Washington, D.C. – In the April 5 passing of Dr. Gardner C. Taylor, the world has lost one of the greatest preachers that ever lived. The Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. (PNBC) family has lost the man who most embodied the Progressive spirit and ideals. We will greatly miss him, but his influence will live on through our work and our witness.
“For me and many generations of preachers, Dr. Taylor was a role model, a teacher, and a father figure. His passing is the end of an era. While he was a great preacher, he was also a great leader. Dr. Taylor was a counselor and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and in that fashion; he helped to shape the Civil Rights Movement,” states Dr. James C. Perkins, President, PNBC.
The PNBC will continue its work in wedding spirituality and the gospel message of social justice as Dr. Taylor so greatly exemplified. We extend our prayers and condolences to his wife, Phyllis, and the entire Taylor family, as well as Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, NY, where he was Pastor Emeritus and served as Senior Pastor for over 40 years.
The Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc. founded in 1961, has an estimated membership of 2.5 million worldwide with more than 1.5 million members residing in the United States.
