Rev Amiri B Hooker

A native of both Philadelphia and Bennettsville SC. Rev Hooker received and accepted his calling in junior high school. He has been active in ministry now some 30 years. His immediate Family includes his loving wife Sgt. Valerie Hooker, oldest son, Gabriyan Tribble (30), oldest Daughter, Sba Onesty Asha (22)(Troy), youngest son, Omri Charles-Bernard (20), and the baby girl, Sia Bari Ashira(18)and Kainoah Asa Mandrel (1year) (Grandson)

Rev Hooker attended schools in the public school system of Marlboro County and suffered through many discipline, achievement, and academic problems before being diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. His mindset and grade started to turn around in senior high school as he served as a state officer for the Youth Conference of the South Carolina United Methodist Church.

Rev. Hooker attended Methodist University in Fayetteville NC at the encouragement of the Late Bishop Bethea. Where he majored in Biblical studies, helped organized the State Black Student Network and worked with the Children’s Defense Fund and Black Community Crusaded to help resurrect the Freedom Schools concept and the idea of racial uplift in young African American Adults. He prides himself in the work he did to build a Freedom School movement in Bennettsville and other areas around the Country.

After Graduating with honors form Methodist University. Rev Hooker went on to enroll in a Master of Divinity program at the famed Gammon Division of the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Atlanta GA, where he majored in Theology with a concentration in African Thought.

During Seminary Rev Hooker was ordained a United Methodist Pastor and awarded several awards and became a member of ASCAC (Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations). Rev Hooker has served the churches he has been appointed to in various ways, form serving one of the largest Aids ministries in South Carolina in Clover, too leading the Conference Communities of Shalom ministries (cooperative nonprofit ecumenical safety and justice ministries). Some other primary accomplishments in ministry include currently working in the area of Hartsville as a Partner with the Darlington County Schools Partner Program and Partnering with the Free Medical Clinic of Hartsville and most passionately serving as a board member on the Darlington County Community Action Agency. Rev Hooker is also a Certified Natural Church Development Coach, Rev Hooker currently serves as Chair of the Conference Board of Church & Society, the Treasurer of the South Carolina Christian Action Council and a Tri-Chair for the SC Poor People Campaign. Rev Hooker is a member and trainer for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) & member of the executive committee of South Carolina Caucus of BMCR (Black Methodist for Church Renewal). Rev Hooker is the Coordinator of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of Black Methodist For Church Renewal (BMCR).

Rev Hooker is a published Author with a host or Article in the SC Advocate and Kairos Institute and a Book “Preaching In the Midst Of: How Black Preaching Has Changed in the COVID-19 Pan-demic,” from the Advocate Press and on Amazon.

Yet simple truth is best if asked he says, ‘I am just a Child Of God, Called by God, For as the word says our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.(1 Thessalonians 2:3-4)”