Rev. Dr. James Coleman, Pastor

The Reverend Dr. James Coleman is Senior Pastor of the All Nations Baptist Church, located at 2001 North Capitol Street, N.E., Washington, DC. He is the second eldest of ten children and a native Chicagoan. Dr. Coleman graduated from DuSable High School in Chicago, Illinois, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Illinois State University, in Normal Bloomington, Illinois, a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, a Master of Divinity and the Doctor of Ministry from Howard University, Washington, DC. 

Dr. Coleman received his ministerial Practicum under the tutelage of the Reverend Clay Evans, former Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois and the late Reverend George B. Rogers, former Pastor of the Isle of Patmos Baptist Church, Washington, DC. He was licensed to the Gospel Ministry in 1982 and ordained to the Gospel Ministry in 1984 by the late Pastor George B. Rogers. He became Pastor-elect of All Nations Baptist Church in January 1992 and was officially installed as Pastor on May 18, 1992.

He has implemented numerous Ministries at All Nations, including Conversation Café, Scripture to Life, School of Biblical Knowledge Institute, Brothers Helping Brothers, etc., which exemplify the church motto: “We are a Church where Christ and Community Connect.” Through the faithful and undaunting visionary leadership of Pastor Coleman, church members have benefited in several tangible ways. Some benefits include: the expansion of church ministries, the acquisition of a larger church edifice, upgrade in furnishings and equipment, including the installation of a state of the art media studio.

Dr. Coleman was one of the 2006 recipients of the prestigious Roll On Productions Recognition Award, where he was honored along with 25 dynamic pastors in the region at the historic Lincoln Theater for his exemplary leadership contributions to Gospel Ministry. During the years 2007 – 2009, Dr. Coleman served as the 47th President of the Missionary Baptist Ministers' Conference of Washington, DC and Vicinity. The theme chosen by him during his presidency was “Delivering Empowerment and Enrichment for Effective Ministry.” In 2008, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Chairman Emeritus, Julian Bond administered the oath of office to Dr. James Coleman, to serve as Chairman of Religious Affairs and Chaplain of the Washington, DC Branch. He has been a member of the NAACP for more than a decade. He served as the local Religious Affairs Coordinator for the 50th Anniversary, NAACP National Convention, held in Washington, DC, July 2006. Dr. Coleman served as Co-Chair of the Mayoral Faith Committee for the District of Columbia’s 50th Anniversary March on Washington, in 2013. He also served as a Mayoral appointee on the Health Services Reform Commission. He is a former Chairman of the Board of Hearts and Homes for Youth, which provides housing for more than one hundred disadvantaged youth.

Professionally, Dr. Coleman served as Associate Dean, Office of Residence Life, Student Affairs, Howard University for 32 years; He retired from Howard University in 2005. Additionally, he served as President and on the Executive Board as a past president of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP), which consists of professionals at Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country. Dr. Coleman is a contributing author of the book titled, Many Voices Multicultural Responses to the Minor Prophets. His Doctoral publication is titled, Laity Empowerment. Dr. Coleman has also contributed to several higher education and religious affairs articles. He is a recipient of the coveted Sadie M. Yancey Award in the field of Student Affairs work in higher education.