In honor of Black History Month, The Companion presents the following list of published Covenant authors of African American descent, highlighting both their localized ministry impact and their literary influence on the Covenant church as a whole.
Dennis Edwards
Rev. Dr. Dennis Edwards currently serves as Dean and Vice President of Church Relations for North Park Theological Seminary, and is also a former pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a New Testament scholar, Rev. Edwards has published several books, the most recent of which is Humility Illuminated: The Biblical Path Back to Christian Character (IVP Academic, 2023). Writing in Covenant Quarterly, Rev. Brian Hui called it “a resource designed to be readily grasped… Edward’s exegesis is rigorous, and more importantly, his prose is personal.”
Dominique Gilliard
Rev. Dominique Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church. Before transitioning to this denominational role, Gilliard served as the executive pastor of New Hope Covenant Church in Oakland, California. He’s the author of multiple books, including the award-winning Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restores (IVP, 2018). His most recent book is Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege (Zondervan, 2021), which has been endorsed by a variety of Christian leaders, including Latasha Morrison, Jemar Tisby, and Rich Villodas, who called it a “a prophetic resource” and “a gift to the church.”
Jelani Greenidge
Jelani Greenidge currently serves the Evangelical Covenant Church on the Marketing and Communication team as Missional Storyteller, writing articles for our main publication channels, The Covenant Companion and our weekly email newsletter, CovChurchNow. He also serves as worship pastor for Access Covenant Church in Portland, Oregon. His latest book is Undercover Prophets: Pursuing Stand-Up Comedy to Talk About What Matters Most (Cascade Books, 2023) designed to help pastors own their stories and be better communicators. In an endorsement, Rev. Efrem Smith said it offered “vital insights for taking preaching from the sanctuary to the streets.” Jelani also performs Christian hip-hop music under the stage name G*Natural.
Darrell Griffin
Rev. Dr. D. Darrell Griffin is the senior pastor of Oakdale Covenant Church in Chicago, a role he has held for over 20 years. He is a deeply respected leader within the ECC, known for his work in spiritual direction and transitional leadership. Rev. Griffin is the author of Navigating Pastoral Leadership In The Transition Zone (Xulon Press, 2012). Dr. Russ Olmon, a ministry leader and coach, called the book “essential for any pastor or church leader who is serious about leading,” saying that it offers “innovative and practical transitional steps to help make changes.”
Georgia Hill
Rev. Georgia A. Hill is the founding pastor of LifeChurch Riverside, a church plant in Detroit Michigan, that’s part of the expanding LifeChurch network in the Evangelical Covenant Church. Prior to starting LifeChurch Riverside, Rev. Hill served for nearly two decades as associate pastor of Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit. In a prior vocational season, she also served her community as a licensed attorney. Rev. Hill is also the co-author, alongside Diane Proctor Reeder, of A Cloud of Women: The Powerful Connection between Black Women and Women of the Bible (Our Daily Bread Publishing, 2024).
Phil Jackson
Rev. Philip Jackson is the founder and lead pastor of The House Covenant Church in Chicago, where he has served since its inception as a hip-hop church plant. He’s also a commissioner in the Chicago Parks District. For over three decades, he has served youth in the north Lawndale neighborhood through initiatives like The Firehouse Community Arts Center, which provides mentorship and violence prevention. In 2005, he was, the co-author (alongside Rev. Efrem Smith) of The Hip-Hop Church: Connecting with the Culture (IVP), a seminal work engaging Christian theology and hip-hop culture. It was praised at the time by Gerard Henry of BET’s inspirational series Lift Every Voice, and also by Tommy Kyllonen (a.k.a. hip-hop artist Urban D), who called it “an encouraging and realistic picture of how the church can engage the culture and stay true to its biblical foundation.” In 2023, Phil was recognized for his leadership by Leaders for a New Chicago, a collaboration between the MacArthur Foundation and the Field Foundation. He also co-hosts the “Church on the Block” podcast on Holy Culture Radio, on the satellite radio channel SiriusXM 140.
Dieula Previlon
Rev. Dieula Previlon is an ordained minister with the Evangelical Covenant Church and founded ElevateHer International Ministries, which exists to help women flourish beyond their trauma. She previously served as associate pastor for Redeemer Evangelical Covenant Church in Carrollton, Texas. Rev. Previlon is also the author of Does God See Me?: How God Meets Us in the Center of Our Trauma-Healing Journey (NavPress, 2024), which builds on her testimony as a Haitian immigrant who came to the United States at a young age. Rev. Previlon has led trauma recovery efforts not only across the U.S. but globally, including stints in Haiti, Kenya, DR Congo, Uganda, and Brazil. Regarding Does God See Me, it’s been hailed as “conveying an immense depth of vulnerability and hope for restoration” by Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil. New Testament scholar Angela N. Parker said that Previlon’s book “bridges the gap between academic counseling concepts and everyday therapeutic practices.”
Efrem Smith
Rev. Dr. Efrem Smith is a sought-after speaker and pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and beyond. He currently serves as co-pastor of Midtown Church in Sacramento, California, was the founding pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, and previously served as superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference and President/CEO of World Impact. Efrem is also the published author of several books. In 2020, he published The Post-Black and Post-White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multi-Ethnic World (Fortress Press); his most recent work is Church for Everyone: Building a Multi-Inclusive Community for Emerging Generations (IVP, 2024), which he co-authored with Dan Kreiss. Rev. Smith is also the host of Rise of the Reconcilers, a video podcast on YouTube.
Nathan Walton
Rev. Dr. Nathan Walton is the co-lead pastor of East End Fellowship, a multiethnic and economically diverse worshipping community in Richmond, Virginia. He previously served as Executive Director of Abundant Life Ministries, a community development nonprofit in Charlottesville, and as Pastor of Formation and Discipleship at Charlottesville Vineyard Church, reflecting his long commitment to both parish ministry and holistic neighborhood transformation. Walton is also the author of the upcoming book Embodying God’s Multiethnic Kingdom: Live Out the Diversity of Heaven Every Day (IVP, scheduled for fall 2026). It’s for pastors, church leaders, and everyday Christians who desire to see a more unified church but feel overwhelmed or unsure of where to start.
David Washington
Rev. David A. Washington is the founding pastor of Kingdom Covenant Church, an urban ministry anchored in the Roseland community on the south side of Chicago. Prior to planting Kingdom Covenant, he also served as youth pastor at Oakdale Covenant Church under the leadership of Rev. D. Darrell Griffin. A native of the Roseland neighborhood, he serves his community with gospel-centered discipleship and outreach as a way of offering the same transformation through Jesus that he experienced as a young man. That story is the basis of his book Don’t Despise Our Youth: Renewing Hope for Urban Youth Ministry (InterVarsity Press, 2025), a warning and an exhortation to encourage churches not to abandon such transformational youth ministry. Rev. Harvey Carey of Citadel Church called it “a refreshing blend of scholarly research, real life experiences, and a panoramic look at urban youth ministry.” John Teter of Holy Faith Fellowship said Washington’s book “systematically teaches us how to overcome our age bias to make faithful and fruitful disciples of the next generation.”
