Reverend Larry Allen

The Urban News is pleased to announce that Reverend Larry Allen will be pursuing a Doctorate Degree of Ministry as he pays homage to his many influencers.

Asheville native Larry Allen is the youngest of nine children, the son of the late Mrs. Celestine Allen. As an adolescent he was involved in youth sports, mostly baseball and basketball. On the academic front, he gives credit to educators Ms. Verita Woods, Mrs. Gladys Forney, Mrs. Clara Chandler, Mr. Charles Wykle, and Mrs. Helen Fairbanks, among others, who tutored him in analyzing theory and not just to accept yes or no answers.

“Being an avid reader of literature and having a never-ending thirst for knowledge, I decided before finishing Asheville High School in 1985, to pursue a career in Accounting and Finance,” said Larry.

As a member of Fairmont Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville, where Rev. James E. Roberts, Sr. and his beloved wife Mrs. Rosa L. Roberts have led the ministry for over 40 years, Larry recalled how they and other members of the local clergy influenced his spiritual growth.

“There are many that I could list as being instrumental in my ministry growth but I will keep it simple with the words of the Apostle Paul: “I am what I am by the grace of God.

“I’ve been blessed to sit at the feet of many great African American pastors and theologians in expanding my understanding of the Bible and ministry. They include the late Dr. H B. Ferguson, Dr. John W. White, Dr. Charles R. Mosley, Dr. L. C. Ray, Rev. James E. Roberts, Dr. Wyatt T. Walker, Dr. John Sass, Dr. John L. Scott, Dr. William A. Jones, Jr, Dr. Mack King Carter, and Dr. George Weaver, to name a few,” Larry recalled.

Upon completing a BS Degree in Accounting from East Carolina University, Larry focused his career on helping ministries with financial wellness while pursuing a Master of Divinity from Andersonville Theological Seminary, in Camilla, GA.

Once ordained, Rev. Allen was elected to serve on the General Baptist State Convention Board of NC from 2002 through 2014, and as Statistician of the General Baptist State Convention from October 2010 through 2014. While serving on the Baptist State Board, Rev Allen obtained certification as a Church Business Administrator through the National Association of Church Business Administration.

He has also served 10 years (2000-2010) as pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church of Canton, NC, followed by four years as pastor of True Worship Missionary Baptist Church of Greensboro, and, from 2016 through 2020, as pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church of Crystal City, TX. Currently, Rev. Allen serves as president of the board of directors of One Youth At Time in Asheville.

“Ministry has been my passion for the past 33 years,” Rev. Allen said. “As I prepare to embark on the challenge of pursuing a doctorate in ministry, I have been blessed to be accepted at the following seminaries: Berkeley School of Theology at the University of California, Berkeley; George W. Truett Seminary at Baylor University in Waco, TX; Union Theological Seminary in New York City; and Lexington Theological Seminary Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary at Hamilton, MA.