Rev. Dr. Bishop Donald Hilliard Jr. meets with the Campolo scholars for their weekly Monday Meetings.

Eastern University has a long history of developing Christian faith- and thought-leaders (e.g. Tony Campolo, Brenda Salter McNeil, Shane Claiborne, Bryan Stevenson, just to name a few) who are impacting the world with the Good News of the Whole Gospel.  When Tony talks about former students of his who spent their formative college years studying and preparing for ministry at Eastern University and are now setting an example of Christian leadership, he always includes Dr. Bishop Don Hilliard at the top of the list.

Dr. Hilliard will flesh out some of the ideas he introduced at Eastern’s chapel service on September 9th (e.g. crossing over, creativity, changing the narrative) and other practical insights he’s learned for effective, transformative ministry in the 21st Century and particularly the current American context of covid, reanimated and emboldened racism and white supremacy, growing economic divide and despair, Biblical and theological illiteracy, etc. 

1. What is the role of the church in such a time, under such circumstances?
2. What are some successes that have been implemented at Cathedral International?
3. What are some lessons learned from a failure, set back or challenge?
4. How did his experience at Eastern shape and prepare him for prophetic leadership?
5. Did studying sociology with Tony provide the insight and tools for analyzing and engaging culture more effectively for ministry?
6. Does he have courses/disciplines of study, books and other resources to recommend to students preparing for ministry?

Biography

Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. serves as the senior pastor of Cathedral International—The Historic Second Baptist Church in Perth Amboy, NJ. Dr. Hilliard’s willingness to “Say Yes!” to the Lord has fostered his ability to provide leadership in the exponential growth of the church over the last 35 years. Now, “One Church in Four Locations,” Cathedral International has expanded its ministry to serve the specific needs of four different locations in New Jersey: Cathedral International in Perth Amboy, Cathedral International in Asbury Park, Cathedral International in Plainfield, and Iglesia Catedral in Perth Amboy. Cited by the American Baptist Churches (USA) as a model for church growth, Cathedral International is a multifaceted, relevant church that has grown exponentially throughout the years. Through the facilitation of the gospel via Live Stream, Cathedral International now reaches thousands of homes across the globe. In the near future, Cathedral International anticipates building a new campus in Cranbury, NJ on 98 acres of land…