Otis Moss III facts for kids

Otis Moss III (born September 16, 1970) is a well-known pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. He is known for his work with black theology, which studies Christian faith from the perspective of the Black experience. He also focuses on connecting with and helping young people in city communities.

Early Life and Schooling

Otis Moss III grew up with a strong connection to the Civil Rights Movement. His father, Otis Moss Jr., was a friend and colleague of Martin Luther King Jr.. They worked together in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. In 1971, his father even served as a co-pastor with Martin Luther King Jr.'s father at the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Moss grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and went to Shaker Heights High School. After graduating, he attended Morehouse College in Georgia. At first, he wanted to be a filmmaker and studied political science and film. He was also a talented runner and was named an All-American Track and Field athlete by the NCAA.

During a track practice, Moss felt a strong calling to become a minister. He changed his major to religion and philosophy and graduated with honors in 1992.

Higher Education

After college, Moss went to the famous Yale University. There, he earned a Master of Divinity degree in 1995, focusing on ethics and theology. While at Yale, he became very interested in the ideas of black theology. In that same year, his father officially ordained him as a Baptist minister.

Later, Moss moved to Denver to study for a Ph.D. at the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology. However, he started working as a full-time minister before he could finish his degree. In Denver, he was in charge of youth programs at the New Hope Baptist Church. A recording of one of his sermons impressed the pastor of a church in Augusta, Georgia, which led to his next big step.

Career as a Pastor

Leading Tabernacle Baptist Church

In 1997, Moss became the pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia. This historic church was founded in 1885 and had been an important center during the Civil Rights Movement.

When Moss started, the church had only 125 members. By the time he left in 2006, it had grown to 2,100 members. He was known for welcoming young people who hadn't been to church before. Under his leadership, the church also completed a major renovation of its historic building.

In 2002, Moss received a special prize for his excellent work in preaching and serving the community. He was nominated by a historian at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, who said Moss was one of the best preachers to have spoken there.

During this time, Moss was active in groups like the NAACP and the Rainbow/Push Coalition, an organization founded by Jesse Jackson to fight for social justice.

Move to Trinity United Church of Christ

Moss was offered two major positions. One was to take over for his father as pastor in Cleveland, Ohio. The other was to move to Chicago to become the next pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ. Trinity was a megachurch (a very large church) with about 8,500 members, led by Pastor Jeremiah Wright.

After careful thought, Moss felt he was meant to go to Chicago. He joined Trinity in 2006 as an assistant to Pastor Wright. He officially became the senior pastor in May 2009.

In 2007, Moss contributed to a book called The Gospel Remix: Reaching the Hip Hop Generation. That same year, he took part in a special event held by the NAACP. The event was a symbolic funeral for a hurtful racial slur, and Moss gave a powerful speech about the word's harmful history.

Personal Life

Moss is married and has a son and a daughter.