Rev. Dr. Denise Kingdom Grier was born in New York City and moved to North Carolina as an adolescent. In 1994, Dr. Grier received a BA in psychology from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and immediately began a career as a social worker.
Upon moving to Michigan, she became a child welfare specialist in foster care and adoptions at Bethany Christian Services. Dr. Grier soon went on to attend Western Theological Seminary, becoming the first African American female to graduate with the Master of Divinity degree in 2005 and the Doctorate of Ministry degree in 2017. Dr. Grier’s doctoral research interrogates a system of apartheid in the American church in order to redirect outreach practices toward what she calls Embracing, a reciprocal model of community engagement.
Rev. Grier has had three pastoral appointments: Calvary Reformed Church as Associate Pastor for 3 years, Maple Avenue Ministries CRC/RCA as Lead Pastor for 12 years and currently Mobilization and Renewal Pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan.
Rev. Grier is also a Mission Partner with a child-placing agency in Botshabelo, South Africa. Setshabelo Family and Child Services works with local churches to provide loving homes for orphans and vulnerable children within their community as an alternative to orphanages. She works under the supervision of the Global Missions department of the Reformed Church in America. Recently Denise encapsulates her work and interests in the 1cor13project.com.
She lives in Holland, Michigan, with her two biological children Gezelle and Chris.
Listen to the GRAAHI Podcast – “”Doulas and Midwives – Developing a Birth Plan” here>
