The Reverend Samuel W. Hale, Jr. is a native of Chicago, IL.  He grew up in Decatur, IL, where he graduated from Stephen Decatur High School.  He received the Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1966 from the American Baptist College in Nashville, TN and the Master of Divinity Degree in 1969 from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.

 

From 1984-2018, Reverend Hale served as Pastor the historic Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Springfield, IL (the third oldest Black Baptist Church in the State of Illinois), which was organized on April 21, 1838.

 

Reverend Hale has also served the Springfield Community as:

• Member, Greater Springfield Interfaith Association, 1984-96  

• Founding Board Member, Helping Hands (Shelter for the Homeless), 1989-95

• Director of the Phoenix Project (a Government Funded Summer Youth Program sponsored by the Ministerial Alliance of Springfield & Vicinity), 1990-93, 1996.

• Coordinator (1994-1997) and Instructor (1993-1996) of the Moody Bible Institute Extension in Springfield, IL.

• Helped to develop and implement the NAACP Alternative School Program, 1999.  

• A Volunteer Reader for the "Real Men Read" Program at Washington Middle School, 2010-2018.

• A featured Writer for the Beliefs Column in the State Journal Register newspaper since the Fall of 2015

 

Reverend Hale currently serves as Associate Minister at New Salem Baptist Church, Decatur, IL, and President of J. Lewis Powell Mission Ministries, Nashville, TN.   

 

He is the author of five books:

• Confirmation for Ministry – Townsend Press, 1998

• When Your Loved One Dies – Self Published, 2000, 2002 Republished by WestBow Press (Thomas Nelson Publishers) – 2011

• The First Century Mission and the Twenty-First Century Church – Self Published, 2001. Republished by Sunday School Publishing Board, National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.  - 2015

• When Messias Comes – Self Published, 2006

• Adventures of the Souls – WestBow Press (Thomas Nelson Publishers) – 2017