Broadway Missionary Baptist joins a legacy of mission work

Pastor Roland Pierce visits a school in Jamaica.

When a short-term mission team from Broadway Missionary Baptist Church in Phoenix traveled to Jamaica in June to encourage local Baptist churches, they were joining a legacy of mission work.

George Liele became the first missionary from the United States when he, his wife and children were sent to Kingston, Jamaica, in 1782.  Liele’s ministry began in the American South as the first ordained African American Baptist preacher in America and then continued as a church planter starting the first African American Baptist church. That church is still in existence today.

While the team, composed of Pastor Roland Pierce; Tanisha Pierce, his wife; and two church members, Tiffany Jackson and Tiffany Crawford, was able to see the church that Liele planted in Kingston, Jamaica, they did more than just sightsee. The churches they visited had planned activities so they could see the local schools, share the gospel with the community and encourage the Baptist churches.

“Our goal for this short-term trip was to build relationships with the Jamaican Baptist churches so that we could be a part of a long-term partnership,” Roland Pierce said. “We didn’t want to just come and pray and then leave. We wanted them to know they were not alone.”

After visiting one of the local schools and seeing the immense needs there, the team went with a guide from a church to pray and witness in a downtown area. Their guide, a well-respected woman in the community, had arranged their time to coincide with a rally so that the downtown area was full of people. They were able to share with many people because of this strategic coordination.

The mission team from Broadway Missinary Baptist Church visits a church in Jamaica.

Before returning to Arizona, Pierce was invited to preach at Jericho Baptist Church. At that service, many people were saved and many more renewed their commitment to the Lord.

“Our hosts said they wanted to make sure that people in America know that just because they are different doesn’t mean they are deficient,” Pierce said. “They have the capacity to do everything that the U.S. churches are doing.”

The trip was coordinated by the National African American Fellowship, SBC and the International Mission Board so that many Southern Baptist churches would be able to participate in the legacy of Liele in Jamaica. NAAF is a network of over 4,000 predominantly African American pastors and churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Pierce is the president of the Arizona African American Fellowship.

Churches or individuals who would like to participate in the long-term partnership with the Jamaican Baptist churches may contact the Arizona African American Fellowship for additional information.

Annually, the first Sunday in February is George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism, and Missions Sunday on the Southern Baptist Convention calendar. Churches may download resources from the IMB website to help celebrate African American and Black pioneers whose lives inspire the continuing legacy of sharing the gospel with the world.

Robin Talley, longtime Arizona Southern Baptist, is a former Last Frontier missionary with the International Mission Board.

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