Dr. Jesse L. Wood

The Reverend Dr. Jesse L. Wood is an inspired preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is an accomplished educator, teacher, political organizer, scholar and servant, who believes that living is about helping others. 

Dr. Wood serves as the Executive Pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Church, Largo, MD, where the Rev. Dr. Maurice Watson is the Senior Pastor. He provides leadership to staff ministers, a cadre of associate ministers and oversees more than 30 ministries. 

Prior to coming to Washington, DC, Dr. Wood pastored the Love Zion Baptist Church, Columbus, OH, for 18 years. Under his leadership, the church received a grant for HUD 202 Housing Project for 25 handicapped housing units, known as Love Zion Manor. 

The son of a preacher, Dr. Wood was licensed and ordained by his late father, Rev. A. Wilson Wood, then Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Columbus, OH.

 Rev. Wood completed his undergraduate studies at Central State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education; he received his Master of Arts degree from The Ohio State University in Educational Administration. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School and his Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH. Rev. Wood was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Central State University. 

In addition to being inducted into the Morehouse College Preacher’s Hall of Fame, Dr. Wood is the recipient of numerous awards, including Teacher of the Year and Who’s Who in Elementary Education. He has an extensive background in community service and has also served on numerous boards, including Central State University Board of Trustees, the Columbus Museum of Art, and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Cultural Arts Center. 

He is an avid golfer and a hopeful gardener. An experienced world-traveler, he has led groups across the globe, most recently to Australia and the Fiji Islands, South Africa and the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong. Other trips included Israel, Rome, Paris, Greece, Turkey, and the Isle of Patmos. Dr. Wood is happily married to Rev. Dr. Cynthia T. Turner Wood, Pastor of Dayspring Community Church, Lanham, MD He is the father of five adult children and 15 grandchildren.