Elder Dr. Kelon Duke

Education

Elder Dr. Kelon Duke was born in Dallas, Texas and raised in Miami, Florida. He accepted his call to ministry at the age of 17. He prepared himself for ministry by attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and a minor Philosophy. He attended Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C. where he received his Master of Divinity degree. He obtained his Doctorate of Ministry degree at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. His research interests surrounded prophetic preaching in a post-modern context with a contemporary audience. Dr. Duke’s original doctoral research project was entitled “Moving the church from being the victim of hurt to ministering in victory.”

Professional Experience

While studying at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Pastor Duke gained ministry experience at the Greater Traveler’s Rest Baptist Church. During his M.Div. program he spent two and a half years as the youth pastor of the historic Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia before transitioning to become the Assistant to the Pastor of the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, where he spent the next year and a half. 

In January of 2010 after completing his Master of Divinity Degree Pastor Duke accepted an opportunity to return to his home church, New Jerusalem Primitive Baptist Church in Miami, Florida as the Assistant Pastor. In January of 2012 he was called to Calvary Baptist Church of Glenwood in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois as the Senior Pastor where he served for over six years. Dr. Duke currently serves as the Executive Pastor at New Jerusalem Primitive Baptist Church where he is the successor of the Senior Pastorate.

Personal Life

Pastor Duke is happily married to his college sweetheart Tina Duke. They are the proud parents of one daughter, Noelle Duke.