Rev. John Nash, Pioneer African American Pastor, Passes Away

Rev. John A. Nash was a pioneer African American pastor in the Christian Reformed Church. He died from cancer Nov. 3, 2018, but his legacy will live on in the denomination.

Nash was ordained in the CRC in 1985 and became a church-planting leaders in the Atlanta area, where he planted Christ Community Church in 1986. (Christ Church closed after several years.)

“Rev. Nash was a pastor's pastor. He would seek out young pastors and mentor from a posture of humility, wisdom, and prayer,” said Rev. Reggie Smith, director of the CRC’s Office of Relations and Office of Social Justice.

Rev. Sheila Holmes, pastor of Northside CRC in Paterson, N.J., agrees. She pointed out that Nash was a church planter and pastor when there very few African American leaders in the CRC.

“It was not always an easy transition,” she said. “A buzzword during the 1980s was assimilation. One thing I learned personally from Rev. Nash was to stay true to your identity and uniqueness as a child of God and an African American.”

Nash came to faith in Jesus Christ in a chapel service while serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. When he returned to the United States, he affiliated with the Navigators, a parachurch organization, and served as a missionary to college students.

According to Rev. Robert Price, former director of Urban Ministries for Christian Reformed Home Missions (now part of Resonate Global Mission), he met Nash in 1969 at a Navigators conference in North Carolina. They had much in common — both born in Chicago, born one month apart, and having served in the Air Force in Vietnam.

It was there that Nash also met Rev. Don C. Sherow, another urban-ministry pioneer in the CRC, and learned more about the CRC.

“Nash cared about all people. Everybody was special,” said Sherow, who helped connect Nash to the CRC. “We are indebted to John for his many gifts …. He was a man of matchless character and unconditional love. Nash made his mark in the CRC by working hard for the black voice, leadership, and identity.”

Colin Watson, the CRC’s director of ministries and administration, met Nash in the early 1980s through Sherow, who was then serving Madison Ave. CRC in Paterson, N.J., where Watson was a member. “He was a real leader, an encourager. He had memorized large parts of Scripture and always had a verse to share with you.”

Besides planting churches and serving as a mentor to others, Nash spent 25 years as an instructor and associate professor teaching leadership and discipleship at Beulah Heights University in Atlanta. He also traveled on many mission trips to the Caribbean and to Europe. A focus of his work was to counsel and nurture married couples.

In the CRC, Nash served on the leadership team that developed the Black and Reformed Conference.

Rev. Denise Posie, director of the CRC’s Leadership Development: Women’s and Ethnic Ministry, met Nash in 2015 when he was one of the plenary speakers at the Black and Reformed Conference. Held that year in Muskegon, Mich., the conference focused on the theme  “Disciples of All Nations.”

After the conference, Posie had several conversations with Nash. “He inspired the participants to follow Jesus Christ at all costs,” she said.

After the conference, Nash sent her several books to read and encouraged her in ministry. “He cared about me as a person and a leader,” said Posie.

For many, Nash was a role model and helped to support black leaders as they made their way into the CRC. “He was one of the early pioneers in African American ministry in the CRC,” said Reggie Smith. “My life was made richer by John's friendship and leadership in the denomination.”