Dr. Alton K. Parks, I, is a native of Detroit, Michigan. He accepted his call to preach the
gospel in 1992 at the age of fifteen and began his ministry at Greater Ebenezer
Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Bishop William H. Murphy, Sr.
Throughout his ministry, Dr. Parks has faithfully served the Church in numerous pastoral,
ministerial, and leadership capacities. He serves on the ministerial and leadership staff of
Greater New Psalmist Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio, under the leadership of Bishop
Brehon L. Hall, D.Min., Senior Pastor and Vice Presider of the Global United Fellowship
International.

Dr. Parks is academically prepared for ministry and committed to lifelong learning. He
earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Baker College in Flint, Michigan. He
also holds a Master of Arts in Religion with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling, a Master
of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling. He is
currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Exposition at Liberty University’s
Rawlings School of Divinity.

In addition to his theological and pastoral training, Dr. Parks is a nationally certified
marital and premarital facilitator through PREPARE/ENRICH and SYMBIS—Saving
Your Marriage Before It Starts. He also holds a Suicide PAIR Certificate of Completion
in suicide awareness, intervention, and prevention.

In 2017, Dr. Parks was called into pastoral ministry in the city of Detroit, where he
faithfully served two local congregations. On March 13, 2026, he was called to serve as
Senior Pastor of Westwood Baptist Church University Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Parks is a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. He also serves the Global
United Fellowship International as Provincial Administrator for the Midwest Province,
providing administrative leadership across Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky,
and Wisconsin.

Dr. Parks is married to Mrs. Dell J. Parks. Together, they are the proud parents of six
children and grandparents of three grandchildren.
At the heart of Dr. Parks’ ministry is a passion for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ
with biblical integrity, practical application, and a compassionate human touch. He
remains committed to “changing a generation” one life at a time.

May 21, 1951 – September 24, 2026

The life and ministry of the Reverend Barton Elliott Harris reflected a remarkable journey of faith, scholarship, leadership, and service—a story deeply rooted in two cities: Nashville, Tennessee, and Boston, Massachusetts.

A native of Nashville and a third-generation member of Westwood Baptist Church, University Center, Reverend Harris was nurtured in the Christian faith from an early age. Westwood was the spiritual foundation where he accepted Christ, was baptized, answered his call to the Gospel ministry, and ultimately returned to serve as pastor.

A distinguished scholar, Reverend Harris graduated from historic Pearl High School in 1969 and earned his bachelor's degree from Fisk University in 1973, graduating magna cum laude with departmental and General University Honors. He was also inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Awarded a Protestant Fellowship from the Rockefeller Foundation, he continued his theological studies at Boston University School of Theology, earning a Master of Divinity degree and pursuing additional postgraduate studies.

During his years in Boston, Reverend Harris distinguished himself as both an educator and spiritual leader. He served as a teacher and later principal of St. Francis de Sales School, where his leadership earned national recognition, including coverage in The New York Times. His pastoral appointments included Myrtle Baptist Church in West Newton, Metropolitan Baptist Church in Dorchester, and Bethel Baptist Church in Roxbury, where he served as Senior Pastor from 1980 to 1987.

In December 1987, Reverend Harris returned to Nashville to assume the pastorate of his beloved home congregation, becoming the tenth pastor of Westwood Baptist Church, University Center.

For 37 years, Reverend Harris faithfully shepherded the Westwood congregation, providing visionary leadership, sound biblical teaching, and a steadfast commitment to Christian education, spiritual growth, and community service. Under his leadership, the church expanded its ministries, strengthened its community outreach, and acquired more than 20 properties in the surrounding neighborhood, helping establish a foundation for future generations.

His dedication to education extended beyond the church. Reverend Harris taught mathematics at Tennessee State University and McMurray Middle School within Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Through his mentoring initiative, Men of Distinction, he encouraged academic achievement, leadership, and personal excellence among young African-American males. His commitment to education was recognized with Teacher of the Year honors in 1995.

Throughout his life, Reverend Harris served numerous religious, educational, and civic organizations, leaving an enduring impact on the communities he faithfully served.

He shared more than 48 years of marriage with his beloved wife and Fisk University classmate, Carolyn Alvina Washington Harris. Together, they exemplified a life of love, partnership, faith, and service.

Following his retirement from active pastoral leadership in December 2023, Reverend Harris was bestowed the distinguished title of Pastor Emeritus, honoring his extraordinary contributions and decades of faithful service to Westwood Baptist Church, University Center.

On September 24, 2026, Reverend Barton Elliott Harris transitioned from this earthly life, leaving a profound legacy of spiritual leadership, educational excellence, compassionate service, and unwavering devotion to God.

His influence lives on through the countless individuals he mentored, the families he shepherded, the students he inspired, and the generations whose lives were enriched by his ministry.

His legacy remains forever woven into the history, heritage, and heart of Westwood Baptist Church, University Center.

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant." — Matthew 25:21