Today we’d like to introduce you to Odell Dickerson Jr.
Hi Odell, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Faith
My journey is a journey of faith. It is the faith of my mom who birth me and prayed for me when I did not know to pray for myself that gave me my beginnings of life, love, and leadership and it is the faith that I have developed over the years that sustains me today. Actually, I believe I thrive because of my faith because it allows me to access a “power” that is belong my natural belief and ability.
Family
My family has been and is my anchor. I was born and raised on the eastside of Baltimore City, MD and I am deeply rooted in family and community.
My parents, Odell Dickerson, Sr. (deceased) and Lillian Mabel Dickerson are the giants whose shoulders I stand upon. I firmly believe in Sir Isaac Newton’s statement, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” In addition, my sister, Carolyn Wilson, who is seventeen years my elder also significantly lead and nurtured my journey from birth.
Education
I was educated in the Baltimore City public school systems, ultimately graduating from Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School (Mervo). My higher education includes an Associated Degree in Business from Catonsville Community College, a B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting) from the University of Baltimore, and a M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. Also, I was unofficially educated by the different neighborhoods and communities of Baltimore City that taught me lesson that have been invaluable.
Neighborhood Education
First of all, I love my city! However, it is no secret that Baltimore City can be a tough place to grow up. The inner city, including my neighborhood went through a tremendous transition during my youth years and left everlasting impressions on how my life was shaped. As a young child the neighborhood was a place where families seemed more united and understood community. I believe at this time the statement, “It takes a village” was reality and everyone benefited. There were family fellowships including cookouts and block parties. There were neighborhood churches and there was a store on the four corners that surrounded me that could get my fill of the penny cookies and candy, jarred pickles and pickled onions, as well as daily baked and deliver glazed donuts. We were outside riding bikes, playing tag, hide and seek, as well as playing the three major sports in there perspective seasons (although we played basketball year round).
As some point, society began to drop the “neighbor” and our communities became known as the “hood.” The illegal drug trade was always present in the form of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, but somewhere around 1983, crack was introduced to our communities (black communities) and the social and economic conditions that had already burdened us were compounded. Blacks, especially young blacks were targeted by both the drug trafficking organizations as well as the police. We were literally “between a rock and a hard place.”
These conditions lead to my peers dropping out of school to sell drugs which ultimately lead to jail time, drug addiction, violence, and sometimes death. Yet, growing up in my neighbor left me with the fondest memories as well as some select mentors who impacted the direction of my life. Society began to label them as thugs and outcast, even though they were trying to survive the conditions that surrounded them. From my personal experience they were more good than bad and at the end of the day they were people, my people and Ioved them all.
Surviving the “Hood”
The neighborhood was competitive from an early age. Everyone seem to be very territorial. Maybe it was because we had so little in the form of assets and material possessions. However, we were rich in family, friends and community, but the conditions often overpowered our better judgment and this “American Dream” developed the need for more that started to drive us.
My childhood passions started to be my mechanisms of survival. The comic books I’ve read had superheroes with muscles, which inspired me to start working out. I also found that working out gave me an in competitive advantage when it came to sports so educated myself and I trained harder. I’ve been working out since I was 13 years old and it is one of the main ingredients in my successful formula for today. I went on to play competitive sports, football, and basketball in high school as well as the community organizational teams, such as the Baltimore Neighborhood basketball league (BNBL) and “Project Survival” in the summertime.
Working out and sports gave me my foundation and discipline, consistency, and leadership. They allowed me to navigate the neighborhood just as they allow me to navigate my career and my life to this very day. I believe that this is one of the ways for then and now.
Working career
My grades were pretty good in school, which meant I was smart, but I had no clue because the children who acted out the most got the most attention. And once you left school, there were no significance or emphasis put how much but instead, how tough you were. Anyway, my grades allow me to get my first job with the City of Baltimore under the leadership of mayor, Kirk Schmoke’s “Blue Chip” summer jobs program.
I embrace the responsibility of working and making my own money.
But I was in high school. I was working two jobs all while playing on the school’s basketball team and football team. I was able to provide my wants while my parents continue to provide my needs. I was fortunate to be thriving in this way, and only hindsight allows me to say that I was thriving. By this time, most of my friends had already dropped out of school and were a part of the illegal drug trafficking that infested Baltimore City.
My sister used to ask me how did I survive and why didn’t get caught in the traps that my peers got caught. I could only hunch my shoulders there but now I know it’s nobody but God. I know it’s the prayers of my mother. I know it was the village that raised me. I know it was the shoulders of the Giants that I stood up upon. Thank you God!
Fast forward
Oh I worked two full-time jobs and part-time job and education. Oh I feel like I have done every type of job and I have work the most diverse variety of people. He works blue-collar jobs and white college, I public jobs and government jobs, office jobs and labor jobs. I have worked with children, youth, adults, elderly, as well as developmentally disabled populations. The jobs that had the most impact my career where the time I spent in juvenile group homes and even a short period of time at the Charles Hickey School. Though my life experiences as a youth, the experiences working with youth, and raising my own three children, I have always had a passion for their well-being and advancement. In fact I was beginning to discover my passion for people and their well-being.
1998 “The Transition”
I join New Psalmist Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. Walter Scott Thomas, Sr. This is the first and only church that I have been a member. This is when and where “I gave my life to Christ” and was baptized. I am single, with no children, three jobs and life is “lifing” and I am “adulting”
1999 “The Calling”
New Psalmist is growing and thriving and I meet Dr. Walter S. Thomas, Sr., Pastor. We have three services each jammed with 2000 people and Pastor Thomas picks me out of the crowd to connect with me. He says he noticed my presence every Sunday and wanted to connect. Before I knew I was working on several projects with Pastor Thomas and was at NP a minimum of 5 days a week all while working three jobs of which the MD Department of Human Resources was my main job.
2000 “The interview”
We discover that we both have a passion for out and we had needs that were compatible. My need was spiritual growth and his need was health and physical fitness improvement. We committed to help each other. Then after only one year of being a member, Pastor Thomas asked would I consider working for New Psalmist. Without hesitation my answer was yes. That was 25 years ago.
COO
As the Chief Operating Officer of New Psalmist Baptist Church—a 7,000-member congregation in Baltimore, MD, under the visionary leadership of Bishop Walter S. Thomas Sr.—I have the honor and responsibility of interpreting, executing, and leading the continual transformation of our church’s vision using the most innovative strategies and resources available. My role has encompassed oversight of daily operations, the management of more than 50 full-time employees, and stewardship of large-scale projects that have had lasting impact on our ministry and community.
One of the most defining moments of my tenure has been leading the construction of our worship facility, the “Holy City of Zion”— $50 million-dollar campus that serves as a spiritual, administrative, and community hub. I also spearheaded the “Stretch” fundraising campaign, which successfully raised over six million dollars in just three years, even in the midst of a national recession. Building on that success, I led the “Taking Charge” initiative, raising an additional $3.5 million specifically for our targeted goals. Through careful financial oversight, planning, and strategic execution, I helped position New Psalmist to eliminate its debt in record time—an achievement that reflects our commitment to stewardship and sustainability.
Beyond New Psalmist, I serve as the Coordinator for the Kingdom Association of Covenant Pastors (KACP) and “Conversations,” an exclusive pastoral summit for senior pastors held annually in Paradise Valley, Arizona. I’ve also had the privilege of coordinating major national and international events, including the Kingdom Conference and the Hampton University Minister’s Conference—each drawing more than 10,000 attendees—as well as the Millennium Pastor’s Conference in Nassau, Bahamas, an initiative designed to equip global church leaders with innovative ministry strategies.
But my most cherished memory of Congressman Cummings was during the Baltimore unrest in 2015. In the midst of the chaos, he and I marched arm in arm, leading police officers down North Avenue, directly past the rioters. Few people knew how sick he was at the time. He refused to leave the streets—his city. I’ll never forget when he looked at me and said, “Odell, you may have to carry me,” and I did. His courage in that moment was breathtaking.
Congressman Cummings was more than a public servant—he was a legend in Baltimore, across Maryland, and throughout the nation. He was also a member of New Psalmist Baptist Church and a dear friend. Serving him, both in life and in his final farewell, remains one of the greatest honors of my career.
Now, Bishop Walter S. Thomas, Sr. has retired after 50 years of pastoring NP and I serve with the leadership of his son, Dr. Walter S. Thomas, Jr.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road hasn’t always been smooth, but the journey has been deeply rewarding. I live by the scripture that reminds us, “Faith does not make things easy—it makes them possible.” That truth has carried me through life’s many challenges: maturing as both a man and a Christian man, becoming a husband and father, leading a large organization, and growing into my calling as a Kingdom businessman.
Like many, I’ve faced personal trials—including health challenges. While I remain healthy and physically active, I’ve undergone several surgeries over the years—on my knee, foot, shoulder, mouth, and most recently, my neck. In addition, due to the demands of extensive travel, I experienced a serious health scare last year with blood clots in my legs (DVT) and more critically, clots in both lungs (PE).
Through it all, I’ve learned that resilience, faith, and purpose are not built in ease—they’re forged in the struggle. And by God’s grace, I continue pressing forward.
Professionally, some of the most challenging seasons I’ve faced include navigating the impact of COVID-19, leading the construction of a $50 million church campus during a national recession, and continually adapting to remain relevant in an ever-evolving world. Ministry today means responding to the rapid pace of change—whether it’s the influence of social media, the realities of social injustice, the weight of oppressive leadership structures, or the rise of disruptive technologies like AI.
Charles Dickens said it best in A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” That quote perfectly captures the tension of leading through moments of both great trial and great opportunity. Through it all, faith, vision, and resilience have been my compass.
One of the greatest challenges in my journey has been raising a young family while managing the nonstop demands of full-time ministry. Ministry doesn’t clock out—and neither does leading a family and fatherhood. Balancing both was never easy, but it was always essential. I’m incredibly proud of my three children, each of whom loves God and loves me—and that is one of my life’s greatest blessings. Like any family, we’ve weathered our share of challenges, but I’ve remained intentional about being present. No matter what responsibilities I’ve carried professionally, their well-being has always come first.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
New Psalmist Baptist Church has been a pillar in the Baltimore community for 126 years, guided by a legacy of strong and visionary leadership—having had only four pastors throughout its history. Most notably, Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr. led faithfully for 50 years before retiring in April 2025. His profound legacy now continues through his son, Dr. Walter Scott Thomas Jr., who currently serves as Senior Pastor. I am honored and blessed to have served as Chief Operating Officer for the past 25 years, helping to carry forward the vision and mission of this extraordinary ministry. It is humbling to know God called “me” to help build His Kingdom at such a high and impactful level.
The New Psalmist Baptist Church vision is to intentionally lead as many people as possible into a dynamic, engaging and loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
The way that we lead people into these relationships is through connections with God connections with each other and connections to the world.
Furthermore, we are brothers and sisters ministering to other sisters and our mission is to make life better for someone else.
I take the greatest pride in my leadership brand and the work I do to change the world through service. As the founder and leader of OdellExec Enterprises, LLC, an extension of my personal ministry, I am able to influence and lead both within New Psalmist and beyond. Recognized as one of the most prominent “Number Two Leaders” in African American church culture, I am honored to share my knowledge and experiences with churches and organizations worldwide.
One of my most significant accomplishments in making a global impact is my role as an Ambassador for World Vision USA. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to serving children, families, and communities suffering from the injustices of poverty, lack of education, and humanitarian crises around the world. We also respond to communities affected by natural disasters here in the U.S. Through my travels, I’ve had the privilege of making a difference, both in the U.S. and internationally.
I have been a bridge between World Vision and the African American church, helping to unite these efforts in fulfilling God’s calling to save the world and build His Kingdom. A key part of my work has been supporting the sponsorship of thousands of children through World Vision’s “CHOSEN” program—a transformative initiative that empowers sponsors and children alike.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is a strong and unwavering faith. A faith the face the brutal facts, but never wavers. Success is the health and wealth of me and the people I love. I lead with love always and for that love to be contagious and impactful is success. Success is the legacy that I am leaving through my hospitality, serving my family, serving New Psalmist Baptist church, serving the world through Odellexec Enterprises, LLC and World Vision, and the way that I ultimately live. In the life of ministry, true success is not preaching a sermon, but living a sermon that people are impacted by. Maya Angelou said it best, “People will forget what you say people will forget what you do but people will never forget how you make them feel.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Odellexec
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- LinkedIn: Odell Dickerson Jr.
- Youtube: Odell Dickerson Jr.
