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Leslie David Braxton, BA, M.Div., D.Min.
Senior Pastor
New Beginnings Christian Fellowship
The
Reverend Doctor Leslie David Braxton was born in
Boston, Massachusetts, on August 2, 1961. He is
the third of three children born to the union of
Norman and Claudette Braxton. His childhood and
formative years were spent in the Great
Northwest, in the city of Tacoma, Washington.
He was baptized at six years of age by the
Reverend J. Berry Williams at his home church,
Bethlehem Baptist, of Tacoma.
In
December of 1983, Reverend Braxton received the
Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of
Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. He received
the Master of Divinity Degree from the Colgate
Rochester Divinity School in 1987. In May of
1996, the United Theological Seminary in Dayton,
Ohio, conferred upon Rev. Braxton the Doctor of
Ministry Degree in the study of Afri-Centric
Bible Hermeneutics.
For twelve
years, Dr. Braxton served as the Senior Pastor
of the historic First Shiloh Baptist Church of
Buffalo, New York. As an avid promoter of
holistic ministry and community empowerment,
Rev. Braxton’s accomplishments included the
development of the First Shiloh Housing
Development, Inc., the First Shiloh Youth
Foundation Inc., (which annually serves hundreds
of disadvantaged youth in Western New York) and
the founder of the First Shiloh Christian High
School. While serving the First Shiloh
congregation, Dr. Braxton also maintained
meaningful community involvement that included:
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The United Way of Buffalo and Erie County,
Board of Directors
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The Greater Buffalo Saving Bank, Board of
Directors
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Sheehan Memorial Hospital, Community
Advisory Board
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Leadership Buffalo (Class of 1991)
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On August 29, 1999,
Doctor Braxton began his journey as the Senior
Pastor of the historic Mount Zion Baptist Church
in Seattle, Washington,. Under his Pastoral
leadership, Mount Zion entered into a new era of
congregational growth, Stewardship training,
progressive ministry formation, aggressive and
innovative Christian Education and discipleship
training, Christian Outreach and collaborative
community service. Some of his achievements
included:
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Over 1400 new
members added to the Mount Zion
congregation.
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Increased
membership contributions from $800,000
(1998) to $1.8 million (2004)
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Began the
ordination of women to the Deacons Ministry
at Mount Zion.
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Founded the
annual national ministry conference,
“Empowering the Urban Church for 21st
Century Ministry” (’05).
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Developed a
multi-faceted Church School Curriculum, that
increased adult participation in Sunday
School and Bible Study from 155 to 625
persons weekly.
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Led the
fund-raising for the construction of a 700
seat sanctuary for the Scenery Park Baptist
Church of East London, South Africa. In
2002, Dr. Braxton led a 105 member
delegation to East London for the official
opening of the new sanctuary.
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Initiated the
first and only Black Church based Clinical
Pastoral Education Program in the Pacific
Northwest.
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Entered Mount Zion into
community partnerships with Casey Family
Programs, the Seattle Urban League, and the
First AME Church of Seattle to provide
programs of financial literacy education,
child advocacy training for parents, and
community leadership skills.
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In July of 2005, Dr. Braxton resigned
from the Mount Zion pulpit to begin the work of
organizing the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship,
in Renton, Washington. The NBCF held its first public
worship service on Sunday, August 5th 2005
with over 650 persons present. It has quickly become
one of the fastest growing congregations in the Pacific
Northwest.
At the New Beginnings Christian
Fellowship the spiritual emphasis is placed upon the
Church (the Body of Christ) functioning as the family
of God. A family that is committed to the ethic
that, “family takes care of family”. The Ministry Motto
of the NBCF is, “God is always Ready to Start Over.”
Doctor Braxton’s extends his ministry
work beyond the walls of the organizational Church. He
has been a frequent lecturer and speaker throughout the
nation on a host of issues including, African American
history, the philosophy of non-violence, Police
accountability, race and class conflict, education,
anti-drug and anti-smoking advocacy, African American
health Issues, homelessness, and a variety of other
current events.
In 2001, Doctor Braxton led a public
march onto Interstate 5, demanding greater measures for
Police Accountability. Later that year, Dr. Braxton
organized and led the city-wide, Silent March for
Peace and Healing, in response to the tragic death
of a white youth in racial violence that broke out
during Seattle’s Mardi Gras Festivities.
In 2002, Doctor Braxton joined the
faculty of the Northwest Graduate School of Theology
(now known as the Bakke Graduate University), providing
course instruction in African American Church History.
In 2003, the Seattle Urban League
presented Dr. Braxton with the Spirit Award for
above and beyond community service.
Doctor Braxton is a 2000 inductee to
the prestigious Morehouse College Board of Preachers.
Doctor Braxton is
married to his hometown sweetheart, the former Shelia
Denelle Stubbs. They are blessed with a daughter,
Karissa, and a son, Samuel. Doctor Braxton’s family
motto is:
Shelia is the love of my life, Karissa is the darling of
my life, Samuel is the pride of my life, but JESUS
is the center of my joy.
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