Our Pastors

Reverend Dr. Charles B. Jackson, Sr.
Senior Pastor

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

pastor jackson

Dr. Charles B. Jackson, Sr., a native of West Columbia, South Carolina, attended the public schools of Lexington County School District#2, the former Lakeview Elementary School, and Brookland Cayce High School, where he graduated in 1970 with honors. He continued his academic career at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics. While at Benedict, he received the Distinguished Mathematics and Physics Award for the highest academic average in those respective areas. After graduating from Benedict, he pursued seminary studies at the Morehouse School of Religion of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 1977 he graduated with honors receiving his Master of Divinity Degree (M. Div.). He was presented the Distinguished Board of Directors Award from the Morehouse School of Religion for High Academic Achievement. In August 1978, he completed one year of certification of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education at the South Carolina Academy for Pastoral Education. On May 12, 1985, Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina conferred upon him the Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree. On May 12, 2007, Benedict College conferred upon him an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.  December 14, 2018, he received a Doctor of Divinity from Columbia International University and on December 17, 2018, he received a Doctor of Public Service from the University of South Carolina. 


Dr. Jackson acknowledged the call and began preaching at the age of nine (9); was licensed at age ten (10); ordained at twelve (12); and at eighteen (18) was installed as Pastor of his home church, Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, South Carolina, where he has humbly served for fifty (53) years. The church has over sixty ministries, a full service Federal Credit Union, the Brookland Foundation, the Brookland Center for Community Economic Change, the Brookland-West Columbia Community Housing Development Corporation, and the Brookland Community Pediatric Center which is a collaborative effort with the Eau Claire Cooperative.

In May 1999, Dr. Jackson led Brookland into a new sanctuary that seats 2,300 and in September 2005, led the completion of a 68,000 square foot Community Resource Center consisting of an Academy Child Development Center, a Health and Wellness Center and a Banquet and Conference Center. On March 28, 2008 the Lexington District II School Board awarded Brookland the former Lakeview/Northside School that Dr. Jackson attended for 10 years and now converted to the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center. On December 11, 2020, The legacy of the former Lakeview School — a community cornerstone now affixed between North, Batchelor and Senn Streets — was sealed in South Carolina’s archives as the first historically segregated African American school to receive a state marker in Lexington County. 

 On October 5, 2008 Brookland became one church in two locations, adding a Brookland Baptist Church Northeast location. Reverend Dr. Christopher Leevy Johnson is the Northeast Campus Pastor. On November 1, 2020 Brookland completed the construction of a 35,800 square feet Christian Learning Center which includes a 18,000 square feet Youth and Teen Center. Dr. Jackson has a partnership in ministry with the Providence Baptist Church, Dr. Samuel Reeves, Pastor, and a weekly radio broadcast in Liberia, West Africa. As a result of the Church’s Economic Empowerment Initiative, over 190 persons are employed in Brookland’s ministry. Dr. Jackson has trained and mentored 18 sons and 1 daughter who currently pastor in the Midlands of South Carolina. A total of 77 ministers have sat under his leadership during the 50 years of his pastorate.

Dr. Jackson has held and still holds membership in a number of denominational, civic and community organizations. A few of them include former president of the South Carolina Baptist Congress of Christian Education and the Gethsemane Baptist Congress of Christian Education, Past Moderator of the Gethsemane Baptist Association, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Golden Square Lodge #283, NAACP, 100 Black Men of Greater Columbia, and the Cayce-West Columbia Rotary Club. He serves or has served on the Boards of the Capital City Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Morehouse School of Religion, Lexington Medical Center Foundation, Lexington County Health Services District and Board of Visitors for the University of South Carolina. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Morris College in Sumter, SC. In 2011, he was inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame.

He holds numerous local and national awards, has preached throughout the United States and has delivered lectures at more than twenty (20) colleges and universities. On March 31, 2011 he gave the opening prayer as guest chaplain for the U. S. House of Representatives. In 2001, Governor Jim Hodges awarded him the Order of the Palmetto, the highest honor that the State of South Carolina confers upon its citizens.  In January 2018, he was awarded the Jefferson Award from WACH Fox 57 for his philanthropic service to the community.

Dr. Jackson is married to the former Robin Hoefer, and the father of two children, Rev. Charles B. Jackson Jr., Co-Pastor of the Brookland Baptist Church, Columbia, SC and Attorney Candace Shiver (Rodrick), Managing Partner of The Shiver Group, LLC and six grandchildren Kayla, Charles III, Caleb, Carter, Rodrick II, and Carrigan Faith.

Co-Pastor Rev. Charles B. Jackson, Jr.

Co-Pastor
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH


Charles B. Jackson, Jr. was born to Mrs. Robin and Reverend, Dr. Charles B. Jackson, Sr. on December 25, 1978.  He and his sister, Attorney Candace Shiver were raised in Columbia, South Carolina, and referred in the Richland District One School System.  Reverend Jackson graduated with honors from A.C. Flora High School in 1996.  He is also a 2000 Cum Laude graduate of South Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management  and participated in several college activities, including the SCSU Concert Choir, Student Government Association, and Men's Basketball Team; along with pledging Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated and Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. 

Reverend Jackson continued his education at the Morehouse School of Religion on the campus of the ITC in Atlanta, Georgia, where he graduated with Honors and earned the Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Homiletics in 2003.  He is a Fall 2002 inductee into the Theta Phi National Honor Society for Seminary Students and is currently pursuing the Doctor of Ministry degree.  He was presented the Memphis Award for Academic Excellence and nominated by The African American Pulpit as one of the Nations Top 40 Seminarians.

Reverend Jackson received his license to preach the Gospel at the age of 21, and was officially ordained into the ministry on August 14, 2002.  He was called to Pastor the New Laurel Street Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina in 2003, where he happily served as Spiritual Leader for 20 years.  In October 2023 he transitioned back to his home Church, the Brookland Baptist Church, where he humbly serves as Co-Pastor with his Father who is the Senior Pastor.  Reverend Jackson has held several offices in the local Gethsemane Baptist Association, the South Carolina State Education and Missionary Baptist Convention and the Progressive National Baptist Convention.  He has served on several boards and community organizations, including the United Way Board of Directors, SC Department of Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, South Carolina State University Board of Visitors, and is Clinically Certified by Palmetto Health.  He currently serves on the Lexington Medical Center Board of Directors and is also Spiritual Advisor and Chaplain for the University of South Carolina Football team. 

Reverend Jackson is married to the Former TeErica Taylor from Columbia, and they are the proud parents of seven wonderful children.  His favorite quote and firm conviction is "Everybody can be Great, because Everybody can Serve." He believes that his God-given mission for ministry is to "love, liberate and lift up all of God's people by leading them to Christ and living the truth of the Gospel." He is constantly encouraged by his most empowering passage of Scripture: Philippians 1:6, "...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion...!"

Northeast Campus Pastor

REVEREND CHRIS LEEVY JOHNSON

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The Reverend Chris Leevy Johnson is the husband of Cynthia Richardson Johnson, the father of Leah Denise and Ian Samuel and the son of Attorney I. S. Leevy and the late Doris Wright Leevy Johnson.  Born in Columbia, South Carolina, he is a 1996 Honor graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  While attending the University of North Carolina, he served as a Manager for the Men’s Basketball Team and during his senior year, he was the Head Manager for legendary Coach Dean Smith.  He was also initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

 

After graduating from the University of North Carolina, Reverend Leevy Johnson attended Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science, graduating with an Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science.  He has a Masters Degree and an earned Ph.D. in American History with a concentration in African-American Religion from the University of South Carolina.    He served as an Adjunct Professor of African-American History for 12 years at the University and an additional 15 years as the Chaplain for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams at the University of South Carolina.  A fourth generation funeral director, he is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer and is the Managing Director of the Leevy’s Funeral Home. He concurrently is the Assistant Head Coach for Football and Basketball at Ridge View High School in Columbia, South Carolina. 

Reverend Leevy Johnson was ordained by the Brookland Baptist Church where Reverend Charles B. Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor and currently serves at the Campus Pastor of Brookland Baptist Church, Northeast; a thriving ministry in the Northeast community of Columbia, South Carolina.  He has served on various boards and commissions including: Board of Directors for the Brookland Foundation; Board of Directors for the Columbia Community Development Foundation, Board of Directors of the Township Auditorium and Board of Directors for the Central Carolina Community Foundation    His faith is sustained by the promise in Romans 8:28 “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

He has served on various boards and commissions including: Board of Directors for the Brookland Foundation; Board of Directors for the Columbia Community Development Foundation, Board of Directors of the Township Auditorium and Board of Directors for the Central Carolina Community Foundation    His faith is sustained by the promise in Romans 8:28 “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”