Reverend Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr.

The Reverend Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr., senior pastor of Fifth Christian Church, is an ordained minister in the Protestant Christian denomination known as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, the denomination in which Fifth Christian is affiliated. Prior to accepting the call to Fifth, Dr. Sullivan was engaged in a year of study toward a PhD in leadership studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, and was “on loan” to the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church where he served as Pastor for the Interim of Mercer Island United Methodist Church, in Mercer Island, WA.

During his 24-year ministerial career, Dr. Sullivan has been Regional Minister and President of the Northwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Senior Pastor of United Christian Church, Detroit, MI; Associate for African American Educational Ministries for the Disciples' Indianapolis-based Division of Homeland Ministries; Pastor of Second Christian Church, Jefferson City, MO; Associate Regional Minister (part-time) of the Disciples' Mid-America Region, Jefferson City, MO; and Pastor of Hill Street Christian Church, Louisville, KY.

A pastor at heart, Dr. Sullivan is known for his preaching and lecturing on topics having to do with congregational transformation, spirituality, social-justice, anti-racism, and interracial partnerships. Some of his writings have appeared in books such as Out of Mighty Waters: Sermons of African American Disciples (Chalice Press, 1994) and Black Religion after the Million Man March (Orbis Books, 1998). Dr. Sullivan is the author of an article titled, “What Black Churches Can Teach White Churches,” published in the July/August 2006 issue of DisciplesWorld Magazine. In 2006, Dr. Sullivan delivered an address, “Overcoming Chaotic Compartmentalism: Building New Communities of Diversity with Integrity among Progressives,” during the national Sacred Activism Conference held in Seattle.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Sullivan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in interpersonal communication from Ohio University, Athens, OH; a Master of Divinity degree from Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY; and a Doctor of Ministry degree in economic and social justice from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH. At United Theological Seminary, Dr. Sullivan was a Samuel DeWitt Proctor/Otis Moss, Jr. Doctoral Fellow. He remains committed to finishing his second doctorate, a PhD, in leadership studies.

Within the life of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Dr. Sullivan was president of the Board of Directors of the Council on Christian Unity, and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Convocation, the Disciples' African American leader development/fellowship forum. He has been a member of the College of Regional Ministers and a trustee of Northwest Christian College, Eugene, OR. At present, Dr. Sullivan is Co-Convener of the Decisions Team of the Disciples Justice Action Network. Ecumenically, Dr. Sullivan has been Co-Convener of the Governing Board of the Washington State Association of Churches (WAC), and Chairperson of the WAC's Executive Roundtable, a gathering of bishops and church executives. He has also been the Disciples' representative to the Executive Council and Office of General Ministries board of the Disciples' ecumenical partner church, the United Church of Christ. He is now a member of the board of Saint Louis-based Programs for Religious Activities with Youth (PRAY) Publishing.

Civically, Dr. Sullivan is a subscribing life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Urban League, and the Lions International. Seattle's Capital Hill Lions club recently honored Dr. Sullivan with the Melvin Jones award for humanitarian service. He is an active life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and has been a board member of the African American Museum in Tacoma, WA. With Seattle-area colleagues, Dr. Sullivan has planned and participated in numerous justice and peace marches and demonstrations, most notably during the 1999 World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting and before and during the US war on Iraq.

Dr. Sullivan is the proud father of Nia, 14; Imani, 12, and Jacquelyn (Jackie), 9.

Message from Rev. Sullivan

Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr.