Dr. Charles Jenkins
Pastor Emeritus
Charles Jenkins is a widely known for his innovative leadership, and diverse service as an influential renaissance man. For 20 years Jenkins served as the senior pastor of the historic Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago. Jenkins has served as a Commissioner on the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, as a member of The Board of Trustees for The City Colleges of Chicago, as a Board Member for The Illinois Attorney General’s Office, as a member of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Advisory Board, The Illinois Department of Transportation Advisory Board, and Chairman of the Rainbow Push Coalition’s PUSH BOARD, just to name a few. He was also a pivotal leader in the passing of Chicago’s Big Box Ordinance which led to Walmart and Target Stores arriving in Chicago which equated to hundreds of millions of dollars in city revenue. He was also involved in Uber’s arrival in Chicago, leading to thousands of jobs and dynamic revenue for the city. Additionally, Jenkins was also instrumental in helping to restore nearly 30 million dollars to the Illinois state budget which led to the expansion of Walgreens and affordable medication or senior citizens in Illinois.
Jenkins is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has also received a Doctorate of Divinity from Beulah Heights University. He has received countless awards and citations for his service including being inducted into Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers and Scholars. He is a recipient of BET Networks ICON Man of Change Award, Black Enterprise Magazine’s Urban Business Game Changer Award, and Illinois’ Gift of Hope Lifesaving Partner Award for leading thousands of African Americans to become organ donors, and inspiring a nationwide campaign saving countless lives. Jenkins is a film executive with NBW Films, a fashion designer, hitmaker and gospel music mogul with 8 BMI top songwriter awards, 14 Billboard #1 honors, 9 Stellar Awards, Grammy recognition, a Soul Train Music Award nomination, and 7 Dove Music Award nominations. Jenkins is married to Dr. Tara Rawls Jenkins and has 3 beautiful children Princess, Paris, and Charles III.