Interim President
Abraham Henry
Dr. Abraham F. Henry is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and an ordained pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist Church whose leadership is shaped by a deep conviction that the church exists to be sent. He currently serves the Lake Region Conference of Seventh-day Adventists as Executive Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, and has recently assumed the temporary responsibility of serving as Interim President, providing spiritual and executive leadership during a pivotal season of transition. He approaches this role with a clear missional focus, aligning systems, people, and vision so that the local church can more effectively proclaim the gospel and serve its communities.
In his executive leadership, Dr. Henry provides strategic oversight for governance, human resources, legal compliance, and organizational operations across LRC’s regional territory. He views administration not as an end in itself, but as a means of equipping pastors, educators, and congregations to focus on disciple-making, evangelism, and community impact. His service to the Conference has included roles as Associate Executive Secretary, Director of Human Resources, and Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministries, each contributing to his holistic understanding of how structure can either hinder or advance mission.
Dr. Henry has played a key role in strengthening governance, ensuring policy integrity, and fostering organizational alignment so that mission remains central rather than peripheral. He currently serves as Assistant Chair of the Executive Committee, Chair several committees which include but are not limited to the Constitution & Bylaws Committee, Human Resources Committee, Background Check Committee, and Camp Board. In each setting, he emphasizes leadership that removes barriers, cultivates trust, and mobilizes God’s people for service.
A pastor at heart, Dr. Henry brings extensive congregational experience across multiple conferences. He has served as Senior Pastor of the New Jerusalem Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Illinois Conference and the New Beginnings Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Central States Conference, and as Interim Pastor for several congregations, including Haughville, Tabernacle of Hope, Morgan Park, and Shalem Seventh-day Adventist Churches. His pastoral ministry is marked by a commitment to biblical spirituality, evangelistic outreach, and the development of healthy, mission-oriented congregations.
His ministry extends beyond church walls. Dr. Henry served as a Chaplain for the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, offering spiritual care and crisis support in moments of trauma and public service. He has also served as a Sergeant for the Auxiliary Police Unit in the New York City Police Department at the 75th Precinct This experience reinforced his conviction that the church must be present where people live, work, and suffer bearing witness to Christ in both sacred and secular spaces.
Dr. Henry began his ministry in Adventist education, teaching Religion, Technology, and Physical Education at South Bend Junior Academy in the Indiana Conference. He has also served in both private and public educational settings, including work as a Graduate Assistant within a doctoral program, and as an Educator at the high school and junior high school levels. These formative experiences continue to inform his passion for Adventist education, youth development, and leadership cultivation.
A recognized innovator in leadership and discipleship development, Dr. Henry founded Oakwood University’s Collegiate Master Guide Program and, in 2019, established the Lake Union Club Ministry Academy. Through this initiative, more than 20,000 Pathfinders and Adventurers worldwide received exceptional youth & children ministry training during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Henry’s academic preparation integrates theology, culture, leadership, and organizational strategy. He pursued undergraduate studies in theology at Oakwood University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from The City College of New York. He holds a Master of Divinity from Andrews University and a Doctor of Ministry in Strategic Leadership from Claremont School of Theology. His doctoral dissertation, “An Examination of Worship from a Biblical and Historically African American Perspective,” informs his conviction that authentic worship fuels mission, sustains resilience, and sends believers into the world as faithful witnesses.
He also holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources, graduating with a 3.9 GPA and induction into the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. In addition, he earned a Certificate in Human Resource Transformation from Cornell University and is a Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) through the Society for Human Resource Management.
Dr. Henry approaches leadership as a sacred calling, shaped by prayer, Scripture, and communal discernment. He is deeply committed to personal spiritual disciplines that anchor his public leadership in a vibrant private faith. Guided by a theology of servant leadership and stewardship, he believes authority is entrusted for the purpose of empowering others, advancing God’s mission, and cultivating Spirit-led movement rather than institutional maintenance.
He attributes his capacity to serve in senior leadership to the grace of God, the influence of praying parents, and the guidance of faithful mentors. Dr. Henry is married to Rebecca Henry, whom he affectionately calls “his Queen from Queens.” Rebecca is a compassionate nurse serving at a Trauma Center in an Intensive Care Unit. Together, they share a passion for serving God collaboratively and seeing lives transformed, leaders multiplied, and communities reached for Christ.
