Rev. Dr. William C. Calhoun Sr. BA. M.Div., D.Min.

Rev. Dr. William C. Calhoun, Sr. is a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, son of the late William Taylor Calhoun and Myrtle Scott Johnson. With Christian beginnings in the St. John AME Church of Frankfort, he later in 1961 gave his life to Christ and was baptized under the ministry of the late Rev. Dr. K.L. Moore, Jr. at the First Baptist Church. When his family moved to Rantoul, Illinois in the mid-sixties, he continued his Christian journey at First Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Dr. Roger E. Compton. Active in the youth ministry and music ministry of the church, Dr. Calhoun matriculated at Judson College (now University) a Christian liberal arts institution located in Elgin, Illinois outside of Chicago. 

 Rev. Calhoun, during his freshman year returned to Rantoul, Illinois and received his license to preach the gospel in December 1968. After being accepted on academic probation initially, he later graduated from Judson with the highest honor award from that College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971 graduating in 3 years rather than the traditional four. He has since been awarded as an Alumnus of the Year and served on its Board of Trustees.

 His passion for music and preaching did not wane as he continued at the Graduate School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond. It was here that he became the Assistant Pastor at the Moore St. Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. G. G. Campbell. He graduated from Virginia Union with his Master of Divinity Degree in May of 1974. It was at Moore St. Baptist Church where he met the love of his life, Sister Philathia Reese-Calhoun and they married in October 1974. From this union they have one son, William C. Calhoun, Jr.

In April of 1974, Dr. Calhoun was ordained to the gospel ministry returning to the place of his birth and his church, First Baptist Church of Frankfort under the leadership of the late Dr. K. L. Moore, Jr. Pastor Calhoun was the first of sons-in- the-ministry from First Baptist to be ordained by First Baptist Church under Dr. Moore. 

He was called to the Trinity Baptist Church of Baltimore, Maryland a few months later and began as pastor in July 1974.

Dr. Calhoun has served as the President of the Progressive Baptist Convention of Maryland twice. He incorporated the convention and has remained faithful to the mission of Progressive Baptists.

In 1990 Dr. Calhoun earned the Doctor of Ministry Degree at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa. For 22 years he was producer and host of the weekly ecumenical television ministry called Lift Every voice on WMAR TV2 the ABC affiliate in Baltimore.

He currently serves as the President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Metropolitan Baltimore. He is a professor of Urban Theology at the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary and University. He is a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

He was recently reappointed by Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland to the Maryland Transportation Authority Board.

Rev. Dr. Calhoun currently serves as the Dean of New Pastors and Churches of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, succeeding his late pastor, Rev. Dr. K.L. Moore, Jr. 

 As one who has trained men and women for Christian ministry, he firmly believes that today’s clergy must have a genuine love for Christ, a great love for the people, be academically trained, speak truth to power, liberate those who are oppressed, and be a person of ethical and moral integrity. The theological underpinning of ministry for him is found in Micah 6:8: He hath shown thee o man what is good and what does the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.