Rev. Johnny M. Leggett was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. He is the eldest child and only son of Reverend Johnny Lee and Connie Leggett. Rev. Leggett graduated from Westover High School in Albany Georgia in 1994. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Allied Health Sciences/Health Administration from Albany State University and a Master of Divinity degree from Morehouse School of Religion.

 

While at Morehouse, Rev. Leggett was awarded the Dr. Sandy F. Ray Distinguished Preaching Award. Additionally, during Rev. Leggett's matriculation at Morehouse, he was blessed with the opportunity to shadow one of the country’s greatest preacher-pastor and administrators, Pastor Willie J. Lawson, Pastor of the Cornerstone Community Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA. Under his leadership, Rev. Leggett’s spiritual and administrative growth soared. With increasing responsibilities at Cornerstone, Rev. Leggett moved from Youth Minister to Assistant Pastor and served until he received the call to become Senior Pastor of the Brown’s Hill Baptist Church in 2004. In 2006, Rev. Leggett accepted the call to Pastor the St. Matthew Baptist Church, Greenville, SC and in 2010 was selected to Pastor the Bethany Baptist Church, Oakland, CA.

 

Pastor Leggett brings to the Greater New Mount Hermon Baptist Church and the Oakland Bay Area a freshness of God's anointing. Pastor Leggett considers the ability to forge great communal relationships a key tenant in the life of today’s church. He believes, “Church leadership is community leadership and God has commissioned the church to effect change in the community”. It is with this passion that he works alongside various community agencies. He is a founding member of the North Oakland Restorative Justice Council, a community-based organization that seeks peace and justice and is committed to non-violence and eradicating mass incarceration. Pastor Leggett is a goal-oriented visionary; he is prepared to follow God’s word and take the Greater New Mount Hermon church to higher heights in Christ Jesus. He is married to the former R. Nicole Terry and is the father of two adult daughters.