Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Northwest D.C., considered the District’s oldest, independent Black Baptist congregation, has welcomed the Rev. Kevin Lamár Peterman as its new senior pastor.
At the age 32, Peterman is widely regarded as a gifted speaker in the pulpit with many uplifting him as a perfect fit to lead the historic African American congregation that was established in 1839.
“I am humbled and honored to serve a church with such a rich history and prophetic witness,” said Peterman, who succeeds the Rev. Darryl D. Roberts, whose tenure at the church ended in August 2023. “Together, we will continue to live out the Gospel, serve our community, and press forward toward the beloved community envisioned by our ancestors and entrusted to us by God.”
Peterman is a graduate of Howard University, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science. He holds master’s of arts in theological studies from Princeton Theological Seminary and a master’s in higher education from the University of Pennsylvania.
“My vision is to build on the legacy that the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church already has,” Peterman told The Informer. “It is important to care for the seniors as well as the youth. We just had vacation Bible school in which 60 young people attended.”
E. Louise White, 89, has long been dedicated to preserving Nineteenth Street Baptist Church’s 185-year history, beginning with its roots, such as how the house of worship was first established in the Foggy Bottom section of Northwest, D.C. Initially located at 19th and I Streets NW, the church moved in 1975 to its current home at 4606 16th Street NW.
White, a retired school principal and longtime educator, said historically, there were many well-known families at the church who all worked as one — from the family of Dr. Charles Drew, to the children of Nannie Helen Burroughs.
“We were always supporting one another,” White said, before noting a shift in how congregants interact at Nineteenth Street today. “We as a church have lost a sense of family. The Nineteenth Street that I have known has always been persons of different economic status, persons of different political persuasions, persons who are well known, but we were all one family.”
She said she hopes the new pastor will work to bring more unity among the congregation.
“My prayer is like the song: ‘Revive Us Again.’ It’s all about the service of the church and being workers in the vineyard,” she told The Informer
A Son of Newark’s Journey to D.C.: ‘I Fell in Love With the City‘
A native of Newark, New Jersey, Peterman was baptized and licensed to preach at the First Baptist Church of Vauxhall in his home state.
He first came to the nation’s capital as an undergraduate at Howard University.
”I came to D.C. to go to Howard and I fell in love with the city,” said Peterman, whose local heroes include former Nineteenth Street Baptist Church pastors like the Rev. Jerry A. Moore Jr., the Rev. Derrick Harkins and the Rev. Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, former pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Church.
While pursuing his theological education, he served as a pastoral intern at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. He also earned specialized certificates in Black church studies and clergy ministerial ethics from Princeton. In conjunction with his regular coursework, he has studied throughout China, Japan, Ghana, and South Africa.
Peterman was later ordained at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York, where he served as young adult and social justice minister.
He served as director of strategic initiatives at the Howard University School of Divinity, chief of staff for the Next Step Adult Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. He has also held fellowships with the NAACP Washington DC, the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions, and District of Columbia Public Schools.
The new Nineteenth Street Baptist Church is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the Prince Hall Masonic Order and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading millennial voices in ministry and civic life.
According to the bio released by Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, in 2024, Peterman was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers and Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College, one of the highest honors conferred upon Black clergy in the United States.
Before coming to Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, Peterman served as associate pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in Northwest, D.C. for seven years.
He also was chief of staff for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
In terms of goals in the community, Peterman said he plans to build more affordable housing in the District and he wants to raise a $1 million endowment to stabilize the church into the future.
”We joyfully welcome Rev. Peterman’s spiritual leadership, his heart for God’s people, and his vision for ministry,” said Deacon Shawn Davis-Wilensky, chair of the Board of Deacons at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church. “We believe he will honor our rich traditions while guiding us forward in faith, unity, and a renewed purpose,”
Looking Ahead to Peterman’s Leadership: ‘He is a Dynamic Preacher‘
Coming to Nineteenth Street with a highly lauded reputation, congregants are looking forward to Peterman’s leadership at the historic church.
“What excites me about Rev. Peterman is that he is a dynamic preacher who has a way of making the scriptures relatable to the issues of today,” said Karen Williamson, chair of the Board of Trustees at Nineteenth Street. “He is a young man but he can relate to church members of all ages.”
While highlighting the excitement about Peterman’s new leadership, White said it is important to remember the proud history of the church in order to propel Nineteenth Street to new heights.
“The challenge for us is to keep going,” she told The Informer.
White also emphasized walking by faith as the church starts a new chapter and beyond.
“We have to hold to God’s unchanging hand,” she said, before considering Peterman’s new ministry. “I wish him well.”
For more information, go to 19thstreetbc.org.