Meet the New Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church

By Journalist Dr. Ms. Jones

NEWBURGH – Rev. Dr. Charl E. McRae II, founder of United Nations Church in Phoenix, AZ, is the new Interim Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church. He is no stranger to them. He used to be the Minister of Music.

“I’m very, very excited [to be pastoring at Ebenezer] because it’s a full circle. Twenty years ago, I left Newburgh to come to Arizona to pursue as a Minister of Music for Progressive Baptist Church [with] Dr. Juan Brown. Ebenezer actually sent me for this assignment… April 4th, 2004 was my first Sunday in Arizona as Minister of Music,” said Pastor Dr. McRae II who also held various other jobs. “In 2012 I opened up United Nations Church. I was sitting in my office at The University of Phoenix and I heard the Lord tell me to resign… So, I was actually obedient and ever since then, I’ve been working for Jesus. It wasn’t easy… I resigned and trusted God. I opened up small businesses…. a landscaping business, sea moss, [and] behavioral health.”

Pastor Dr. McRae II still has his thriving behavioral health business which offers substance abuse assistance dealing with sobriety, anger management, parenting counseling, children counseling, and more. He also sells wild crafted organic sea moss, Immunity, in a variety of fruit flavors. He is a published author, releasing his first book in 2015 and several others since.

“For 13 years, I’ve never taken a paycheck from the church… I think visionaries figure out how not to eat off the back of the church, while regular people just look at it as a job or employment,” said Pastor Dr. McRae II who desires to build the church and implement programs.

Pastor Dr. McRae II is well educated and has earned more degrees than one can count on one hand. His grandfather Elder Joseph Williams was pastor of All Nations Church of the Living God on Johnston Street. But Pastor Dr. McRae II knows that being a pastor is more than walking in his footsteps.

“What’s on my life is a call from God. It helped me accept it easier, because I saw it ahead of me already, so I knew what it was. [He would have been] super proud,” said Pastor Dr. McRae II who wishes that he were able to see him following the call.

Pastor Dr. McRae II is pastoring both churches in Newburgh and Phoenix simultaneously. The Newburgh service is 11am every Sunday and every Wednesday at 6pm for Bible Study. When he is in Arizona, he will deliver The Word via Zoom in the sanctuary.

“The vision for the future is to grow, expand, empower, and create the future leaders of Newburgh,” said Pastor Dr. McRae II who is known for enabling believers to discover their spiritual gifts as well as equipping them for effective ministry.
Journalist Ms. Jones