Meet Our Senior Pastor
Rev. Dr. Daryl G. Bloodsaw is the Senior Pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, West of Athens, GA. He previously served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Bloodsaw was born and raised in Monroe, GA and was licensed to preach and ordained under the guidance of the Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church (Harlem, NY).
Dr. Bloodsaw is currently in the third year of comprehensives in pursuit of a PhD at The University of Georgia in American Religion and Culture where he also teaches as an Instructor of Record. His core research interests are around developing positive Black self-identity through Black religious thought. He earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in prophetic preaching and transformational leadership from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, NY where his dissertation was titled: Building Transformative Ministry for Black Men Returning Home from Incarceration. He received a Master of Divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Georgia. While matriculating at NYTS he not only graduated at the top of his class, but he was elected to serve his fellow classmates as President of the Student Association for three consecutive years. In 2010, he conceived, led and coordinated the response to the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti by building a coalition of seminaries in the Northeast and making a monetary donation to Doctors Without Borders. He was the recipient of the Rev. Dr. William and Barbara Howard Scholarship, the American Bible Institute’s New Testament Award for excellence in Biblical studies, and he was recognized by NYTS as a “Rising Alumnus” for his work in ministry and impact in the community.
He currently serves on the board of the Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center Foundation and the Board of Trustees at New York Theological Seminary. For three years, he was an Adjunct Faculty member teaching Introduction to Old Testament and Introduction to New Testament in the Master of Professional Studies program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, NY. He is a sought-after lecturer and frequently serves as a conference facilitator on gentrification, mass incarceration, political ideology, and other issues, particularly as they relate to the black community.
Dr. Bloodsaw’s background includes the religious, corporate, civic, and academic arenas. Deeply committed to strengthening and empowering the black church and the black family, his socially conscious, hope-filled, and spirit-led teaching and preaching seeks to inspire “the least of these” to live up to and to live out God’s promise of a future with hope.
A results-driven leader, Dr. Bloodsaw established a solid 20-year record of management and administration in Advertising and Marketing in corporate America while in New York City. In the civic arena he has served on the executive boards and been a member of numerous community-based organizations.
He led the West Harlem (NYC) community in declaring a state of emergency in response to rampant illegal drug activity that held a once-vibrant community hostage. This community movement against drug infestation was captured in part by the 2008 Random House book written by Judith Matloff entitled Home Girl: Building a Dream Home on a Lawless Block.
Rev. Bloodsaw is a faithful and fearless servant of God who counts among the greatest blessings of his life his wife, Brenda, and their children: Tabitha, Nia, Imani, and Daryl II.
He finds hope and great expectation for the church and for God’s people in one of his favorite scriptures found in three simple words: “Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8a)