Baltimore Born. Morgan State Bred. Global in Impact.

(BALTIMORE – February 26, 2026) – Bishop John Richard Bryant is not simply a preacher — he is a pillar. A son of Baltimore who carried this city’s spiritual legacy across continents, Bishop Bryant has spent more than 55 years proclaiming the Gospel with clarity, conviction, and commanding presence.

Born and raised in Baltimore, educated at Baltimore City College and Morgan State University, Bishop Bryant represents the very best of this city’s intellectual and spiritual tradition. After earning his B.A. in 1965, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, expanding both his worldview and his ministry footprint. He later earned advanced degrees in theology from Boston University School of Theology and Colgate Rochester Divinity School, preparing for a lifetime of transformative leadership.

In 1988, at the General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, he was elected and consecrated the 106th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church — one of the denomination’s highest honors. His episcopal assignments would take him to West Africa, Texas, the Midwest, and India, where he helped expand the A.M.E. Church’s global footprint and strengthen institutions of faith, education, and economic empowerment.

But Baltimore remembers him most vividly for what happened in 1975.

When Bishop Bryant was assigned to Bethel A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, the congregation flourished under his leadership, growing into the thousands. His ministry blended theological depth with vibrant worship expression, helping to usher charismatic renewal into the traditionally liturgical A.M.E. Church. Many regard him as a pioneering architect of Neo-Pentecostal expression within Black Methodism — a transformational force who reshaped worship culture while maintaining denominational integrity.

His legacy is also generational.

He is the son of the late Bishop Harrison James Bryant and Edith Holland Bryant. He is the father of Jamal Harrison Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, and Thema Bryant-Davis, a renowned psychologist, author, and former president of the American Psychological Association. Influence runs deep in the Bryant bloodline.

For many in Baltimore’s faith community, Bishop Bryant’s name has always carried weight. Revivals that crossed denominational lines. A preaching style that stirred intellect and spirit alike. A presence that commanded rooms from pulpits to conference halls across five continents.

Even after retiring from active episcopal leadership in 2016, Bishop Bryant continues to mentor clergy, preach nationally, and serve as a spiritual statesman within the A.M.E. Church.

Tonight, Baltimore honors one of her own.

Kevin Scott of Benedetto Haberdashery is proud to celebrate Bishop John Richard Bryant — a giant of faith, a global ambassador of Black excellence, and a true pillar of Baltimore’s enduring legacy.

📅 Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 119 W. Mulberry Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
🎟 RSVP: blackwallstreetbenedetto.eventbrite.com
🤝 Special Thanks to R. E. Harrington

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