Pastor for Church & Community Relations

Campus: All Campuses

Contact Information: 612-338-7653 x428

Melvin was born and raised in a loving Christian home in Mississippi. At the age of 12 he accepted Christ and was baptized in a pond near his church.

Melvin received a BA degree in Business Administration from Alcorn State University in 1972. He received his CPA license in 1996. While attending Alcorn, Melvin met his wife, Helen, and they were married in 1971. They have been blessed with three children, Melvin M, Roderick, and Traci.

Melvin accepted the call to the ministry in May 1977. Melvin was the Assistant Pastor at Sabathani Baptist Church and later Greater Friendship Baptist Church prior to coming to Bethlehem. Melvin was involved in the planting of two other churches.

Prior to coming to Bethlehem, Melvin spent his entire life in the Black Church. The exposure and experience Melvin have gained from Bethlehem and the Black Church has created a passion to build strong relationships between every tongue and tribe where Christ is the center. Melvin feels strongly that a solid, deeply rooted relationship with Christ and every tongue and tribe is the key to destroying “bad bridges” and building “good bridges” where Christ is the foundation. The following two Scriptures have driven his love and vision for ministry:

• “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”—John 13:34–35
• To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.” I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.—1 Corinthians 9:21–22