion for preaching and learning led him to the Associated Chicago Theological School's Doctor of Ministry in Preaching Program where he graduated from the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary with his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003. His thesis, "Prescriptive Preaching: Effective Homiletical Methodology for the Next Generation of Black Churchgoers" is now being prepared for publication. Rev. Wesley has also completed post-doctoral studies at Oxford University in Oxford, England and has served as an adjunct professor of homiletics at Boston University and an adjunct professor of church administration at Hartford Seminary. In 1997, God called Rev. Wesley to the historic St. John's Congregational Church in Springfield, Massachusetts. By the grace of God, under Rev. Wesley's faithful and committed leadership and through his passionate and loving spirit, he led St. John's into a period of unprecedented growth.
For his labor Rev. Wesley has received numerous awards and accolades, including being recognized by the African American Pulpit as one of the top 20 preachers under forty in the Black Church. He has also received the Alexander Mapp Black Achievement Award (for his work with the school system), the Black Men of Greater Springfield Community Service Award, Brianna Fund for Children with Disabilities recognition, and was recognized and honored four times by the mayor of Springfield for his leadership and community work.
He is passionate about proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, making the Word of God relevant in the lives of believers, and building the Kingdom of God in the congregation and community. He is currently leading Alfred Street Baptist Church in participation with the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Baptist World Alliance, the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Convention, the Baptist General Convention of Virginia, and serves on the Executive Board of the Northern Virginia Baptist Association. The keynote speaker for the People's Inaugural Project Prayer Breakfast for President Barack Obama, Dr. Wesley is a highly sought after lecturer and preacher.
Now a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, he is associated with the Alexandria NAACP, the Northern Virginia Urban League, the Community Coalition for Haiti, a member of the Board of Directors for the Hopkins House and the Institute for Responsible Citizenship and a member of the board of Exceptional Gifts, an organization to advance the lives of underprivileged, special needs children and youth adults through educational and cultural experiences. He has also served as honorary chairperson for the African American Adoptions, Inc.
He is an avid golfer who also enjoys movies, reading, and working out. He celebrated his 20th year in the ministry on November 29, 2009.