PHILADELPHIA (BRN) – Serving already as the senior pastor of Proclamation Community Church and a case manager at George Washington High School, Gerald Waters is expanding his reach in the Philadelphia area by adding Baptist Resource Network (BRN) Church Advancement Consultant to his resume.
Waters, well-known throughout the BRN for his role as Serve Tour Philly project manager in 2023, first became acquainted with the Baptist Resource Network in 2017, when he planted Proclamation Community Church in Philadelphia. Proclamation is the first church launched out of long-time BRN church Ezekiel Baptist Church.
During his time of ministry and involvement with the BRN, Waters’ giftings and humble persona were quickly noted.
“I was invited by some of my fellow ministry colleagues that felt that I would be a good fit for the position (BRN Church Advancement Consultant),” said Waters.
After praying about the opportunity and seeking guidance from his wife and family, Waters accepted the Philadelphia region consulting position.
On January 1, he stepped into this new role with the Baptist Resource Network, filling the shoes of previous church advancement consultant Dr. Robert Fontell.
In this new endeavor, Waters hopes to be “an attentive ear, a viable resource and a faithful partner in prayer” for BRN pastors and churches in Philadelphia.
“I just want the churches to know that I’m sincere in my service and I am open to opportunities to learn and grow,” said Waters.
He continued: “This role puts me in a unique position to simultaneously pour into others but be poured into myself by faithful men that labor the Philadelphia region for the BRN.”
A part of his mission in helping BRN churches take their next steps is what Waters considers to be the two main responsibilities of the church, second to worshiping God: intentional discipleship and active evangelism.
“I love to see the knowledge and wisdom shared amongst believers, and I also like to see communities engage with Christ and the good news of the gospel,” shared Waters.
Waters looks forward to connecting with fellow BRN pastors and learning about how he can help them advance the gospel in their own contexts.
“I want to take as much one-on-one, facetime, personal time with individual pastors…and be able to concentrate on one person at a time and build relationships with one person at a time, and then I think that will give way to really viable group dynamics,” said Waters.
Witnessing pastors and churches thrive in Philadelphia is particularly near and dear to Waters as he has called the City of Brotherly Love home for many years.
Starting his undergraduate degree at Lincoln University in Philadelphia, Waters later completed his undergraduate work at Cairn University, formerly known as Philadelphia Biblical University (PBU). During his time at Lincoln, Waters developed a love for radio and, even, worked as a DJ at the campus radio station.
It was during his time between Lincoln and PBU that Waters met his wife, Symara, and the Lord solidified his call to ministry. He now holds a B.S. in Bible as well as a Master of Arts in Religion from PBU.
Although his radio days were left at Lincoln, Waters still loves a tune from the turntable and classifies himself as a “record enthusiast.” Among his favorites are Isaac Hayes and most R&B albums from the 70’s and 80’s.
Additionally in his free time, Waters enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife have two college-aged sons and one daughter who just started middle school.
BRN churches or pastors in the Philadelphia area who would like to connect with Gerald Waters are able to do so by emailing him at geraldw@brnunited.org.
How to Pray for Gerald Waters and his family:
- Pray for the Lord to give Gerald a heart for the pastors he is serving and the knowledge of how to serve them best
- Pray for continued health, strength and prosperity for him and his family
- Pray for balance and for wisdom as Gerald balances his responsibilities as a senior pastor, high school case manager and BRN church advancement consultant
