OUR PASTOR
Apostle Joseph L Green, Jr., PhD
Dr. Joseph L. Green, Jr. is a husband, father, businessman and a published author. He was born in Washington, DC but grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is married to Gwendolyn Green, a Christian Mentor, Ordained Evangelist and Licensed Minister who compassionately and skillfully serves her family, church, and community. She especially has a heart to teach young women the importance of biblical holiness and how to be a Proverbs 31 woman. Together they have 4 children and 4 grandchildren.
In September of 2016, Dr. Green started The 2019 Movement; it is a movement aimed at racial and cultural reconciliation. In October of 2018, he was congressionally appointed to the United States 400-year African American History Federal Commission, where he functioned as the commission’s inaugural chairman.
Apostle Green is the head pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. He was commissioned as an Apostle with the Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network and is the Dauphin County director for the PA Apostolic Prayer Network (PAPN). Dr. Green is a Facilitator of Cultural Intelligence Training. Also, he is the vice-president of the Interdenominational Minister’s Conference of Greater Harrisburg (IMC).
He is the Pennsylvania leader for Capitol Ministries and is the founder of the Josiah Project, a mentoring program that targets teenage boys. The program teaches leadership skills, physical and emotional health, life skills, conflict resolution, goal setting, and self-esteem development.
Apostle Green is also the author of several books including From Kilos to the Kingdom; Kingdom Business, a book that discusses Race, Religion, and Politics from a Biblical Perspective; The 2019 Movement; and The Power of The Original Church.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTOR
Apostle Joseph L. Green, Jr.
We are excited about what God is doing here at St. Paul and we invite you to come celebrate the splendid work of God here in our congregation!
The world is experiencing incredibly challenging times. As we all know, there is great upheaval and unrest in the world. However, our faith in Christ is the great hope that we at St. Paul have hung on to. I have seen the unwavering faith exhibited among our church family during our great trials and our successes.
There was a recent local news article that gave details about how the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic affected the City of Harrisburg. One section of the article in particular stood out. During the 1918 Spanish Flu, the article states, “St. Paul’s Baptist Church was equipped to serve as an emergency hospital for African American flu patients in an effort led by Dr. Charles H. Crampton and the Rev. E. Luther Cunningham.” Then, like now, our sentiment has always been that “St. Paul never closes.”
As we observe God’s faithfulness to this church for over 130 years, we celebrate the idea that no matter what occurs, we will be here to offer hope for our community. We see ourselves as a hospital. It is a testament to our resilience, endurance, and perseverance. Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church has continued through two world wars, the civil rights movement, and so many other major nationwide events. Nevertheless, we have endured and prospered and continue to move forward. Our unwavering commitment to the work of Christ and to the City of Harrisburg is apparent through our dedication.
We have always been a forerunner church on the forefront of what is happening in our city. We continue to offer both physical and spiritual food to all those who come through our doors. We have a clothing and food ministry for those in need. We also venture outside of the four walls of the church through weekly feeding of our unhoused brothers and sisters in downtown Harrisburg.
As the world continues to present us with challenges and ministry opportunities, we maintain a consistent, singular, mindset. Our mindset is that we are representatives of the Kingdom of God. We are here to demonstrate the love of God and to bring people to the knowledge of Christ. We not only want to teach the word of God but to also demonstrate it through our love. Our motto, “Promoting and protecting the image of God,” is not just something that we say, but we aspire to live it out as well.
I do not know what the coming years hold; however, I do believe that if Jesus Christ delays His return, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church will be here, doing the work of the ministry, demonstrating the love of the Lord, and winning souls for the Kingdom of God.
In Love,
Apostle Joseph L Green Jr
Philippians 1:3-6 – I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.