Dr. Perry Simmons, Jr., Senior Pastor
Shiloh Baptist Church – Albany, GA
Dr. Perry Simmons, Jr., serves as Senior Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church in Albany, GA. He and the congregation of Shiloh demonstrate a commitment to its mission which states, " We are the people of God, called together to be the Body of Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit: to proclaim God's will, to love one another, to be instruments of salvation - preaching, teaching, worshiping, caring, sharing, growing and giving service through community outreach".
Dr. Simmons is a visionary leader and was called by God to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is cherished for his powerful spiritual truths in messages that are focused on scripture and winning souls for Christ. He is an activist, a counselor, a founder, a supporter, and a friend to all.
Dr. Simmons received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. While at Morris Brown College he excelled in athletics, later being inducted into the College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Dr. Simmons prepared himself for ministry by attending Caldwell College (now Caldwell University), in Caldwell, New Jersey where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Masters of Arts Degree in Pastoral Ministry and Counseling, and Newburgh Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana with a Doctorate of Ministry. In May 2008, Morris Brown College conferred upon Dr. Simmons the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
He was ordained August 29, 1973, and became the pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Moultrie, Georgia. Early in his ministry, he served as pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Waycross, Georgia.
In 1982 he became the Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey where he served for 34 years and 8 months. Upon retirement, he moved to Georgia and was soon called out of retirement to serve as an interim in 2018 and then a permanent pastor in 2019 for the Shiloh Baptist Church, a historical site, in Albany, Georgia.
Dr. Simmons serves with numerous educational and ministerial organizations throughout the city, state, and nation. He is the author of three books, “Have You Got Good Religion?”, “The Importance of Establishing a Black Christian Family,” and “Black Man, Where Art Thou?” along with over five thousand sermons and papers.
Dr. Simmons is devoted to family and seeks to strengthen the spiritual foundation of families in our communities. A native of Cairo, GA, he is the son of Mrs. Pinkie Norwood Simmons and the late Reverend Perry Simmons, Sr. He is a third-generation minister. Dr. Simmons was married to the late Emma Pinkney Simmons. He is a father and a grandfather.