Pastor

 

Rev. Dr. Jonathan Z. Butler is a pastor, theologian, scholar, and community leader whose ministry bridges pulpit and public service. As the Senior Pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church, he brings a deep commitment to preaching, spiritual formation, and justice-rooted ministry. With a pastoral heart and a prophetic voice, he leads with humility, vision, and a lifelong passion for the church.

 

Born and raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Dr. Butler’s journey began in the bosom of the Black Baptist church. Raised by devout parents and nurtured by a congregation of preachers, deacons, and “Mothers of the Board,” he learned early the sacred value of community and the power of faith. His early spiritual formation was marked by active participation, deep curiosity, and a growing sense that God had called him for something greater.

 

Dr. Butler pursued his Bachelor of Business Administration at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. It was there, under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Dr. Marcus D. Cosby at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, that he experienced a profound spiritual awakening. Immersed in preaching, study, and worship, he began to discern a clear call to ministry. Though majoring in marketing and communications, his spiritual appetite led him to a hunger for theology, and his life trajectory began to shift toward full-time ministry.

 

Dr. Butler enrolled at Howard University School of Divinity, where his theological foundation deepened. While at Howard, he also served as an associate minister at Alfred Street Baptist Church under Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, preaching not only in the sanctuary but in jails and community settings. His studies awakened a deeper calling—to explore the intersection of faith, health, and social systems. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in Medical Sociology from Howard University, specializing in the connection between religion and health outcomes in Black communities.

 

During this time, he became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, where he continues to uphold the fraternity’s core principles of scholarship, service, and advocacy.

 

After completing his doctorate, Dr. Butler accepted a postdoctoral appointment at the University of California, San Francisco, conducting groundbreaking research on religion and cardiovascular disease. But he never strayed from the church. He joined Third Baptist Church of San Francisco—drawn by the dynamic preaching and justice work of Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown—and began serving in multiple capacities: teaching Bible Study and Sunday School, leading worship, caring for the sick and shut-in, preaching regularly, and managing nonprofit ministry initiatives.

 

Dr. Butler currently serves as President of the San Francisco NAACP,  former inaugural Chair of the San Francisco Homelessness Oversight Commission, Vice Chair of the San Francisco Interfaith Council and Executive Director of the San Francisco African American Faith Based Coalition. In these roles, he champions civil rights, public health, and affordable housing—always drawing on his faith as the foundation for action. 

 

In 2025, Dr. Butler was named a Leonard I. Beerman Foundation Fellow for Peace and Justice, a recognition of his commitment to bridging faith and advocacy to address racial and economic injustice.

 

At Jerusalem Baptist Church, Dr. Butler brings the fullness of his pastoral experience, academic training, and public leadership. He is committed to fostering a church that is theologically grounded, radically hospitable, community-centered, and mission-focused. His vision is to grow a multi-generational congregation that nurtures faith, cultivates leadership, and meets the urgent needs of the world with compassion and courage.

 

Jerusalem is not just a place to worship—it’s a place to grow, serve, and transform. And under Dr. Butler’s leadership, it is positioned for a powerful new season of impact.