Our Pastor

 THE REVEREND DR. MICHAEL NEELY HARRIS

 The Reverend Dr. Michael Neely Harris, the son of William T. Harris, Athens, Georgia and Mattie Harris Samuels, Atlanta , Georgia , was born in Athens , Georgia .  Dr. Harris is the sixth pastor of Wheat Street Baptist Church and follows in the tradition of outstanding leadership skills, erudition and preaching prowess.

 Having graduated in 1968 with a B.A. degree from Morehouse College and earned the Master of Divinity degree (Magna Cum Laude) and the Doctor of Ministry degree in Missiology from the Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1975 and 1984, respectively; Dr. Harris came to Wheat Street with sterling and impressive professional experience.  He was previously employed by the School District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a Research Intern in the Office of Federal Evaluation (1968-1969).  In 1969, he was promoted to Administrative Assistant of the Get Set Day Care Program.  Heeding the call of God in June, 1970, Dr. Harris was licensed to the gospel ministry by the Mount Carmel Baptist Church under the pastorate of Dr. Albert F. Campbell.  His tenure with the Philadelphia School District ended in 1971 when he accepted the appointment of the Holy Spirit and the call of the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Passtown, Coatesville, Pennsylvania.

 The pastoral record of Dr. Harris speaks for itself.  While serving the First Baptist Church, Coatesville from 1971-1980, Dr. Harris led the congregation in an astounding fashion.  Some highlights include congregational growth from 90 to more than 400 members, the phenomenal increase in stewardship and programs and the building of a large and commodious parsonage on which the twenty year mortgage was liquidated in 13 months.  In 1980, Dr. Harris’ assignment to the Coatesville congregation was concluded when he accepted the unanimous call to the Emmanuel Baptist Church, Brooklyn, New York.

 Under Dr. Harris’ leadership at Emmanuel Church, the restoration of the Gothic Cathedral valued at $5,000,000 was initiated.  The priceless Tiffany stained glass windows, the building’s facade and the Roosevelt pipe organ were restored.  The church staff was increased from 4 to 28 employees.  Dr. Harris led in acquiring a state approved Daycare Kindergarten which operated solely by funding from Emmanuel Church.  He also organized more than 30 auxiliaries and church membership experienced 300% numerical growth and even greater financial growth.

 In June, 1989, Dr. Harris acquiesced to the will of God and the call of Wheat Street Baptist Church to follow the legendary Dr. William Holmes Borders, Sr., as pastor.  In the time that Dr. Harris has led this great people called Wheat Street, his impact has been productive and pleasurable.  The Lord has added more than 1000 new members.  Financial stewardship has increased five fold.  Dr. Harris has led in organizing more than 40 new auxiliaries and ministries and has led in facilitating improvements in the Church Campus and other church properties.  Renovation and redesigning of the Historic First Unit of the church was completed in 2000 at a cost of 1.5 million dollars.

 Awards and honors received by Reverend Dr. Harris are numerous.  He was honored in 1991 by Emmanuel Baptist Church of Brooklyn, New York, along with Dr. H. Edward Whitaker, a former pastor of Emmanuel, with the Whitaker-Harris Award given to an outstanding family in Emmanuel Church.  He was cited by Upscale Magazine as one of the top fifty clergymen in America for 1992-1993.  In August, 1992, Wheat Street Church and Dr. Harris were cited by the Detroit Free Press and U.S.A. Today as leaders in Black Church Economic Development.  Dr. Harris was also featured as a special guest on “Live Talk,” a live call-in radio program which airs over KNRB Radio in Houston, Texas.  Black Enterprise Magazine in its’ September and December, 1993 issues, cited Dr. Harris, the Wheat Street Credit Union and The Charitable Foundation for outstanding work as a church credit union and economic development success.  In June 2002, Dr. Harris was featured in Georgia Trend Magazine as a leader in acquiring the service of the first Church Administrator at the Historic Wheat Street Church.   Other honors include Citations given by  “Who’s Who in Black Atlanta” (1993), named “Business Associate of the Year” given by the Perimeter Chapter of The American Business Women’s Association (1993), “Who’s Who in Black America” (1993), was featured in The Communicator Magazine as a “Dynamic Church Leader” (1994), was featured in Upscale Magazine among Spiritual Leaders to “Challenge The Nation” (1994), was selected by Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, on two separate occasions to be keynote speaker for the university’s Economic Summit and Summit for Graduate Students (1995), was named Honorary Citizen of Chattanooga, Tennessee (1996), was given “Key to the City”, Kansas City, Missouri (1996), was given “Key to the City”, Columbus, Georgia (1997), and key to the City of  New Orleans, Louisiana (2001) In 2003 the Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky proclaimed him a “Kentucky Colonel”, the highest honor bestowed by that state, and he was the recipient of the “Key to the City” and special citation from the Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky (2003).  Most notably, Dr. Harris has been feted by each of his three congregations with appreciation banquets, “roasts” and plaques in recognition of his outstanding leadership.  Dr. Harris is in demand as a preacher and lecturer throughout the United States.  Our pastor was a contributing writer to the book, Living In Hell (1996), published by Zondervan Press, a contributing writer for the African American Devotional Bible (1997) and a contributing writer to the book, The Trash Man (2003).  Our pastor served as a panelist on Georgia Public Television’s Town Hall meeting, Investigating President Clinton. In October, 2003, Pastor Harris earned the respected black belt in Taekwondo.

 Throughout his ministry, our Pastor has been involved in many civic and religious organizations, including membership on the Roosevelt, Long Island, New York Board of Education (former district clerk); The Progressive National Baptist Convention; Home Mission Board (past chairman) and Pension Board Executive Committee; inducted, 1991 Morehouse College of Ministers; serves on Trustee and Executive Board, Morehouse School of Religion, Board Member, Wheat Street Charitable Foundation; Board Member, Wheat Street Church Federal Credit Union; Convener, Advisor, Auburn Avenue Merchants Association; member, Concerned Black Clergy.  In 1997, Dr. Harris was honored by the Morehouse College Atlanta Alumni Chapter for outstanding achievement in religion.  Pastor Harris serves as First Vice-President of the Southern Region, PNBC.  He is the organizer and chairman of the Fourth Ward Roundtable in Atlanta, an organization that brings the community entities of Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward together for purposes of collaboration, communication, and fellowship.

 Dr. Harris is a family man.  He is married to the former Sylvia Ann Jones who has shared his life and ministry since November 30, 1968.  They are the parents of two adult children, Crystal Michele, professional opera singer, Assistant Professor of Music at Clark Atlanta University and graduate of Spelman College and Georgia State University where she earned the Master of Music Degree and is presently a doctoral student at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL ; and Michael Clayton, a 1999 graduate of  Morehouse College, a teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools and assistant Basketball Coach at his alma mater, Benjamin E. Mays High School. Michael is also the pastor of the Higher Piney Grove Baptist Church of Decatur, Georgia, and a student at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. They are the proud grandparents of Michelle Angelique. The Harris family has a close, loving relationship which is obvious to observers.                                                                                                                 

In the words of a parishioner, “Dr. Harris is a preacher extraordinaire, teacher, writer, counselor, evangelist, community leader and administrator.  He is an unusual person and the consummate pastor”.  Wheat Street Baptist Church is truly blessed to have such an outstanding accomplished spiritual leader as Our Pastor.