User:Hnygirl979/Rev. Ron Christian

Ronald Christian, Dr., Reverend was born in 1964. He is the minister at Christian Love Baptist Church in Irvington, NJ. He is a active community member, welcoming anyone, in any circumstance to his church. He is well loved and has been recognized as a pastor who is dedicated to helping people and building community.

Early life
Earlier in life Christian, affectionately known as “Rev. Ron,” was a correctional officer, but succumbed into a cycle of drug addiction and ultimately sentenced to prison for theft. He eventually overcame his addiction and futhered his education, entering the ministry. Having experienced addiction to drugs, Rev. Ron Christian reaches into his past because it inspires those who are down and out. Rev. Ron has served as a minister in the United States and abroad, serving the African-American community and the community at large. He has received various awards and recognition from community leaders and orgnizations.

Recovery
Upon recovery, Rev. Ron was led into the Baptist ministry, following his father's footsteps. He began going to rehabilitation centers and homeless shelters preaching to help others. was called and was licensed to preach the gospel on January of 1998, at the Upper Room Missionary Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey under the pastorate of his father, the Rev. William E. Christian. In 2000, he became pastor of Christian Love Baptist Church, which had fallen into a state of disrepair and was on the brink of bankruptcy. It had just a dozen members. Since then, membership has soared to 6,000.

He joined the Clearview Baptist Church as the youth pastor, under the pastorate of Rev. Eric M. Beckham and in 2001, he was called by a unanimous vote to pastor the Christian Love Baptist Church in Irvington, New Jersey, where he currently serves as the Senior Pastor with over 6,000 members having four Worship services on Sunday and a powerful mid week service on Wednesday night. His pastoral duties at the Christian Love Baptist Church have opened its doors completely to the needs of the community through the dispensation of much needed social-services such as: a food and clothing pantry, after school tutorial program, daycare, preschool and kindergarten provision, singles ministry, marriage ministry, hot meals for the homeless, domestic violence counseling, employment opportunities, substance-abuse counseling, women’s ministry, a newly formed Community Development Corporation to further assist in the challenge of housing and ministry, a state of the art computer lab, a tremendous youth & seniors ministry, a satellite center for General Motors Corporation for Community Service, a satellite service center for Essex County’s Community Service, a supporter of international disaster relief.

Education
Christian has traveled to Ethiopia to study the African roots of the Bible, he holds a Master’s of Divinity from Christian Bible College and Seminary, and he is a graduate of the Harvard University School of Divinity, Leadership Institute and attended Seton Hall University Graduate Department of Judeo-Christian Studies. In addition, he has been awarded the prestigious “Sister Rose Endowment” to study “lessons of the Holocaust” and a Jober Scholarship for graduate studies on Sacred Scriptures.

Growth
Christian is a member of the Newark Board of Education School Management Team and serves as a Chaplain for the Newark Police Clergy Alliance, the Beth Israel Hospital of Newark, the Essex County Youth Detention Center, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Department, the President and Founder of M.I.R.A. (Men Interested in Rebuilding America) and a member of the Irvington Police and Fire Clergy Association. Rev. Ron is a mentor for the Newark Board of Education, an instructor for the New Jersey General Baptist Christian Education Conference and the North Jersey District Missionary Baptist Association, a member of the Irvington Chamber of Commerce, an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Urban Education, a board member of the Weed & Seed Program, a member of the Board of Trustees of Integrity House Inc. and the Board of Education for Essex County Vocational schools. He is one of the first delegates appointed by the Governor’s Office for the study of faith-based community development, and has received numerous community service awards from the Township of Irvington, City of Newark,County of Essex, State of New Jersey, New Jersey Professional Black Business Woman Association, United States Senate, United States House Of Representatives, Congressional Black Caucus, and the New Jersey State Assembly for the work he does both nationally and internationally.

Recognition
Rev. Christian has also received recognition and was awarded by the N.A.A.C.P., the prestigious Freedom Fund Community Service Pastor’s Award, the Man of the Year Award by the Greater Essex County Boys & Girls Club, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for his community leadership and selfless giving, presented by the County of Essex and was recognized by the Urban League of New Jersey as clergyman of the year. In addition, the soldiers serving in Iraq,Afghanistan and Cuba have recognized and awarded him for his continued support of them and their families while serving on foreign soil. He is a published author who has also organized successful marches throughout the Township of Irvington to bring attention to the senseless murder of the youth, which were covered by the local and national media. He spent nearly two months serving as a missionary in several war-ravaged countries of West Africa, traveling through over twelve African nations preaching the gospel and opening churches and schools for the lesser-fortunate families and children of those countries. He also traveled throughout the Middle East, the United States, the Caribbean, and over twenty-five countries and five continents worldwide proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christian has also received honorary Doctorates for his humanitarian work in third world countries.

Family
Rev. Ron Christian is married to Tami Christian (nee Faulk) and they have five children.