Michael A. Walrond, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of First Corinthian Baptist Church (FCBC) in Harlem, New York. Walrond — affectionately known as Pastor Mike — is quickly rising as one of the most prolific and sought-after teachers and preachers in the country. Considered a visionary, cultural architect, and game-changer by his peers, Pastor Mike has not only catalytically changed the traditional perspective of the black church, but he is also shifting the paradigm of Christian understanding and culture. Within two years of his leadership at FCBC, the church experienced exponential growth, tripling its membership. Over the past thirteen years, membership at FCBC has grown from 300 to over 10,000 members.
Pastor Mike’s community and social justice initiatives include the Micah Clergy Roundtable of NYC, A.C.T. Social Justice Ministry, an anti-“stop and frisk” campaign, and helping to get the “New York City Living Wage” legislation passed through the City Council. He is a board member of the National Action Network (NAN) and was appointed the first National Director of the Minister’s Division. He serves as a Trustee and adjunct faculty member of Chicago Theological Seminary and currently serves as the Chair of The Board of Visitors at Duke University Divinity School. Walrond served as weekly columnist for the New York Amsterdam News for over two years.
Pastor Mike’s work has been recognized by The Harlem Torch, Positive Community Magazine, and The Amsterdam News, and he was named “One of the Lord’s Foot Soldiers” by Newsweek Magazine. Pastor Mike has received numerous honors, accolades, and recognitions including induction into the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers as a “Distinguished Preacher.” In 2014, Pastor Mike was recognized by The Root 100, a list of the top 100 most influential African Americans under the age of 45. In July 2015, Mayor Bill de Blasio named Pastor Mike as the first chair of the NYC Clergy Advisory Council.