The Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey is the pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn, NY. Under Dr. Lacey's leadership, the church embraced gender-inclusive ministry, ordaining its first female minister and integrating the diaconate with female deacons. The church further demonstrated its commitment to inclusive love through partnership with Pride in the Pews, affirming the LGBTQ+ community, and launching the T.R.I.U.M.P.H. mental health ministry.
A graduate of Northwestern University, Dr. Lacey holds a doctorate in the Sociology of Religion, where his scholarship explores the intersections of faith, social systems, and the lived experiences of marginalized communities. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the Interdenominational Theological Center and is the author of Unshakable: Becoming the Man God Had in Mind.
Dr. Lacey has been recognized by the Samuel Dewitt Proctor Institute's "Great Preacher Series" and was inducted into the Board of Preachers at Morehouse College. Through his ministry, teaching, and activism, Dr. Lacey challenges the church and the academy to envision a more just, inclusive, and hope-filled future. Dr. Lacey is a pastor-theologian-activist. He serves as president of the Central Brooklyn Chapter of the National Action Network, co-convener of East Brooklyn Congregations, trustee of New York Theological Seminary, and member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Dr. Lacey extends his efforts beyond the church walls. He had the privilege of offering the opening prayer for the 110th Congress of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, the opening prayer for the 118th Congress of the U.S. Senate in 2024, and participating in an ecumenical prayer service with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Dr. Lacey was honored for his work and dedication by the Samuel Dewitt Procter Institute, which invited him to deliver a sermon in their renowned "Great Preacher Series. He was inducted into the Board of Preachers at Morehouse College, and Kansas City Kansas Public Schools recognized him as a "Reason to Believe." Additionally, the National Action Network honored him with the Rev. Dr. William A. Jones Award for Social Justice in both 2016 and 2018. Dr. Lacey is not only an intergenerational pastor, professor, author, and community leader, but also cherishes his roles as the husband of Cheryl Mathews Lacey and the father of two adult children, Cameryn Alexandra and Adolphus Matthew.