JBC

The Reverend Dr. Emanuel Charles Harris 

Henrico and Richmond public school systems graduating Salutatorian from Armstrong High School. Next, he attended Virginia Union University receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting (Magna Cum Laude), and a Master of Divinity degree (Cum Laude) from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology. In the Spring of 2014 he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond.

Rev. Dr. Harris began his spiritual journey at an early age serving in many capacities of the church.  He matured under spiritual guidance and trained in home and St. Peter Baptist church when he accepted God's calling. He was licensed to preach the Gospel in 1993 from the Cedar Street Baptist Church of God, Richmond, Va., and ordained in 1998.  A faithful servant, Rev. Dr. Harris served as the Youth Minister at Cedar Street from 1994-1996 and Director of the Prison Ministry from 1996 to 2004, conducting services at the Powhatan State Prison. In 1998 he interned at the Springfield Baptist Church, Henrico County, VA.

Rev. Dr. Harris and his wife, First Lady Anne Shirelle Harris, embraced the opportunity to travel abroad to Accra, Ghana (West Africa) for education and seminary related studies in 1998.

A well equipped teacher and a preacher, Rev. Dr. Harris served as a Professor at Richmond Virginia Seminary, teaching several classes including Systematic Theology I &II, Church History I & II, the Book of Samuel, and the Book of Revelations from 2000-2004.

In the secular world, Rev. Dr. Harris was a bank examiner/auditor, budget analyst, and financial analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond from 1994 until 2007.

Prior to accepting the invitation to lead the Jerusalem Baptist Church in Goochland County, in November 2011, Rev. Dr. Harris was the senior pastor at New Fork Baptist Church, Fluvanna for eight years.

Aside from being a full time Pastor at Jerusalem, he is Past President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Goochland and Vicinity and First Vice President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Richmond and Vicinity.

What makes the journey special is the people God sends to accompany you along the way. Jerusalem is full of love and excitement to have Rev. Dr. Harris and his family serving with him, his wife First Lady Anne Shirelle Harris and their two children, Arayana and Emanuel, Jr.