REV. DR. BILL JENKINS

​Founder, Executive Director

Christ Ministry Center & Safe Harbors Network

 

Bill grew up in Mississippi during the 1960s Civil Rights Era. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Delta State University, where he did his student teaching at an all African-American high school in the Mississippi Delta in 1969-70. This began a lifelong passion for social justice. 

 

Bill received his Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Seminary, Louisville KY, and earned his Doctorate at Columbia Theological Seminary, Atlanta GA, where his dissertation focused on the use of technology in churches. He conducted additional graduate technology study through the University of Southern Mississippi and NASA’s Stennis Space Center. 

 

Bill has led a tri-vocational career in ministry, education and technology. An Elder in The United Methodist Church, Rev. Jenkins has over 50 years in ministry, having served pastorates in Mississippi, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Georgia. He was pastor of Christ United Methodist Church of San Diego CA for 12 years. 

 

In 2011, Bill "retired from the pulpit" and established Christ United Methodist Ministry Center, an urban ministry center focused upon social justice at what had been Christ Church. The “Ministry Center Model” he developed serves as an outline to transform struggling urban churches into vital urban ministry centers. Bill and his wife Anita documented their lessons learned in their book, “The NOT FOR SALE Church”.

 

In June 2014, Sojourners (the Washington DC based community of faith and justice leaders focused on issues affecting poverty, immigration, racial justice, women and girls' rights, and the environment) identified 50 "Greatest Social Justice Leaders We've Never Heard Of" from across the globe. Bill Jenkins was among those invited to participate in Sojourners' inaugural "The Summit: World Change Through Faith and Justice" at Georgetown University.

 

An educator, Dr. Jenkins has taught at every level of education, including five years of graduate technology management at San Diego State University.

 

Bill served over a decade as manager of Information Technology (IT) Operations at one of Southern California’s largest and most progressive water agencies. His department won several prominent awards, including the 2008 Center for Digital Government’s “Best of California” award for Excellence in IT Operations, Support and Service; and was a two-time winner of the "Excellence in IT Practices" award from the Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC).

 

In addition to serving as Executive Director at Christ Ministry Center, Bill is founder and Executive Director of Safe Harbors Network. He served three years (2017-19) as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the South District (San Diego area) of The United Methodist Church. He also served as the Faith-Leader Advisory Board Member for the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, and Board member of the San Diego Regional Interfaith Collaborative.

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