Pastor John Christian

Pastor John H. Christian was born in 1971 in Leesburg, Florida to John Christian and Florence Hartage. After graduation from Leesburg High School in 1989, Pastor Christian attended University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. He later transferred to Saint Leo University of Saint Leo, FL., and completed his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2000. In 2002 he received his Master’s in Business Administration with a specialization in management. Pastor Christian has served on the Leesburg City Commission since 2003, and has served as Mayor in 2005, 2008, and currently in 2014. He also is a licensed Real estate Agent since 1995 and a Licensed Mortgage Broker since 2003.

Pastor Christian accepted his call to the ministry while a deacon at his parent’s church (Superintendent Lonnie Smith and First Lady Florence Smith) at the Leesburg Church of God in Christ and began to prepare for full-time ministry. In 1997, Pastor Christian enrolled into the C. H.Mason Bible College, where he continued his educational teachings. Pastor Christian has spent more than 30 years in the Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Bishop C.D. Kinsey, Bishop Rushie Dixon, and currently Bishop Gary Hall, of the Central Florida Jurisdiction.

Additionally, Pastor Christian also founded the Men of Distinction (MOD) of Leesburg in 1997. Through his vision and dedication, the MOD launched many community oriented events, such as: summer programs, voter registration drives, health fairs, black heritage festival and gala, community choirs, and anti-tobacco programs. These events that were hosted by the MOD, were implemented and designed to transform the Leesburg Community. In 2011, Pastor John was very instrumental in convincing the City of Leesburg to build a 3 million dollar multi-recreational center within the African American community.

At the dawn of the new millennium, Pastor Christian was given a vision by God to begin a new ministry with the foundation of “loving a hurting people.” With this new profound vision, Pastor Christian founded Christian Worship Center Church (CWC) on January 3, 2000.

In just 8 years of ministry, under the spiritual guidance of Pastor Christian, CWC quadrupled in size with over 300 members strong and expanded the church to double its size to 5,200 sq. ft. In 2010, Christian Worship Center, under the leadership of Pastor Christian was able to pay off over $250,000 in church debt and celebrated its 10th Anniversary with a Mortgage Burning Celebration. Furthermore, Pastor Christian is a great visionary and has founded Christian Worship Center’s Miraculous Thrift Store, which is over 6,500 sq. ft. in size. He is also the founder of Kids of Distinction’s (KOD) Child Care Learning Center. Currently, within the City of Leesburg, there are 3 KOD facilities, which provide Christian love and care for 389 children on a daily basis.

Lastly, CWC has enlarged its territory under the Pastor Christian Leadership. He has played a vital role in acquiring multiple properties for CWC within the Lake County region, including the purchase a multi-purpose center, known as the CWC Faith Center,that sits on 6.5 acres of land in 2013; the acquisition of second church campus in Groveland, Florida, Christian Worship Center South Lake which is over 6,700 sq ft in 2013. Weekly services are held at CWC South Lake including a bi-lingual Spanish service. CWC currently owns over 22 acres of land.

Needless to say, Pastor Christian is an influential force in the Central Florida area and throughout the United States. His sought out charismatic personality, contagious humor and attitude, attracts him to speak at revivals, conferences, workshops, and retreats throughout the country.

When Pastor Christian is not working diligently at church or spending time with his family, (Constance (union of marriage since 1994) and his 4 children, Devon, Jonvier, Joshua, and Czenobia) he still enjoys playing and watching sports and is a huge Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Florida State Seminole’s fan.