Rev. Dr. John J. Cox
In 2018, at the age of 36, Rev. Dr. John J. Cox answered God’s call to become the 7th Senior Pastor of the Historic Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, a worship and community center of 152 years in Washington, DC.
Pastor Cox is married to the adoring Lakisha Cox. Together, they are the proud parents of Zaquria and Ka’rah.
A Special Call to Millennials
Pastor Cox earned his Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy & Religion with a minor in Biology from Morehouse College, and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University School of Divinity. He earned his Doctorate from the George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University, where his research focused on the ways in which millennials seek and make sermonic application to their lives.
A Generational Leader
Before VABC, Pastor Cox served as Associate Pastor at New Rising Star Primitive Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama under the leadership of his father, Rev. John R. Cox, and as Minister of Pastoral Care at The Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas.
He studied Worship & Spirituality in the Wesleyan Tradition at Sarum College in Salisbury, England. His studies took him to Bristol, Oxford, and London where he participated in a variety of worship experiences.
Our Pastor is actively involved in local and foreign missions, and has lead a team in providing clean water in Nicaragua with Living Water. Balancing his VABC activities, he continues to study faith and culture traveling around the world. We’re blessed by his passion for God’s Word and God’s people.