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Third Baptist Church of Chicago

A Powerful Legacy of Faith, Leadership & Action

Third Baptist Church of Chicago has been blessed with great visionary leaders who have propelled the church forward for its 58 years. These pastors, theologians, and dynamic leaders answered God’s call to take courageous and bold steps to serve, guide, and communicate a clear vision for the church that enables the people and community to embrace, connect to, and live out that vision.  

 

Third Baptist Church of Chicago’s leaders has created a powerful legacy that stands on and proclaims the Word of God. Each pastoral leader serves as a pillar in the community, providing local and national advocacy, resources, growth, and development for lasting results.  To God be the Glory!

Third Baptist Church of Chicago

A Timeline of Our Legacy

1900

Reverend Elmer L. Fowler

Foundering Pastor

Third Baptist Church of Chicago

1963 – 1992

Reverend Elmer L. Fowler is the Founding Pastor of Third Baptist Church of Chicago. He organized the church in March of 1963 with eight members and built it into one of the largest churches on Chicago’s south side.  He served as pastor until December of 1992, when he turned over the mantle of leadership to Rev. Dr. Alan V. Ragland.

Fowler didn’t just stand behind the pulpit; he worked to enhance and serve the community. He was among leaders in the 1960’s and 1970’s who brought African American businesspeople in the community together to meet and learn about one another.

Reverend Elmer Fowler was known throughout Chicagoland and the nation as a committed pastor, a civil rights activist, a renowned public leader, and a passionate historian of African American culture through photographs.

Learn More about Reverend Elmer L. Fowler
1963

Reverend Dr. Alan Vincent Ragland

Pastor Emeritus

Third Baptist Church of Chicago

1992 – 2018

Reverend Dr. Ragland is a recognized local, national and international theologian, scholar, and preacher.  Dr. Ragland became the second pastor in the history of Third Baptist Church of Chicago, founded by Reverend Elmer L. Fowler. 

Pastor Emeritus Ragland has served as a board member of several theological institutions, including McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL; Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, NC; and Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, NY. Locally, Dr. Ragland was a founding member of United Power for Action and Justice.

He is father-in-ministry to men and women in various clergy roles in Chicago and nationally and has worked extensively for lay and ministerial development.

Learn More about Reverend Dr. Alan Vincent Ragland
1992

Reverend T. D. Hughes

Senior Pastor

Third Baptist Church of Chicago

2018 – Present

T.D. Hughes is a 21st-century inspirational leader who served as Associate Pastor of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry, and on March 24, 2019, was inducted as the third Senior Pastor of Third Baptist Church of Chicago.

A respected leader in the business community, Hughes began a banking career in 2001 at Seaway National Bank. Hughes began a banking career in 2001 at Seaway National Bank, under the leadership of the late Jacoby Dickens. He elevated to Sr. Associate V. P. of J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank, providing strategic solutions and wealth management for clients in the Ultra High Net worth Division. His credentials include FINRA and NASAA series 6, 7, 63, 65 securities and State of Illinois licenses. His dedication to clients is mirrored in his continued commitment to the community, where he provides financial literacy workshops for individuals and organizations. 

Academically he graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Speech and English from Chicago State University. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity from Northern Theological Seminary, with Magna Cum Laude honors, and is currently working towards his Doctorate in 2023.

In the pulpit, Rev. Hughes is a prolific preacher who stirs the hearts of those who hear him with his open and honest delivery of the Word of God. “I am inspired to leave a positive mark and legacy on the community, city, and world by building a vibrant and impactful ministry that meets people where they are.”

T.D. Hughes is married to Tonisha K. Hughes, and they are the proud parents of Mia Madison Hughes and Kai Brooklyn Hughes.

Learn More about Reverend T.D. Hughes

1551 West 95th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60643

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Reverend Elmer L. Fowler

Founding Pastor | Third Baptist Chicago

1963 – 1993

This great man that God commissioned made an everlasting impact on the life of all that he encountered.  Born July 8, 1919, in Little Rock, Arkansas, Elmer L. Fowler was the fourth of five children. From a very  early age, Elmer was intrigued and committed to education and the institution of learning.  

In the 1940’s God began to call Fowler to work with various churches and ministries on the Southside of  Chicago. His work in the Church built valuable ties with key ministerial leaders throughout the Chicago  community. From 1958 to 1962, Reverend Fowler served as the assistant to late Reverend N.C. Lundford,  senior pastor of Providence Baptist Church. Throughout his work in the Church, the hand of God was  heavy upon him. Fowler was always thanking and praising God for the Holy Spirit and is frequently referred to as “a great man of holiness.” The Holy Spirit led Reverend Fowler to organize the Third Baptist  Church of Chicago (TBCoC) with only $14.00 and eight eager members. On Easter Sunday in 1963, he  preached the inaugural service as Senior Pastor of Third Baptist Church of Chicago. 

Fowler began Third Baptist in a building at 938 West 69th Street, and in 1979 the Church bought the  abandoned Beverly Theatre at 95th Street and Ashland Avenue. Within a few years, Fowler built the  campus and acquired property across the street from the Church that later became Heritage Plaza, a  banquet facility and gallery for Fowler’s collection of reproduced and original photographs. Among the  subjects of the photographs are the 1965 march led by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. from Selma to  Montgomery, Alabama, including Reverend Fowler; King’s 1968 funeral; and numerous noteworthy  African Americans from throughout history. 

Throughout his 43 years of preaching, Reverend Fowler remained humble, tremendously devoted, and  rooted in his cause. He stayed grounded in teaching the spiritual manifestations of the Lord because the  Lord had shown him what he would build one day with his people. 

During a trip to Jerusalem in 1952, Reverend Fowler described an encounter with God that would manifest  a vision that holds a place in religious history forever. While standing on the banks of the Nile River, an  image emerged of the Holy Rood, and three crosses appeared. When he returned to Chicago, he had an  artist bring the God-given vision to life. 

From 1964 to 1979, Reverend Fowler worked continually by the Word and inspiration of God to grow an  infant congregation of eight motivated members into a 3,500-member church from all walks of life.  Equally astonishing was his ability to create a multi mega Church campus that included the current TBCoC  home, Heritage Plaza Banquet Facility, and the newly built TBCoC Life Center, a 57,000 square foot  education and recreational facility. 

Reverend Fowler did not only stand behind the pulpit and preach; he went out into the community. He  actively helped bring African American businesses into the community, and he educated his congregation  on the importance of supporting those businesses. He served as president of the Southside NAACP,  established support for numerous organizations and awards, and raised capital for many worthwhile  community causes and efforts. 

Reverend Fowler was a consummate civil rights advocate who helped found the Peggy Kauffman  Friendship House, a shelter for the homeless, and the former Englewood Community Health 

Organization. In 1943 he established the Dorie Miller Award in honor of the African American mess  worker who, while aboard the USS West Virginia during the attack on Pearl Harbor, moved his wounded  captain to safety and then shot down several Japanese planes. The award recognizes contributions  toward the progress of African Americans. Past recipients include Jesse Owens, Eleanor Roosevelt,  Jackie Robinson, and Archbishop John Cody. 

Reverend Fowler ran a tremendous race and remained faithful to God even though his health began to  fail him over time. He loved Third Baptist Church of Chicago and all the members, but he came to realize  that his time of leadership within the Church was coming to a close and that the Lord would soon be  calling him home. He prayed for a willing shepherd to pass the torch, and in 1993 the Lord delivered  Reverend Dr. Alan Vincent Ragland, his chosen successor, to continue the lifelong vision for the Church. 

In 2003 Reverend Elmer L. Fowler departed this earthly plane and went home to be with the Lord. His  legacy, work, and love remain strong and powerful at Third Baptist Church of Chicago, worldwide, and  with the Kingdom of God.

Reverend Dr. Alan Vincent Ragland

Pastor Emeritus | Third Baptist Chicago

1992-2018

Reverend Alan Vincent Ragland, DMin. became the second pastor of Third Baptist Church of Chicago  (TBCoC), succeeding founding pastor Rev. Elmer L. Fowler in November 1992. Ragland’s tenure was for  twenty-six (26) years, ending November of 2018. He graduated from the University of Memphis (BA),  Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (MDiv.), and McCormick Theological Seminary (DMin.). As an  ordained minister of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Churches,  USA, Dr. Ragland’s ministerial experiences have included serving as a hospital director of Pastoral Care, a  full-time seminary faculty member, and pastor of New Fellowship Baptist Church, all in his hometown of  Memphis, TN. During his TBCoC tenure, Pastor Ragland continued to be active in theological education  through adjunct instruction, field education supervision, and seminary board membership at several ATS  accredited theological schools. 

Key TBCoC Highlights and Pastoral Impact:

  • Discipleship Training: Over 1,500 discipleship class participants across twenty-five (25) years.
  • Physical Plant Development: Church mortgage capital campaign, planning and construction of  the TBCoC Life Center, and additional sanctuary and Heritage Plaza Banquet Facility renovations.
  • Leadership Development: Ministers-In-Training classes to nurture over thirty(30) persons who  were called into ministry and the inclusion and ordination of women as both ministers and  deacons. 
  • Care Ministries: Clergy Outreach and Visitation; GriefShare; Stephen Ministries; Seniors Nursing  Home Worship and Outreach; Caregivers Support Ministry; Prayer Shawl Ministry.
  • Congregational Ministry Development: Annual Scholarship Awards, Jail Visitation Ministry, Youth  Ministry and Youth Church, Young Adult Ministry, Rites of Passage for Teens, Boy and Girl Scout  Troops, Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Community Basketball League, Sewing Ministry, Christian Education Department, Praise Dance Ministry, Mime Ministry, CHIME Exercise program  for seniors, and Adult Steppers Dance Classes.
  • Organizational Expansions: Increased administrative support staff and established two non-profit  organizations – Heritage Community Development Corporation and Quantum Faith NFP.
  • Missional Footprint Enlargement: United Power for Action and Justice, congregation-based  community organizing; Interfaith Worshipping Partnership with B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim  Synagogue (BJBE); Ghana Baptist Convention Missional Partnership with American Baptist  Churches of Metro Chicago; TBCoC Food Pantry; Sociable Seniors and Retirees; One Church One  School, partnership with Vanderpoel Elementary; M. L. King, Jr. National Monument Committee;  Foster Grandparents for Latch-key school children; ALIVE! partnership of churches with Rush  University Medical Center and National Institutes of Health on improving health equity in African American communities.

Alan V. Ragland is married to Barbara Ollie Ragland, Ph.D., who has been his life-long partner in ministry.  She is the Founder and President of The Lydia Group Institute: Faith-Based Strategies For Congregational  Agility, where he serves as Vice President. They are the proud parents of one daughter, Melanie Loren, a  professional actor whose stage name is Melanie Loren. 

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COVID-19 Information

According to the CDC

Quarantine

Quarantine if you have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19, unless you have been fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. However, fully vaccinated people should get tested 5-7 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19

Most people do not require testing to decide when they can be around others; however, if your  healthcare provider recommends testing, they will let you know when you can resume being around  others based on your test results. 

For Anyone Who Has Been Around a Person with COVID-19

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should quarantine for 14 days after  their last exposure to that person, except if they meet the following conditions: Someone who has been fully vaccinated and shows no symptoms of COVID-19 does not need  to quarantine. However, fully vaccinated close contacts should: 

  • Wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until a negative test result.
  • Get tested 5-7 days after close contact with someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
  • Get tested and isolate immediately if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. 

Someone who tested positive for COVID-19 with a viral test within the previous 90 days and has  subsequently recovered and remains without COVID-19 symptoms does not need to quarantine.  However, close contacts with prior COVID-19 infection in the previous 90 days should: 

  • Wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days after exposure. 
  • Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and isolate immediately if symptoms develop.
  • Consult with a healthcare professional for testing recommendations if new symptoms develop. 

Domestic Travel During COVID-19 (Fully Vaccinated People) What You Need to Know

  •  Delay travel until you are fully vaccinated. 
  • Check your destination’s COVID-19 situation before traveling. State, local, and territorial  governments may have travel restrictions in place. 
  • Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required in indoor areas of public transportation  (including airplanes) and indoors in U.S. transportation hubs (including airports). • Do not travel if you have been exposed to COVID-19, you are sick, or if you test positive for  COVID-19. 
  • If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, get tested both before and after your trip.

During Travel, Masks Required

Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth is required in indoor areas of public transportation  (including on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within,  or out of the United States and while indoors at U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and  stations. Travelers are not required to wear a mask in outdoor areas of a conveyance (like on  open deck areas of a ferry or the uncovered top deck of a bus).

Protect Yourself and Others

Follow all state and local health recommendations and requirements at your destination,  including wearing a mask and staying 6 feet (2 meters) apart from others. 

Travelers 2 years of age or older should wear masks in indoor public places if they are:  not fully vaccinated 

  •  fully vaccinated and in an area with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission o fully vaccinated and with weakened immune systems 
  •  In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded  outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully  vaccinated like an outdoor festival or sporting event. 

Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol). 

After Travel

You might have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. You might feel well and not have any  symptoms, but you can still be infected and spread the virus to others. People who are not fully  vaccinated are more likely to get COVID-19 and spread it to others. For this reason, CDC  recommends taking the following precautions after returning from travel. 

Domestic Travel During COVID-19 (NOT fully vaccinated people) RECOMMENDED Self-quarantine and get tested after travel:

  •  Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after returning from travel. 
  • Check for COVID-19 testing locations near you  
  • Stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if you test negative at 3-5  days. 
  • If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.