Dr. Charles A. Harper III

Senior Pastor

    Charles A. Harper III is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He was born on October 28, 1952, to the late Charles A. Harper, Jr. and Bobbie Troutman Harper. He was educated at Oglethorpe Elementary and graduated with honors from Booker T. Washington High School in 1970. He attended Morehouse College from 1970 until 1973. In June 1973, he began a career with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, which ended May 31, 2002, when he retired as General Superintendent of Rail Transportation. In 1984, he founded Charles A. Harper III Realty, a full service Real Estate Company, serving the state of Georgia and is the Principle Broker.

    In January 1987, he accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Atlanta. As he began to grow as a Christian, God led him into different areas of responsibility within the Church. In June 1990, he acknowledged God’s call to Christian ministry at the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and delivered his initial sermon in September 1990. With the “Call”, there is a “Charge”. His “Charge” was to prepare for ministry through education. In 1991, he enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan College and graduated with honors in 1992 with an Associate of Science degree in Education and an Associate of Arts degree in Philosophy. In 1992, he entered Georgia State University and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies. In September 1994, he enrolled at the Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center (I.T.C.) and graduated with honors in 1997 with the degree Master of Divinity. In September 1999, he again enrolled at the Morehouse School of Religion at the (I.T.C) and graduated in May 2004, with honors, receiving the degree Doctor of Ministry. One week after graduation, on May 15, 2004, he was called to pastor the historic Reed Street - Paradise Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

    His greatest accomplishment in life is, “I led my family to Christ”. He has been married to Evelyn Hines Harper for thirty-five (35) years and is the father of Charles A. Harper IV (Jamilah) and Erin A. Harper, Ed.S. His pride and joy, however, is his grandson, Charles A. Harper V, (age 6).

    My wife Evelyn is seated next to me; Charles V, my grand-son is between us. Jamilah Moore is to my right, then my son Charles IV and my daughter Erin is to my left behind my wife.