The Reverend Doctor Tony Curtis Henderson became one of the Founders and Senior Pastor of Resurrection Christian Center (Baptist) of Detroit, Michigan in July 2004. He served as the pastor of St. John’s Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of Detroit, Michigan July 1991 until July 2004. He was a pastor in the C.M.E. Church from August 1974 until August 2004. He served seven CME Church congregations in the states of Alabama, Kansas, and Michigan, respectively over a thirty- year period. In addition to being a pastor, he is the former Vice President of Administration (2005-2008) and former Vice President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean (2016-2017) at Ecumenical Theological Seminary. Presently, he is an Associate Professor of Practical Theology, and Director of Field Education, at Ecumenical Theological Seminary of Detroit, Michigan.
He attended Miles College and is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Bachelor of Arts Degree – 1981), the Phillips School of Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center of Atlanta, GA (Master of Divinity Degree – 1986), the Sinai-Grace Hospital-Detroit Medical Center-Wayne State University (4 Units of Clinical Pastoral Education, 1996-98), and the United Theological Seminary of Dayton, OH (Doctor of Ministry Degree – 2001 as a Walker- Richardson Fellow). He has done postgraduate study in the areas of Old Testament, Biblical Hebrew, and Theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kansas.
Dr. Henderson is a former faculty member of the Hartford Institute of Biblical Studies at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church of Detroit, Michigan where The Rev. Charles C. Adams is the Senior Pastor. He is a former Adjunct Faculty Member of the Interdenominational Theological Center’s Theological Certificate Program. He has made several presentations in churches, colleges, a Jewish synagogue, Christian seminaries, and various public schools in the Greater Metropolitan Detroit Area and the United States. In addition to his travels throughout 38 states and Washington, D.C. of the United States, his pastoral ministry has allowed him to travel to Windsor, Dresden, and Toronto, Canada; to Freeport, Bahamas; to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, South America; and to Zurich, The Swiss Alps, Bern, Bossey, Celigny, Coppet, Lucern, Ruschlekon, and Geneva, Switzerland. He is a former mentor in the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Program at Ecumenical Theological Seminary. He is a faculty member in the Spiritual Services Department of Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit, and is a member of Corinthian Baptist Church in Hamtramck, Michigan.
He is a clinical member of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. Dr. Henderson is a former member of the Board of Personnel Services of the General Board of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; the Board of Directors of the Detroit Chapter of the NAACP, the Board of Directors of the Michigan Chapter of the SCLC, and a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Edmonds-Carr Nonprofit Housing Corporation in Detroit. He is a former member of the Executive Board of the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated of Detroit, Michigan. Currently, he serves as Coordinator of Chaplains of the Gamma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated of Detroit, Michigan.
A believer in urban renewal, he worked with the Rev. Dr. David Wheeler and the late Mr. George Lester of Habitat for Humanity in Kansas City, Kansas during his tenure as pastor of St. Peter C.M.E. Church. This group constructed affordable housing for low-income families. In 1988 after assisting the St. Peter Church in raising forty-five per cent of the construction cost, he led it in the construction of its Christian Education Center, which cost approximately $550,000.00. In 1980, he led the Hill Chapel C.M.E. Church of Leeds, Alabama in renovating its facilities. From 1992 until 2004, he worked voluntarily as a founder of the Edmonds-Carr Nonprofit Housing Corporation of Detroit, Michigan in restoring nine townhouses for low-income families at the approximate cost of $850,000.00. Upon the completion of the restoration of this property in 1998, its value rose from $400,000.00 to $1,500,000.00. Pastor Henderson has been used by God to lead over 300 people to Christ throughout his ministry.
A Music buff, Dr. Henderson’s hobbies include singing (2nd Tenor/Baritone), and playing the Alto and Soprano Saxophones. He enjoys walking, reading, studying the Bible, computer games, billiards, chess, backgammon, movies & videos, and African Art & Culture. He and his wife share three adult children, two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and nine grandchildren. He lives in Detroit, Michigan with his wife Mrs. Paula Y. Henderson, B.A., L.M.S.W., C.S.W., A.C.S.W., B.C.D. who is a retired Detroit Public Schools Social Work Supervisor, and their pet cats: Lynx & Opal.
Dr. Henderson’s motto is: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain.”