Our Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. Bankole Akinbinu serves as Senior Pastor of Baptist Grove Church (BGC) in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he has faithfully served since January 2012.

Set apart to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, Dr. Akinbinu accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior at age 10 and was called into Gospel ministry at 16. He preached his trial sermon on June 16, 2001, at Community Bible Baptist Church in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and, after eight years as a licensed minister, was ordained in September 2009. He is passionate about proclaiming God’s Word with theological integrity, biblical truth, and clarity, and his preaching is marked by a distinctive blend of rigorous scholarship and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Akinbinu holds a deep commitment to theological education. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Bible Theology from Washington Bible College in Lanham, Maryland, before attending Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey, where he earned his Master of Divinity. In May 2019, he earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from Duke University with a focus in Christian Leadership. His thesis, Building Church Community in a Digital Age, explored how congregations form authentic community amid rapid technological change. He now serves as a Spiritual Formation Instructor at Duke Divinity School, teaching Doctor of Ministry students.

Since becoming Baptist Grove’s pastor in January 2012, Dr. Akinbinu has led the congregation in living out its vision, “Living Faithfully and Fully in Christ,” anchored by three foundational pillars: Living in Faith, Living in Fellowship, and Living to Serve. Under his leadership, BGC has become a growing, multigenerational family of faith, with members growing deeper in their knowledge and daily application of God’s Word and strong relational bonds spanning generations, from children to seniors. The congregation’s hands and hearts extend well beyond its walls, serving and investing in both the Raleigh community and communities around the world.

Central to Dr. Akinbinu’s ministry is a passion for helping people discover and walk boldly in their God-given purpose. Through his ministry, numerous sons and daughters in ministry have been nurtured, equipped, and sent to proclaim the Gospel and serve God’s people. He also carries a deep love for pouring into ministers and pastors, walking alongside them as they seek to thrive in their own callings and ministry contexts.

Dr. Akinbinu is deeply passionate about spiritual formation, the lifelong shaping of the whole person into the likeness of Christ, a conviction that informs both his pastoral ministry at Baptist Grove and his teaching at Duke Divinity School. At the heart of his calling is the gift of preaching and teaching God’s Word, a gift he has exercised across universities, revivals, conferences, and worship services. He has received several distinctions for his ministry and community engagement, including the Aaron E. Gast Award in Urban Ministry (2010), an invitation from President Barack Obama to the White House Summit on Working Families (2014), and an honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology from Wayland Baptist Theological Seminary (2023).

In August 2007, Dr. Akinbinu married the love of his life, Angel, and together they are raising their two children, Alivia and Elijah. Of all God has entrusted to him, he counts his family among his greatest gifts and cherishes them deeply.