About

C. Dennis Edwards I, a native of the city of Little Rock, Arkansas, since the age of fifteen, he has preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and has been pastoring since the age of nineteen. In October 1968, Reverend C. Dennis Edwards, full of youthful vigor, divinely called, and gifted with the ability to preach, teach, and lead, was elected. Under his leadership, the church experienced significant spiritual and educational growth, expanding to over one thousand members. Numerous organizations and ministers were incorporated into the church's program, with a strong emphasis on family and Christian education. The church continued to grow numerically and spiritually. In 1997, Pastor answered the call to pastor in Cincinatti, Ohio. During the transition period, our church continued in growth, through finance, fellowship, membership, and the Holy Spirit. 

In March 2007, Pastor C. Dennis Edwards I verbally committed to return to St. John and was installed as Pastor on May 13, 2007. Although the aim of the church was and is still good; the focus of the New Renaissance is our Mission and the Vision Statement given by Pastor Edwards.

• Our Mission: To advance the kingdom of our Savior through the preaching of the Gospel, the support of missions, and other acts of charity while helping all who come to believe to become fully developing disciples of Jesus Christ by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
• Vision Statement: We envision a church living up to the challenge of the Lord Jesus Christ to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and that is an agent for renewal and development of the surrounding community and beyond.

A product of the Little Rock Public Schools and of Arkansas Baptist College, Pastor Edwards has served on many Boards including Chairman of the Corporate Board of the Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Arkansas Baptist College, and President of the Consolidated Missionary Baptist State Convention of Arkansas, Inc.

He received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Arkansas Baptist College, and an Honorary Doctor of Letters from the Philander Smith College (now Philander Smith University). Over the years he has received numerous awards. Among them are citations from the United States Postal Service, the City of Little Rock, Arkansas State Senate and Arkansas State House of Representatives, the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and congratulatory letters from United States President William Jefferson Clinton, and President Barack Obama.

He has preached the length and breadth of this country and has conducted revivals abroad in Malawi, Africa and Camp Walker, South Korea (U.S. Army). He has been privileged to serve as pastor of the St. Peter’s Rock Baptist Church of Cato, Arkansas, the Southern Baptist Church of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the St. John Missionary Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas where he has served for 46 years. He and his wife Corley are the parents of seven adult children.