A Big-Hearted Church at the Corner of 125th and Amsterdam
Antioch Baptist Church sits on the southwest corner of 125th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Harlem, where the city renamed the corner "Reverend Dr. Alfloyd Alston Way" in 2008 to honor the congregation's founding pastor. The church calls itself "The Church with a Big Heart," a phrase its current pastor uses often and that turns up in every introduction of the congregation. Inside, members describe a place built on prayer, the preached Word, community outreach and a holistic ministry that tends to spirit, mind and body alike.
From Fourteen Members to Eight Hundred
The Antioch story is rooted in a single Sunday in 1977, when the Reverend Dr. Alfloyd Alston, a North Carolina native with a BA in theology from Baltimore College of the Bible and Theological Seminary, gathered fourteen faithful followers to organize a new Baptist congregation in Harlem. Within two years the church had welcomed its first thousand members, with roughly two thirds coming through baptism. In 1981 the Metropolitan New York Baptist community honored Pastor Alston with a Doctor of Divinity for the congregation's rapid growth.
Antioch expanded into education and youth work in the 1980s. In September 1986 the church opened a Christian Academy, certified and licensed by New York State, to educate children in a religious setting. An after-school tutorial program with neighborhood school pickup launched in 1989, followed by a summer Youth Escape Program that mixed cultural events, arts and crafts, recreation and field trips. By August 1998 the youth department had more than doubled. In 2004 the church dedicated the Deacon Willie Dixon, Sr. Fellowship Hall, built by combining the dining room with the sanctuary and adding a floor for youth and senior programming, and named for a deacon whose service to the Antioch family spanned decades.
Pastor Alston was honored during his lifetime by mayors, borough presidents, state senators and Presidents of the United States for his work on Harlem's Community Board 9, as a clergy police chaplain for the 26th precinct, and through a business he founded, BBQ King, which supported community development and local jobs. On Friday, April 29, 2005, Pastor Alston entered eternal rest. Three years later, the city co-named the corner for him.
A Daughter at the Pulpit
On Sunday, September 11, 2005, Antioch installed the late pastor's daughter, the Reverend Dr. Shon T. Adkins, as his successor. She had been licensed to preach at Antioch on July 14, 1996, under her father's guidance, after earning a Bachelor of Science in Management from North Carolina A&T State University in 1988 and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University in 1996. She completed a Master of Divinity at Drew University in 2007 and returned for a Doctorate in Ministry, which she received in May 2018.
Pastor Adkins is known in the Harlem community as "The Pastor with a Big Heart" and "Pastor Shon." Her preaching and teaching are described as fresh, innovative and applicable to everyday life, and her ministry centers on equipping clergy and laypeople alike for wholeness and service. She has been married to Oliver Adkins, Jr. for more than three decades and is the mother of two adult children, Candyce and Joshua. Candyce Adkins serves the church as its clerk.
Two other clergy round out the pastoral team. Reverend LaKisha Williams leads the Youth Ministry, and Minister Ryan Gaskin serves as Associate Minister while also chairing the Men's Ministry and coordinating security.
Sunday Mornings at Antioch
Worship happens on Sundays only, beginning at 10:30am. Visitors are encouraged to arrive at least thirty minutes early to settle in. The service is livestreamed through the church's Facebook page so members traveling or unwell can join from home. For anyone considering making Antioch their church home, new membership classes meet on Sunday mornings at 9:30am. At the end of the 10:30am service, after the sermon, Pastor Adkins opens the doors of the church, and candidates can come forward either as baptized believers joining on their Christian experience or as candidates for baptism. New members who complete the classes, are baptized if applicable, and receive the right hand of fellowship become official members of Antioch.
Two conference call lines extend the church's reach through the week. A Morning Inspirational Call goes out weekday mornings at 6:30am Eastern, and a Youth and Young Adult Inspirational Call gathers on Saturdays at 9:30am. Both connect by dialing (605) 475-4000 and entering pin 167407#.
A Ministry for Every Generation
Antioch's ministry directory lists nearly every part of congregational life under named leadership. The Music Ministry is led by Evangelist Kimmy Jenkins, and the Ushers Ministry by Sister Hilda Hicks. The Diaconate Ministry is chaired by Deacon Darlene Wilson, who also co-chairs the Women's Ministry alongside Deacon Angela Cooley-White. The Men's Ministry is chaired by Minister Ryan Gaskin. The Missionary Ministry, led by Sister Yolanda Williams, keeps the church engaged in cross-cultural and global outreach, in keeping with Antioch's commitment to spreading the Gospel through all nations.
The Pastor's Aide Ministry, led by Trustee Tammy Cowan, supports the pastoral office, while the Greeting Committee, led by Trustee Lauretta Frieson, opens the doors for first-time and returning visitors. A Nurses' Ministry under Sister Vanessa Turnbull cares for members' health needs, a Media Ministry handles sound, video and streaming, and a Scholarship Ministry under Sister Cynthia Vail-Lowe invests in the educational journeys of young people in the church and beyond. Sunday School remains a cornerstone of formation for children and adults. The Youth Ministry under Reverend LaKisha Williams carries forward the vision Pastor Alston set in motion in the 1980s, encouraging young people to dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ both inside the church and out in the world.
Reaching Beyond the Walls
From its earliest days, Antioch has defined itself as a serving ministry. The fellowship hall hosts members, visiting congregations, families, businesses and community groups with food and hospitality, and the church opens its building to outside event hosts by request. The after-school tutorial program pioneered in 1989 continues to serve neighborhood children, and the church has hosted a Taste and Paint gathering in Harlem as one example of its community programming. Giving is supported through the Givelify app, by check made out to Antioch Baptist Church, and through the church's online giving link.
What Antioch Believes
Antioch's mission is to glorify God by preaching and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, serving with compassion, teaching God's Word and ministering to the whole person - spirit, mind and body - so that lives are changed and Christ is seen in all the church does. Its vision, drawn from Matthew 5:16, is to be a shining light in Harlem where God's love is lived out, hope is restored and people grow in faith through prayer, service and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Planning a Visit
The church sits at 515 W. 125th Street on Reverend Dr. Alfloyd Alston Way and can be reached at (212) 222-2324 or antiochbcclerk@gmail.com. Sunday worship begins at 10:30am; arriving by 10:00am gives first-time visitors time to find a seat and meet the Greeting Committee. The church also hosts international visitors and provides welcome information in Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. Whatever language a guest brings, the greeting at the door is the same: a warm Harlem welcome from a church that has been making itself at home on this corner for nearly fifty years.