Retrieving, resourcing, and renewing the Black evangelical witness for the global church.
How the Boothe Center Equips and Expands
The Boothe Center exists to equip students, strengthen local churches, and expand the academic conversation with the goal of renewing and reinvigorating the Black evangelical witness for the global church.
Our Core Initiatives
Fellowships
Scholars and pastors investing in MCS students through teaching, mentorship, and academic leadership.
Certificate Program
A four-course certificate highlighting the theological, historical, and spiritual riches of the African American Christian tradition.
Events
Academic and community gatherings that expand MCS’s impact locally and nationally.
Reprinting & Resources
Recovering and republishing overlooked works to preserve and amplify the voices of faithful
Black Christians.
Our Core Initiatives
Fellowships
Scholars and pastors investing in MCS students through teaching, mentorship, and academic leadership.
Certificate Program
A four-course certificate highlighting the theological, historical, and spiritual riches of the African American Christian tradition.
Events
Academic and community gatherings that expand MCS’s impact locally and nationally.
Reprinting & Resources
Recovering and republishing overlooked works to preserve and amplify the voices of faithful Black Christians.
Meet The Boothe Center Fellows
Housed within Memphis City Seminary's institutional structure, the Boothe Center for the Study of African American Christianity exists to retrieve, resource, and renew the evangelical witness of Black Christians within the global Christian tradition.
Walter R. Strickland II, B.A., M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D.
Boothe Center Senior Fellow
Dr. Walter Strickland is the Senior Fellow of the Boothe Center for the Study of African American Christianity and Associate Professor of Systematic and Contextual Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen. Dr. Strickland provides visionary leadership for the Boothe Center, advancing its mission to retrieve, resource, and renew the Black evangelical witness. A prolific author, he has written works including Swing Low Volumes 1 & 2, and serves as a teaching pastor at Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, NC. He is also a council member of The Gospel Coalition and co-host of White Horse Inn.
Sherelle Ducksworth, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D.
Boothe Center Academic Fellow
Dr. Sherelle Ducksworth is Assistant Professor of Christian Studies at Anderson University. A native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, she is committed to equipping the church through rigorous theology and pastoral sensitivity. Dr. Ducksworth holds a B.S. in Sociology from Mississippi Valley State, an M.S. in Sociology from Mississippi State, an M.A. in Theology from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her scholarship and teaching focus on the reliability of Scripture and the integration of theology with the lived experience of the church. She is married to Aaron Ducksworth.
Kelvin J. Washington, M.Div., Th.M., Ph.D.
Boothe Center Academic Fellow
Dr. Kelvin J. Washington serves as Lead Pastor of New Valley Church in Waynesboro, Virginia, his hometown where he now lives with his wife and three children. He brings a passion for preaching and theological depth to both his church and the classroom. Dr. Washington earned his M.Div. in Homiletics from Liberty University, then completed a Th.M. and Ph.D. in Theological Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His ministry centers on proclaiming Christ with clarity and equipping believers for faithful service. In addition to pastoral leadership, he regularly preaches at conferences and churches.
Rev. Rufus Smith IV, B.A., D.D. (Hon.)
Boothe Center Pastoral Fellow
Rev. Rufus Smith IV is Senior Pastor of Hope Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Memphis, where he has led since 2010. Under his leadership, Hope has grown into a multi-ethnic, multi-class, intergenerational congregation. He founded the Memphis Christian Pastor’s Network to foster unity and service among diverse clergy and chairs the Revelation 7:9 Taskforce, helping churches live out the Great Commission locally. Pastor Smith previously led The City of Refuge and founded The FORGE for Families. He studied Theology & Psychology at Houston Baptist University & holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Grove City College in Pennsylvania.
Give to The Boothe Center
The Boothe Center’s work is made possible through the generosity of those who believe in its mission. Your support sustains fellowships, courses, events, and the recovery of overlooked theological resources. Partner with us to be a part of ensuring this vital tradition continues to shape leaders for generations to come.