Meet Our Senior Pastor
Who We Are
Reverend Turner Welcomes You
Rev. Dr. Robert Turner is a gifted preacher, senior pastor, community leader, change agent, and board-certified coach with 35 years of professional experience.
Since 1993, Dr. Turner has provided visionary guidance as pastor of St John Baptist Church in Columbia, Maryland. Under his leadership, the Church has grown from a small church with 400 members and a $190,000 budget to a dynamic congregation of more than 1,900 members and a $2.5 million annual budget. He also led a successful capital campaign to build a new $10 million, 30,000 square foot worship and ministry center in 2009. Howard County Magazine voted him Clergy of the Year in 2012.
Rev. Turner is a well-known religious and community leader. As the Director of Continuing Education, he helped launch the Howard University School of Divinity Distance Learning Program for clergy and laypersons across the country. He is a certified professional relationship and executive life coach. He is also a nationally recognized speaker, providing inspirational sermons and lectures to churches, denominational groups, nonprofit organizations and conferences. He serves and provides leadership on many local boards and commissions, including the Human Rights Commission, PATH, Columbia Downtown Housing Corporation, Community Action Council of Howard County and the African American Community Roundtable of Howard County.
Rev. Turner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Boston University, a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary with a concentration in Church Based Community Development, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from New York Theological Seminary with a concentration in Church Based Community Development.
Early Beginnings
Rev. Turner began preaching at the age of 16 and began to pastor the Western Avenue Baptist Church in Cambridge, MA in 1982, where he successfully led the congregation for 12 years. During that time, he created a national pulpit for the church, inviting well-known pastors to preach for special occasions with a radio ministry and numerous outreach programs.
Rev. Turner’s passion lies in bringing out the best in people and organizations – helping clergy, churches, and individuals realize personal and professional success, resolve issues and achieve purposeful goals.
As a board-certified coach, Rev. Turner is trained in grief coaching, relationship coaching, and executive life coaching.
As a relationship coach, he empowers couples to create positive, sustainable change in their relationships. As an executive life coach, he strives to make successful people more successful, knowing that the best return on investment comes from working with people who are already good at what they do.
Rev. Turner approaches his family commitments with a similarly distinct dedication to service. He is married to Dr. Kimberly Moran, Ob-Gyn, and together they are raising their two children. As parents, they model a love for people and a commitment to excellence.
Personal Passions
Rev. Turner is also committed to his passion for running. He has successfully completed numerous marathons, including the Chicago Marathon, Disney Marathon, Disney 4 Day Dopey Challenge (15 kilometers and 39 miles over 4 days), Atlanta Marathon, New York Marathon, Dallas Marathon, and Baltimore Marathon. He has also served as a pacer for the Charles Street 10-mile race and the Maryland Half Marathon.