New Convenant Baptist Church senior pastor Trajean Jadorette offers blessings to his members.

Senior pastor Trajean Jadorette says 'God has been kind'

A little over three years since taking over as senior pastor at New Covenant Baptist Church, Trajean Jadorette, says God has been kind to him and the ministry, as they have been kept in a "healthy mode" as the church family continues to service the community in which it is located.

"I have friends who have been through similar transitions, and the chemistry hasn't been pleasant at all. Since that time I can think of at least two churches that resulted in some degree of split, but here at New Covenant we have a mind to work, and we have been working. God has simply been kind with the entire transition. We are a church doing work in the community and are just as thirsty for souls today as we were 33 years ago when the church was founded," said Pastor Jadorette, 43.

Jadorette was appointed senior pastor after the retirement of founding pastor Bishop Simeon Hall, who led the church for 30 years.

"I'm proud of the fact that we've been obedient to God, and we've kept the church in a very healthy mode moving forward and we're simply servicing the community.

Under his leadership the church has refurbished its computer lab that is used to assist students in the Montell Heights and Garden Hills area. The church has also purchased a new bus to assist the youth ministry and community-related ministries; and the senior citizen's group, he said, has been working hard in the community.

Jadorette brought to New Covenant a style that is totally unlike his predecessor. Just speaking with you, his voice has a calming effect. He says he is comfortable in his own skin.

"To be honest, you have to be comfortable in your own skin, and I think that assuming the pastorate here is an assignment from God, and God assigned me as his child, and I have to be me."

He said when a person is true to him or herself -- they would always be on good ground.

"I'm not trying to be our former pastor. I'm not trying to be another pastor. I'm just trying to be a child of God, being used of God for this assignment, and so I don't take it beyond that sphere at all."

The senior pastor said he and his church members are currently in a teaching mode to continue to bring an even more elevated level of honor and glory to God every year..

"Our goal is to mobilize the church to be kingdom-focused, and at the same time have an eagle eye for social justice, so if we can continue along those lines, I think we would do the kingdom proud," said Jadorette.

Besides pastoring the New Covenant flock, Jadorette is also a school guidance counselor, a lecturer at Bahamas Baptist Community College, director at the Bahamas Baptist Institute and a reserve sergeant on the police force -- and he has his family. He says he loves all of his duties.

"All those things are ministry related when you think about it, so it's not something you do looking for fame or fortune. It's something you do because you've got to have purpose in life and I think all of that serves some kingdom purpose and it keeps me going, and I love it."

Jadorette was a member of New Covenant for five years before he assumed the senior pastor's post. He took over at a church that was known for theological soundness and a strong social conscience. Bishop Hall had been known to speak out on issues that other pastors would not touch.

At the time, Jadorette said that Bishop Hall laid a foundation for him to build on, as he took over with his hands-on leadership style.

Before taking over at New Covenant, Jadorette was senior pastor of First Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee, for five years.

Although he was grateful to be of service in a different country he had an urge to return to The Bahamas to continue to work among his people. After 10 years in the United States the young minister returned to his homeland in 2004.

"When your work is for God, it can be done anywhere. Ministry is geographically blind, which is why moving was such an easy decision to make for me," he said.

"I knew I had other aspects of my life to develop and I had intentions of returning home to be of service at some point anyway. When I returned to The Bahamas in 2004 to deal with some documentation I ended up staying permanently to see what use I could be to those here. At the time I was also fortunate to meet my wife, Rhonda Rochelle Williams."

Jadorette's path to ministry started in his childhood. He was born and raised in Freeport, Grand Bahama, the sixth of eight children of Odette Jadorette. His mother, who raised him and his siblings with a firm hand, encouraged them to love the church and walk a narrow path.

Jadorette said he always took it a step further when it came to his faith, and that although he was raised in the Baptist church he was always curious about other denominations and often attended the Church of God or the Catholic churches just to get an understanding of the churches.

Jadorette received his theological training at the American Baptist College (ABC). Upon completion of his ABC assignment, he enrolled at Fisk University, where he earned a master's degree in sociology, which he thought would be useful as he envisioned his ministry would be a personal one where he would always aim to understand society's patterns and mindsets. In doing this he saw his ministry being more effective since he would be able to relate more to his congregation and their issues.

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