Bishop Rudolph W. McKissick, Jr., is Senior Pastor of the Bethel Church, located in Jacksonville, Florida. Bethel is the oldest existing Baptist church in the state of Florida, founded in 1838. Under Bishop McKissick’s leadership, the church has experienced exponential growth to over 6,000 active disciples. Bishop McKissick has established himself not only as a prolific proclaimer but also as an academician, teaching as an adjunct professor at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Religion at Virginia Union University. Bishop McKissick is also the author of several books as well as an accomplished musician with several national, critically acclaimed music projects.
Bishop McKissick has been afforded many national platforms for proclamation, among them being the morning preacher at the prestigious Hampton University Ministers and Musicians Conference as well as the featured conference preacher in the evening; the conference preacher at the John Malcus Ellison Convocation at Virginia Union University (Now the John Ellison/Miles Jones Convocation) and being inducted into the Morehouse School of Religion Board of Preachers.
Bishop McKissick also serves on various boards, which include being a board member of the National Action Network, founded by Rev. Al Sharpton, the Board of Trustees of Florida State College at Jacksonville and the Advisory Board to the President at Virginia Union University.
Bishop McKissick holds a bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville University with a double major in the field of music: one in Opera and the other in Sacred Church Music, with a minor in pipe organ performance. He holds the Master of Divinity Degree from The School of Theology at Virginia Union University, now the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Religion at Virginia Union University, and the Doctor of Ministry Degree from the United Theological Seminary. Bishop McKissick was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from both Bethune Cookman University as well as Virginia Union University. He is also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., as well as Sigma Pi Phi Boule (pronounced BOO-LAY).
He is married to the former Kimberly Joy Nichols, Executive Pastor of The Bethel Church, and they are the proud parents of three beautiful children; Jocelyn, Janai (pronounced JANAY) and Joshua
