Pastor: 2023-Present
On July 30, 2023, Dr. George Lewis Parks Jr. began his journey as the seventh pastor in the 159-year history of Metropolitan Baptist Church. Pastor Parks brings an extraordinary commitment to church and community to the Metropolitan Family. The son of Dr. George Lewis Parks Sr. and Mrs. Kay Ramona Parks, Dr. Parks attributes the formation of his spiritual journey to his father.
Beginning his formal ministry preparation with undergraduate studies at the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee, Dr. Parks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical and Pastoral Studies. His thirst for spiritual growth led him to return to school and he earned his Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC. There he was awarded the highly regarded J.H. Jackson Award for Promise in Pastoral Excellence. In May 2016, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in Expository Preaching from Union University School of Theology and Missions in Jackson, Tennessee.
God has given Dr. Parks a diversity of assignments throughout his ministerial journey. He was licensed and ordained to preach in 1998 and 2007, respectively. He served as an Associate Minister and Youth Director at Watson Grove Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He also served as an Assistant Pastor at Meridian Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Dr. Parks pastored the Riverside Missionary Baptist Church for seven years and served as the Senior Pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Little Rock and Conway, Arkansas, for eight years. On July 30, 2023, he began his current appointment to the Metropolitan Baptist Church pulpit.
In 2018, Dr. Parks authored When God’s Purpose Finds You: The Winding Road of Life, juxtaposing life to a road. Full of twists and turns, potholes and bumps, the texture of life’s road shapes our person and forms our character. As unpredictable as life’s road may be, God is on every road and those roads ultimately lead us back to Him.
Dr. Parks was inducted into the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in 2020, and he serves as an adjunct professor at Philander Smith College.
Dr. Parks preached his first sermon as Senior Servant of Metropolitan Baptist Church on July 30, 2023, bringing a new vision and hope for the future. His preaching prowess and provoking interpretation of God’s Word ignite a fresh desire for a closer relationship with God. He brings a genuine love for God’s people and an authentic commitment to building the Kingdom of God one heart at a time. His “personal touch” extended to Metropolitan Family and friends further demonstrates the Metropolitan Mantra: Metropolitan Cares.
Under Dr. Parks’ careful guidance, Metropolitan’s social media presence has grown exponentially and positioned Metropolitan to minister to not only the traditional worshipper but the more contemporary worshipper as well.
Dr. Parks proclaimed 2024 the “Year of Momentum: Keeping Pace with God” at Metropolitan. He is guiding the congregation through worship, study, and inreach and outreach ministry services and events that continue to bring the congregation closer, build strong community relationships, and broaden the church’s ministry footprint across the region.
In May 2024, Metropolitan celebrated her 160th Church Anniversary. Pastor Parks led the congregation in a month-long celebration that included and a special worship for Seniors, a banquet with over 450 attendees, the production of a historical church documentary, weekly Momentum Revivals, and an anniversary worship service that captured the spirit of traditional Black church worship.
Dr. Parks is married to the former Joy Marie Dailey, and they are the proud parents of George L. Parks III (Trey), Genesis, and twins Gabriel and Grayson.