fbcphila1698.org
Founded 1698
An American Baptist Church
Rev. Gerardo James de Jesūs, Ph.D
First Baptist Church
of Philadelphia
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Rev. Gerardo James de Jesus was born and raised in New York's East Harlem. His Catholic home set the foundation for his love for spirituality and symbols through his loving parents, and justice advocacy, from his brothers. Pastor Jerry attended a Christian College in New York where he majored in History, and subsequently, he obtained his M.Div at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena and his Ph.D from the School of Theology at Claremont, Claremont, California.
Sensing the call to ministry, Rev. de Jesus was ordained with the American Baptist Churches USA and planted a church in one of the more troubled urban areas in Los Angeles. Pastor Jerry, or "DJ" as he's fondly called by his congregation, helped many African-American and Latino families turn from gang related lifestyles by advocating for counseling and positive diversion programs. He advised city officials in addressing the aftermath of the LA riots, and during the U.S. sponsored war in El Salvador, was involved in the sanctuary movement. His travels through Central America and residing in Israel/Palestine for a time, added to his own theological and psycho-social formation. It was this sort of engagement that provoked him to ask deeper questions about the roots of deviance, crime, the lack of psychiatric care amongst the poor, and its relation to structural sin. His passion for social justice is accompanied by his astonishment of how avoided this prophetic theme is among current threads of Pastoral theology and leadership. Pastor Jerry is a strong proponent of creating a contextual theology that reflects a people's social reality, and seeks avenues to partner with community agencies to empower the marginalized.
Rev. de Jesus earned his Ph.D in Theology and Personality at the prestigious School of Theology at Claremont, Claremont, California. As a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, his therapeutic approach is from within the Jungian analytic tradition, specifically, Pastor Jerry utilizes symbols and stories in the biblical narratives as a way to resonate with the human experience. His clinical training is broad. In addition to working in the LA school district as a psychotherapist, he trained at the Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center in both adolescent and adult care. Published in various professional academic journals, he speaks nationally weaving theology, psychology and sociology with urban ministry. He enjoys writing poetry, Afro-Caribbean music and jazz, loves to dance salsa, cooking, and is a film connoisseur. He indulges in political rhetoric and trains in the martial arts. Pastor Jerry's leadership, along with a loving committed congregation, is bringing revival to First Baptist Church of Philadelphia. Their desire to build a fully inclusive worshipful community with a passion for justice is unfolding in this historic building. Pastor Jerry is the proud father of Marisol de Jesus, an aspiring actor in Los Angeles, California.
Upcoming 2008 Sermons
