New York’s historic Abyssinian Baptist Church has elected a new senior pastor, concluding a national search to replace the late Rev. Calvin O. Butts, who served the church for 50 years before his passing in 2022.
The newly elected senior pastor is the Rev. Kevin R. Johnson, founder of the independent Dare to Imagine Church in Philadelphia. Johnson, who previously served as an intern and assistant pastor under Rev. Butts, will assume his new role in mid-July, according to a statement released by Abyssinian.
The announcement of Johnson's election comes after the congregation recently faced challenges regarding transparency and gender discrimination concerns during the pastoral search process. These issues led to discussions about potentially halting the search and disbanding the search committee. Notably, a former assistant pastor at Abyssinian, the Rev. Eboni Marshall Turman, had filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the church.
Established in 1808, Abyssinian Baptist Church is widely regarded as a flagship institution of the Black church in America. The church gained prominence during the political career of the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who used his pulpit influence to secure positions on the New York City Council and later in Congress, representing Harlem.
Johnson, 50, expressed his gratitude for the appointment, describing it as a sacred responsibility and a homecoming. In a video message shared on Abyssinian’s website, he emphasized his commitment to building upon the church's rich legacy and serving the community.
Johnson is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta and holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He previously served as an intern at Abyssinian and later as an assistant pastor before transitioning to Bright Hope Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Following a period of disagreement and departure from Bright Hope in 2014, Johnson founded Dare to Imagine Church, which has since grown to 1,500 members.
The election of Rev. Kevin R. Johnson marks a significant moment in the history of Abyssinian Baptist Church, as the congregation looks forward to a new chapter under his leadership.
