Rev. Dr. Jonathan Z. Queen

Senior Pastor, The Greater First Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Z. Queen is a passionate preacher, visionary leader, and community advocate whose ministry bridges the pulpit and the public square with faith, compassion, and purpose. He received his call to the Gospel ministry in March 2009 while serving as a deacon-elect. He preached his trial sermon on August 22, 2009, and was licensed that same day by First Baptist Church of Lexington, Virginia. In 2010, he joined Shiloh Baptist Church of York, Pennsylvania as an Associate Minister and Youth Pastor and he was ordained there on March 30, 2014.

Education

Dr. Queen earned a Bachelor of Science in Bible and Christian Ministry from Lancaster Bible College (2011) and a Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary (2015). In March 2024, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, "Walk with Me: A Church-based Reentry Program for Formerly Incarcerated Men in Prince George's County, Maryland," and earned his Doctor of Ministry from Regent University.

Ministry Journey

Before answering the call to pastor The Greater First Baptist Church, Dr. Queen served as an Associate Pastor, Youth Pastor and Department Head Director for Children and Youth Ministries at First Baptist Church of Glenarden International under the leadership of Senior Pastor John K. Jenkins, Sr. In that role, he sat on the board of Senior leaders and provided strategic leadership for a dynamic ministry structure—supporting hundreds of volunteers, overseeing 18 ministries, and strengthening signature programs that served thousands of families every week.

Leadership at The Greater First Baptist Church

Today, Pastor Jonathan Z. Queen serves as the Senior Pastor of the Greater First Baptist Church of Washington, DC, located in the heart of Northwest Washington, DC. With a heart for unity, evangelism, discipleship, and community transformation, he is determined to continue the legacy of Greater First Baptist Church being a multi-generational, biblical preaching, teaching church that inspires a faithful, fruitful, culturally engaged congregation that is on mission for Jesus Christ and His kingdom. The Greater First Baptist Church stands ready to again be a beacon of hope in Northwest Washington, DC and beyond.

Pastor Jonathan Queen has a gift for relational, transformational leadership and he is a gifted communicator who has proclaimed the Gospel all throughout the United States and internationally through missionary outreach in countries including South Africa, Rwanda, Peru and the Holy Land.

Leadership Development & Ministry Excellence

Pastor Queen is also an award-winning author of six books, a motivational speaker, facilitator, and expert in the fields of mentoring and reentry. He is a graduate of the Skinner Leadership Institute's 'Masters Series for Distinguished Leaders,' the Howard University Business School's Advanced Executive Leadership for Ministers, and a two-time graduate of Baylor University's Joel Gregory Proclaimers Place Seminar.

Community Involvement

In 2021, Dr. Queen and his wife, Rev. Lenia Queen, M.A., NCC, LCPC, launched New Mindz Ministries, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to providing education, mentoring, life skills training, mental health support, and reentry resources for at-risk youth, adults, and returning citizens.

Family

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Queen and Rev. Lenia Queen have been married since July 14, 2006. They have six adult children and nine grandchildren.

Life Verses & Philosophy of Ministry

Life Verses: 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:24-26

And John 13:34-35 which provides his foundational philosophy of ministry:

"My philosophy of ministry is to connect to others through Love. My preaching, teaching and leadership style reflect my commitment to the mission to model Christian love in every area of life; to create a relational and missional culture of family that is revealed and duplicated through congregational fellowship and holistic small groups that use prayer, scripture, evangelism, worship, and Christ-centered transformational leadership to carry out the great Commission of winning souls and making disciples."