Rev. Hiram Ratliff
Home Church Address:
990 East 181st St., Bronx, NY 10460
Website:
Preacher Bio:
Reverend Hiram Ratliff is the Senior Pastor of the New Tabernacle Baptist Church in the Bronx, NY. Reverend Ratliff began his tenure at New Tabernacle on March 20, 2011 and was installed as their fifth Pastor on October 24, 2011. Reverend Ratliff attended Hobart College where he graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and minored in Religious Studies in June of 1988. Reverend Ratliff continued his education and earned a Masters of Professional Studies in Pastoral Counseling and a Masters of Divinity from New York Theological Seminary. Reverend Ratliff has returned back to New York Theological Seminary in October 2018 to begin his studies for a Doctorate in Ministry. He is successfully defended his dissertation entitled, “Guns and Roses” and graduated with his DM in on May 21st, 2022.
Reverend Ratliff has always actively served the community whether it is in ministry or his professional career as a Social Worker. Since pastoring New Tabernacle Baptist Church, Reverend Ratliff, along with the church family, have conducted a yearly outreach day that serves over a thousand people in the West Farms community by feeding them, giving out clothes, providing music, health screenings, and fun and games for the children. Reverend Ratliff created and planned workshops for the youth and young adults entitled, “Check Urself B4 U Wreck Urself”, which have centered around bringing in role models to speak with youth in efforts to keep them on the “right road.” Role models have included former NBA players, noted authors, and sororities/fraternities who have shared their stories/testimonies. He currently serves on Community Board 6 and was instrumental in helping to provide the Bronx with a Mall in the Fordham area and planned annual events for the youth. Reverend Ratliff has partnered with the Black Institute in tackling and bringing awareness to social justice issues, such as, rallies behind wage increases for fast food workers, City municipal identification cards for undocumented immigrants, support for Pre-K schooling for children, and the need for affordable housing, just to name a few. Reverend Ratliff is a Certified Chaplain with the United Chaplains State of New York where he also taught classes in training and preparing future chaplains for ministry. Reverend Ratliff also has ten certified chaplains in New Tabernacle that also assist in serving the congregation and the community. Reverend Ratliff has worked for prestigious organizations in serving the community, such as, the Harlem Children Zone where he was involved in community advocacy and helping families in crisis by providing services and supervising the unit. Currently, Reverend Ratliff works with special needs children and at-risk youths in the Westchester school district. Reverend Ratliff has also sat on the Board of Directors for a Charter school, School in the Square, which opened in September 2016. Reverend Ratliff served as a member of the Community Outreach Team that assisted in the recruitment of students as required by the State Board of Education. He also sat on the Board of Directors for the United Chaplains State of New York where he served as their Director of Education.
Reverend Ratliff is the 2nd Vice President of the Baptist Minister’s Evening Conference of Greater NY and Vicinity and has been asked to serve on the Advisory Council of the 67th Clergy Council of Brooklyn, NY. Reverend Hiram Ratliff is the loving husband to his wife, Deacon Maria-Antoinette Ratliff, of 29 years. He is the son of Mother Luzella Ratliff and son-in-love to Mother Helen Jackson. Reverend Ratliff’s favorite scripture is Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”