BIOGRAPHY
As Senior Pastor of Elizabeth Baptist Church, Dr. Craig L. Oliver, Sr. synthesizes Bible-based preaching with cultural relevance and God-inspired passion to effect change and transformation in the hearts and minds of his global audience. He has seen the Providential Hand of God expand the works of his hand since becoming the pastor of Elizabeth Baptist Church expanding the membership to more than 10,000 members and evolving to a multisite ministry model with five campuses throughout Metro Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Oliver’s ministry truly exemplifies Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Serving as EBC’s Senior Pastor for nearly thirty years, Dr. Oliver has positioned himself as a beacon of spiritual guidance, cutting-edge leadership expertise, and community activism. He is a man with a passion for his community, engaging in philanthropic work in partnership with local and regional municipalities and as a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. An avid reader with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, Dr. Oliver endeavors to shape his community with the wisdom with which he has been gifted as a lifelong student of the Bible and life.
Beyond having a heart for the local and regional community, Dr. Oliver has a great passion for the global arena. He has passionately engaged in mission work and preaching in Africa, Asia, India, and Jamaica extending the breadth of his reach to international proportions. His practical message of hope firmly rooted in the unadulterated truth of biblical scripture easily communicates the love of Jesus Christ into the hearts of individuals worldwide.
This dynamic author, who loves traveling, enjoys fishing, is a lover of dogs, and an all-around outdoorsman has received a myriad of accolades and degrees including a Master of Arts degree in Biblical/Theological Studies and Leadership from Luther Rice Theological Seminary, a D. Min. from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and is presently pursuing a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Anderson University. Though greatly accomplished in ministry, academia, and philanthropy, the center of his heart and life is his loving family. Dr. Oliver and his wife, Chi’Ira, share three beautiful children: son Craig Jr., and daughters Corrie Kené and Charlee Reign. He recognizes his family as not only the perfect balance in his life, but also as the greatest expression of his success.
