By Sheila Durant

What do you say about a man who means so much to so many people in such an extraordinary place and time?  Inextricably bound to his faith, no one can doubt that he has internalized his role as shepherd and, together with his soul mate of more than 44 years, has the God-given talent, intellect, energy, fortitude and vision to carry out his purpose on this earth.

Everyone has seen “it”, cheered “it” and sometimes roared over “it.”  That “it” is what works in the “in-between” where, in a relay handoff, the baton is placed in the hand of the receiving runner who does not turn nor need to look back to receive it.  In 2002, the “baton” was passed on to Overseer Michael Chapman who, like his two brilliant predecessors, Reverend Burnie C. McCarley, from 1927 until 1972, and Rev. Dr. Bennett W. Smith Sr. from 1972 until 2001, closed his eyes and let his faith and his soul mate, Rev. Ina R. Doss Chapman, become the wind beneath his wings….

Today, the pastoral seed of vision to create a vibrant church home has now, under his leadership, become a powerful economic and community development force within the City of East Buffalo, known as the “Fruit Belt.”  That “it” that drives the St. John – Gethsemane village community is the faithfulness to a covenant to walk with the Almighty in all aspects of the lives of the church and its flock.  To say that Rev. Chapman is a shepherd is no laughing matter.   Under his leadership, extraordinary vision, and quiet charisma, Rev. Chapman has become a “driver for social economic justice” among its more than 500 African American Disciples.  Because he “walks the walk”, no one doubts that he is able to “talk the talk”.  He has an uncanny gift to seed a big vision in the face of incredible odds and the fortitude to make it happen.

In a short span of 17 years, under the God-driven and faith based leadership of Rev. Chapman, the now debt-free St. John – Gethsemane village community church, transparently working by and through its affiliate corporations with a mission driven organizational structure, can officially take its place as a “major player in the economic and community development initiatives and future of the City of Buffalo”. In the Western New York region, more than a billion dollars of redevelopment, construction, programs and ministries are planned over the next 10 years to be reinvested by St. John-Gethsemane in the City of Buffalo’s Urban Core.  As a consequence, St. John-Gethsemane Church will be creating hundreds of jobs for minorities in construction, small businesses, health care, wellness, energy and entrepreneurial training.

In short, like Matthew recorded in the Gospel, Rev. Chapman teaches his “flock“ how to fish.  Among the fruits of his teachings, which include the historic Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church, are a few accomplishments:

• McCarley Gardens 150 (2, 3 & 4 bedrooms) for $70 million total redevelopment and 47 new builds;

• St. John Tower for $30,000,000 total redevelopment of 150, 1 bedroom 9 story senior  facility;

• St. John Townhomes II Housing Development for $16.3 million completed in 2015;

• St. John Baptist Hospice Buffalo House for $2.8 Million completed in 2008;

• Rev. Dr. Bennett W. Smith, Sr. Family Life Center for $3.8 million completed in 2001; and,

• The oldest Landmark in the Fruit Belt community is the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church which is under historical preservation at a cost of $1.8 million.

In August 2018, Overseer Pastor Chapman, who is also Pastor of St. John Baptist Church and Gethsemane Baptist Church, President and CEO of the Fruit Belt Community Development Corporation, Inc., President CEO of WE C God II and Developer and Author of the “Buffalo Black Billion Dollar Fruit Belt Eastside Buffalo New York Comprehensive Urban Development Model” (hereinafter “Comprehensive Model”), was recently appointed as the National Chair of Economic Development for the prestigious and powerful 2.5 million-member Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.. As National Chair, Rev. Chapman will oversee its’ economic development phase under the able direction of its’ President, Timothy Steward, of Nassau Bahama.

Just who is Rev. Chapman and why is he special?  Well, he has been immersed in on-going education with Christ the King Seminary since 2001, where in 1991 – 1997 he earned his M.A.P.M. “Master of Arts Pastoral Ministry” and in 1997 – 2002 he earned his Master of Divinity. He also earned his Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Jesus the Liberator Seminary of Religious Justice in 2005 for the first Hospice by a church and palliative care facility. In 2002 – 2007 he earned his classroom Certification in Systematic Theology.

He is a Developer and Grant writer of more than $100 million dollars of grants.  But is that all?

He is selfless enough to encourage the transparent reconstruction of all corporate boards of St John Baptist Church and Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church and to provide corporate enlightenment through board training and to encourage ongoing management, economic and community development training.  Each step of enlightenment empowers its disciples. But is that all?

He is principled in how he does business having founded and successfully operated the Aloma D. Johnson Fruit Belt Community Charter School and the State certified Erma D. Robinson Day Care and the Century Life Style Health & Wellness Medical Facility.  But is that all?

He is tech savvy and respectful of the benefit of having technology serve his flock by encouraging the use of cloud based IT systems to manage more efficient workflows.  But is that all there is?

He is grounded spiritually in that he draws from his well of his strength his commitment to his 44 year old marriage and family of more than thirty grandchildren and six great grandchildren from five children.  But is that all?

He allows himself to be flanked by trusted professionally strong Trustees who have been given permission to express their truths to power as well as carry out the oversight mission of St. John Baptist and Gethsemane Baptist Church.  But is that all?

How does anyone bear such responsibility and weight?  In the building of St. John – Gethsemane, Rev Chapman has had to wrestle with the painful strategy of having demons among the politically blind, many of whom are of like color and background.  To understand what drives Rev. Chapman, it is important to know something about the neighborhood called “Fruit Belt.”

Wikipedia describes St. John – Gethsemane Baptist Church as being “located within the East Side of Buffalo.  The neighborhood is centered along High Street running west-east and Jefferson Avenue running north – south.  It is enclosed along its eastern boundary by the Kensington Expressway and Michigan Avenue as its Western Boundary, separating the Fruit Belt from the Medical Campus.”  At present, the Fruit Belt is a residential neighborhood in Buffalo, New York located adjacent to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

This article was provided as a courtesy of HeartandSoul.com. Click here to view the full article. 

Following the 2022 Buffalo Shooting at the Tops located on Jefferson Ave., the church has set its sights on the Jefferson strip as its next redevelopment project. The church’s plan to reinvigorate the Fruit Belt, known as Buffalo’s Black Billion, is in the process of building a open-air farmer’s market on High St., between Mulberry and Locust.

In the past St. John has established a Community Benefit Agreement with the residents of the area it’s developing. As part of the agreement, resident input and ideas are sought and adopted into the redevelopment efforts.

The redevelopment of Jefferson Ave would do much to create job opportunities in the community. It would be a massive step towards decreasing crime rates and restoring Jefferson Ave as a thriving center of commerce.

WIVB’s Tara Lynch, spoke to Reverend Michael Chapman regarding Buffalo’s Black Billion’s current projects and its future endeavors in the Jefferson area. Please click here to read the full article.