Berean Baptist Church

Rev. Nance was born in Brooklyn, NY, and educated in the NYC public school system. He served in the US Air Force for four years. He was called to ministry in 1983, and was licensed December 12, 1985. Rev. Nance attended CBI School of Religion, School of Theology of Virginia Union University and the Eastern Baptist Association of NY, where he received a Certificate in Religious Studies. Rev. Nance is the Minster of Pastoral Care here at Berean Baptist Church.

The Reverend T Arnold Nance

Rev. Kim oversees the Young Adult Ministry, is the superintendent of the Young Adult Sunday School Department, and serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Berean Community and Family Life Center. Rev. Council sits on the Executive Board of Women of Faith Advocating Change, is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Local Development Corporation of East New York and is the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the East New York Housing Development Corporation. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Carolina Central University and a Master of Science in Library Science from Pratt Institute.

The Reverend Kimberly Council

Rev. Davis Rev. Gail Davis was ordained in 2009 and has served in several leadership capacities in the church, particularly in the area of Evangelism and Marketing. She is a graduate of New York Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree and is a Doctoral Ministry candidate at New York Theological Seminary. She currently has oversight of the newly formed Marketing ministry.

The Reverend Gail Davis

Rev Bonnett Rev. Dr. Leary E. Bonnett received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College of the City University of New York, a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources from Webster University in Saint Louis, Missouri, a Master of Divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Bonnett has also received training in clinical pastoral education from the Catholic Archdiocese of Brooklyn. He served eleven years as a commissioned officer in the United States Army. He is the author of three books and is married to Dr. Terry-Jan Blackett.

The Reverend Dr. Leary. E. Bonnett

Rev. Ward On February 15, 1985 Rev. Dr. Louvenia Ward was the first woman to be licensed by Berean Baptist Church to preach the Gospel. She was later ordained under the pastorate of Rev. Dr. Arlee Griffin, Jr.. Dr. Ward has earned an Associate degree in Management, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Master of Social Work, and a Master of Divinity Degree. Dr. Ward is an Adjunct Professor at New York Theological Seminary and a Berean Sunday School Teacher. Dr. Ward serves as Servant Leader of the Social Services Ministry. She is also a member of the Pastoral Support Ministry, Sisterhood Ministry and Girl Scout Ministry.

The Reverend Dr. Louvenia Ward

Rev. Headley Reverend Kimberly Headley is an associate minister and servant leader of the New Members & Discipleship Ministry. She was ordained by Pastor Arlee Griffin in 2009. Rev. Kim has a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. She is presently a third year student at Alliance Theological Seminary pursuing a Master of Divinity in Church Development. She is also a member of the Young Adult Ministry.

The Reverend Kimberly Headley

Ambitious, Self-Motivating and compassionate; upholding the conviction that it takes one to make a difference in any given situation. Rev. Lane has been a member of Berean Baptist Church since 1980; he accepted the call to preach the gospel in 1992. Licensed and ordained by Pastor Griffin, he has been serving for 17 years as Preacher and Associate Minister at Berean. He received his Associate Degree from Kingsborough Community College, Certificate in Religious Studies, from The School of Theology Virginia Union University and the Eastern Baptist Association of New York, Inc. He is married to Deacon Fay Lane, and is the father of six children.

The Reverend Willie Lane, Jr.

Rev. Sharon R. Gore was licensed as a minister on September 7, 2007 at Price Memorial Baptist Church under the pastorate of Rev. L. Price. Rev. Gore later joined Berean Baptist Church, where she was ordained on June 18, 2012 and serves as an Associate Minister. Rev. Gore was born in Philadelphia and reared in Brooklyn, New York. She received her early education in Brooklyn schools and graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School. Rev. Gore attended Brownsville Community Baptist Church Bible Institute for fours years and graduated in June 2007.

The Reverend Sharon R. Gore

Rev. Carol A native New Yorker who joined Berean in 1964. Reverend Carroll has diligently and faithfully served as a member of the Cherub Choir, Temple Choir, Women's auxiliary and Pastor’s Aid ministries. She was a member of the Berean Bible Institute, a Girl scout leader, former President of the Nurses Ministry and former Advisor to the Sunday School department. She is currently a member of the Sunday School department, a teacher in the Junior Intermediate department, a servant in the Nurses Ministry, member of the Berean Gardens Noonday Prayer ministry and can be found participating on Wednesday nights at Praise and Worship/ Bible Study. She has been a Registered Nurse since 1976 and received her AAS degree from KCC, her BSN from Medgar Evers College and a Masters of Divinity Degree from NYTS. She was ordained a Deacon in 1998; licensed to preach in April 2012; and ordained shortly thereafter as a Reverend. In December of 2012 she became a widow.

The Reverend Bennetta L. Gibson-Carroll

Rev. Fletcher joined Berean Baptist Church in September 2011 as a licensed minister and was ordained to the gospel ministry by Dr. Griffin in June of 2012. She serves as the Associate Minister for Compassionate Care Ministry at various nursing homes and hospitals across New York City. Additionally, she gives encouraging leadership to the American Baptist Women’s Ministry of Berean. She is also a student in the New York Theological Seminary certificate program.

The Reverend Joanne Fletcher

Rev. Tatum is a Brooklynite and a 50 year member of Berean. She was educated in the public schools of New York City through college. Rev. Tatum was licensed to the gospel ministry in 2010 in Baltimore, MD and ordained at home in Berean in 2012 by Dr. Arlee Griffin Jr. She serves joyfully and with enthusiasm in the Healing Waters Formational Prayer Ministry- a journey to healing and wholeness in our Lord. Additionally, she teaches Wednesday night bible study. The Lord has blessed her to be a great-grandmother, while young enough to enjoy that journey.

The Reverend Selma V. Tatum

Rev. Scipio Rev. Marsha is the Youth Pastor at Berean. She is also the servant leader of Emerge, the younger, young adult ministry. Rev. Marsha was ordained in June of 2012 by Pastor Griffin. She serves as the Executive Director of Berean Community & Family Life Center – the non-profit organization of Berean. She has been privileged to study and engage in ministry in Liberia, South Africa, India and Israel and Palestine territories. Rev. Marsha holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary.

The Reverend Marsha Scipio

The Reverend Doctor Arlee Griffin, Jr., is a native of Elizabeth City, North Carolina where he was a member of the Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church and an honor graduate of Northeastern High School.

He received scholarships to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in Zoology. He attended Shaw Divinity School and earned the Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has done additional study at East Carolina University, Oxford University in Oxford, England, New York University, and the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health in New York City and the Summer Leadership Institute at Harvard Divinity School.

In May 1988 he graduated from Boston University with the Doctor of Ministry degree. In April 1992 Shaw Divinity School awarded him the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree. He was awarded a Public Service Fellowship to attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and in May, 2010 earned a Master of Public Administration Degree.

For nearly ten years, Dr Griffin served as Pastor of the Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina where he led the church in re-location and built multimillion dollar facilities. While in Greenville, he established the Cornerstone Christian Child Care Center, served as President of Pitt County Black Ministerial Alliance, Moderator and Vice Moderator of the Old Eastern Missionary Baptist Association, Parliamentarian of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and Trustee of Pitt County Memorial Medical Center. He was also selected in 1985 as “Pastor of the Year.”

In April of 1989, Dr. Griffin received the call to become the Senior Pastor of the historic Berean Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. In 1996, the church completed Berean Gardens, a $7 million Senior Citizens Housing Complex funded by a Capital grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Currently, the church is engaged in a 33 million dollar building project which will include new facilities for the new Berean Community and Family Life Center and a fitness center and 107 units of Affordable housing.

Dr. Griffin serves as President of the Berean Bible Institute, the Berean Housing Development Fund Corporation, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Berean Federal Credit Union and The Berean Community and Family Life Center. In January, 2012 the church purchased property valued at three million dollars to open its second site as Berean Baptist Church of Raleigh, NC and the Garden on Millbrook Catering Company.

Throughout his ministry, Dr. Griffin has been active in religious and community affairs. He has served as President of the American Baptist Churches of Metropolitan New York, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Baptist Churches Ministers' and Missionaries Benefit Board, Historian of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, and as a member of the General Board of the American Baptist Churches, USA, Progressive National Baptist Convention, National Council of Churches and Shaw University.

He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the AmeriChoice Corporation of New York. In 2005 he was the recipient of the Edward H. Rhoades Award for excellence in Urban Ministry presented by the National Ministries/American Baptist Churches, USA. He served as Vice President of the American Baptist Churches, USA, 2004-2005, and as President of the American Baptist Churches, USA, for the biennium 2006-2007.

Dr. Griffin has done missions work in Senegal, Gambia, West Africa and South Africa and was a delegate to the First African and African American Summit in the Ivory Coast in 1991. He was selected to be an Official International Election Observer in the first free South African Election in April 1994. For twelve years, he was an Associate Professor of Church Administration at New York Theological Seminary.

Dr. Griffin is married to Dr Angela Farr Griffin of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Dr.Griffin is an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn. They have two daughters: Angel Arlecia (husband, Nelson Louis)and Ariel Arlyce and one grandson, Arlee Nelson Louis.

The Reverend Dr. Arlee Griffin, Jr.

Berean History

Ezekiel 47:12
And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Dr. Arlee Griffin Jr. Pastor

Over 160 years old and still growing.

Berean Associate Ministers

Berean Staff Members

The Ministries of Berean

Berean Community Drumline

Children's Church

Girls Scouts

Junior Ushers

Bible Study

Sunday School

Praise Team

Berean History