Nikita McCalister (STH’05)

Rev. Nikita Giselle McCalister was born to the Rev. Robert, Sr. and Rev. Deborah Shumake. Rev. McCalister received her license to preach the Gospel in 2001 and was ordained in 2005, under the leadership of Rev. James C. Perkins, Pastor of Greater Christ Baptist Church (Detroit, Mich.).

She received her Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Management from Central Michigan University (1993), a Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy (1999), and a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology (2005).

She currently serves as the Transitional Pastor for the Westhaven Baptist Church, Port Huron, MI; Transitional Consultant for American Baptist Churches of Michigan (ABCMI), and assistant Varsity Girls Basketball coach for Southfield Christian High School, Southfield, MI.

Previously she was the Associate Executive for Administration for the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island (ABCORI) and Senior Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Pawtucket, Rhode Island; the Assistant Pastor of Ministry Development at Greater Christ Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, and the co–youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Randolph, Massachusetts. While at Boston University School of Theology, she worked as administrative support for the Sustaining Urban Pastoral Excellence Program (SUPE) in Boston, Massachusetts., a two million dollar Lilly Endowment Fund project. Formally, Rev. McCalister was employed in management at Electronic Data Systems (EDS).

She was a member of the ecumenical planning team for the 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations in New York, which hosted a Parallel Event entitled: “Sacred and Safe: Building Capacity of Faith Communities to Address Gender-Based Violence.” Also at the invitation of the Ambassador to the Permanent Mission of Botswana to the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Charles Thembani Ntwaagae, she helped plan the Side Event: “Real Talk/Real Action: Engaging Men and Boys in Prevention and Intervention Strategies that Address Gender-Based Violence.”

She has been a NCAA Women’s Division I basketball player and track and field athlete, guest preacher, workshop leader, liturgical dancer, and singer at various conferences and churches throughout the nation, such as 2015 guest preacher at Peace Cathedral Community Baptist Church, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia; 2014 Commencement Speaker for the University of Rhode Island; 2013 Keynote Speaker for the Young Professionals Forum at the University of Botswana, Botswana, Africa; United Methodist General Conference in Pittsburgh, Penn., Brown University’s Martin Luther King, Jr. 2013 Panelist in Providence, R.I.; Brown University’s Sankofa Preaching Series: Sistahs in the Spirit, in Providence, R.I.; Boston University School of Theology Martin Luther King, Jr. Service in Boston, Mass.; 2007 Freedom institute Religious Leaders Breakfast in Detroit, Mich.; 2007 98th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Annual Convention Council of Presidents Luncheon in Detroit, Mich. Her publications include: 2012 Women’s Day Lectionary article in The African American Lectionary & the 2012 spring issue of The Academy of Homiletics Journal. She was a runner-up in the 2017 Yale Center for Faith and Culture’s Theology of Joy and the Good Life sermon series competition for her four-week sermon series entitled: This Joy that I Have. Rev. McCalister was recipient of the 2017–2018 Duke Divinity Foundations Leadership Education Innovators Grant.

In addition, Rev. McCalister currently serves on the Boston University School of Theology (STH) Dean’s Advisory Board, The Metropolitan Detroit Association Board, The Women in Ministry Advisory Board for the American Baptist Churches USA. Previously she was on Rep. David Cicilline’s Women’s Advisory Council, Board Member of Rhode Island Kids’ Count, Member of Chaplains Association of the University of Rhode Island (URI), Treasurer of Minister’s Alliance of Rhode Island. She has served as the Chairperson of the American Baptist Churches of United States of America (ABC-USA) Transformed by the Spirit Journey Team Task Force, the Advisory Board Member American Baptist Women in Ministry (ABWIM), the Board of Directors for the Robert S. Shumake Foundation, the Metropolitan Detroit Association of American Baptist Churches, the Benjamin E. Mays Male Academy, and treasurer of ABC-MI Ministers Council. Her other organizational ties include: past President of the Black Seminarians, Boston University School of Theology, Roothbert Fellow, Boston University Woman’s Graduate Club, Boston University School of Theology Seminary Singers, and the National Black MBA Association Incorporated, Central Michigan University Women’s Basketball, and Magni-Beigan Scholar Athlete.

Rev. Nikita McCalister is married to Rev. Jabulani McCalister. They are the proud parents of two children, Jaden and Azriel McCalister.