Our Pastor
The Honorable Reverend Doctor Harlie Walden Wilson, II was called to be Pastor of the Israel Baptist Church of Baltimore City in April, 1977 and installed as Israel’s fifth Pastor on April 16, 1978.
Reverend Wilson’s achievements since his installation have been superlative. On February 18, 1978, Reverend Wilson, after only ten months in office, presented to the Church his goals and objectives. Today, he has accomplished over 98.9% of his original goals and continues to add new projections.
His accomplishments include: the implementation of a new financial system; an efficiently operated hi-technology church office; Mid-Week Worship Services; two Bible Study Classes; an Outreach Program and a Substance Abuse Ministry Program. He introduced a new mission to our church, “The Lott Carey Foreign Mission” and initiated an Early Morning Worship Service. There was such an overflow of congregants in the two Worship Services that Reverend Wilson added a third Morning Worship with the times being 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
On May 5, 1986, he was instrumental in the unity of Israel Baptist Church and Wayland Baptist Church in Holy Communion Service at Israel for a Joint Fellowship after seventy-eight (78) years of division. The split in the Israel Baptist Church congregation, which brought about the organizing of the Wayland Baptist Church, occurred in 1908.
In August, 1986, Reverend Wilson led the congregation into a newly renovated church and community house with a newly installed mechanical system at a cost of over one million dollars ($1,000,000.00).
In January, 1987, he implemented one of his very special goals, a Youth Ministry. With all groups combined, over 200 youth participated in The Youth Ministry which offered many areas of worship and Christian learning such as Sunday Church School; Weekly Bible Study Classes; The Rosebuds (Children’s Choir); Youth Missionaries; Youth Nurses; Human Relations Activities; Sports Activities; Christian Parenthood; Outreach Programs and Counseling.