ABOUT OUR PASTOR
Rev. Dr. Ronnie C. King
The Senior Pastor of Grace Missionary Baptist Church, Memphis, Tennessee, was born and raised in Coldwater, Mississippi. The son of a public worker (Jonah King, father) and retired Mississippi public school educator (Elizabeth McGhee King, mother), King is the youngest sibling of four.
Upon graduating from Coldwater High School, King enrolled in Northwest Mississippi Community College for two years and later continued his education at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). He graduated from Ole Miss with a degree in Political Science. While at Ole Miss, King announced his calling to the ministry. Torn between attending law and seminary schools, King selected Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, Texas, to further his ministerial studies. He was granted a full Fellowship at Perkins. Three years later, King graduated with a Masters in Theology.
As a young man in his early twenties, King took the leap to serve in the United States Navy as a Chaplain. He rose from the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade (0-2) to a Captain (0-6), becoming one of the most respected and leading Naval Officers. His duties included ministering, visiting and preaching on several continents and in more than 42 countries. While in the Navy, he earned a second Master’s degree (Master of Science) from The National Defense University, National War College in National Security Strategy. The double Masters in Theology and National Security Strategy were the perfect union to do greater ministry work worldwide. His duel degrees afforded him more opportunities to share with his parishioners and military comrades. To encourage and lift them, King started sending his military comrades and parishioners “Daily Meditations” and “Thoughts for the Day”. The “meditations” and “thoughts” were in such demand that within three years, they had been passed on to more than 2,000 readers. At the insistence of his brother Curtis King, he decided to put them in a book. “MY GOLDEN NUGGETS: LIFE CHANGING DEVOTIONS AND MEDITATIONS” was published in 2011. The book has received extraordinary praise from such distinguished Americans as The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson, U.S. Congresswoman from Texas. One of King's many military highlights was to conduct the service and give the eulogy for the first African-American officer of the United States Marine Corps, Frederick Clinton Branch, in Quantico, Virginia.
After 30 years of faithful and dedicated service in the armed forces, counseling members of the military, civilians, Department of Defense and families of fallen veterans and pastoring several congregations, King retired with an Honorable Discharge. Commendations came from U.S. Governors, Senators, Congressional members and Presidents George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, William ‘Bill’ Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama. After his retirement from the United States Navy, King was presented numerous options within the federal government and the opportunity to become a senior pastor of various American churches. After much prayer, consultation and deliberation with family and friends, King accepted the position as Director of Ministry at Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Rev. Dr. Coleman Crawford, Jr. sought King out to become his successor as senior pastor upon his retirement. Within two-years, King became the Co-Pastor and after Rev. Crawford’s demise in March 2017, he accepted the full-time role of Senior Pastor.
Never one to rest too long, King enrolled in the doctoral program at United Theological Seminar. In 2017, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree in “Prophet Congregational Leadership” with a concentration in “PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE: A BIBLICAL SUCCESSION MODULE FOR PASTORS IN THE BLACK BAPTIST CHURCH &
King is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and has one son, Nigell.
"For we walk by faith and not by sight"
II Corinthians 5:7
LEADERSHIP
Dr. Inetta F. Rogers
Rev. Fredrick Harvey
Rev. Eddie Owens
Rev. Christine A. Glass
Associate Ministers
Sis. Betty Thigpen
Church Secretary
Bro. Charles Thigpen
Chairman of Deacons
Bro. Carl Jefferson
Co-Chairman of Deacons
Bro. James Rogers
Chairman of Trustees
Bro. Jimmy Nelson
Financial Secretary
Sis. Girlie Brewer
Assistant Financial Secretary