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DR. REGINALD NICHOLAS, SR.
On August 23, Reginald Nicholas, Sr. was born to Arthur Matthews and Irma Nicholas. Pastor Nicholas was reared by his grandparents Herbert and Francis Wallace. Pastor accepted Christ on April 12, 1968 and was baptized at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church by his late great uncle Pastor Haywood Custer. In 1980, he became a proud member of New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Dr. George Davis, Sr., Pastor. He is a proud 1979 graduate of West Jefferson High School and Christian Bible College of Louisiana. In January 2004, Pastor Nicholas retired from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office after 12 years of service.
On June 12, 1982 Pastor Reginald Nicholas, Sr. entered into Holy Matrimony with Eulalie Jacqueline Neale. To this union three precious jewels were born, Reginald Jr., LaDonna Michelle and Jeremy Marquel Nicholas. They are blessed with one daughter-in-law Erica.The proud grandfather of Reginald, III, Morgann, Emerson, Eric and Jazmine. Also serves as surrogate father to April Green and surrogate grandfather of Christian.
While at New Jerusalem, Pastor Nicholas served under the leadership of Pastor George Davis, Sr. It was there he grew in the grace of God while serving as Director of Brotherhood and Foreign Mission; Co-Chairman of the Deacon Board; Sunday School and Bible Study Teacher. In August 1986, he was called to the Ministry. On October 12, 1986, Pastor preached his first sermon “Never Look Down on a Man, unless you are Picking Him Up”. He was ordained on July 30, 1988. Our Pastor received a Bachelor of Theology, Master of Biblical studies, Graduate Specialist and a Doctorate of Theology degree from Christian Bible College of Louisiana.
A higher calling...On Thursday June 30, 1994 having been led by the Holy Spirit, the officers and members of The Olive Branch Baptist Church elected Rev. Reginald Nicholas, Sr. as their Pastor. The Westside Missionary Baptist Association installed him on July 15, 1994. As our undershepherd Pastor Nicholas preach and teach the uncompromising Word of the Lord. He is a dedicated and devoted Pastor, ministering to all of the needs of this congregation. He is an AVAILABLE Pastor.
Pastor Nicholas is a community-oriented leader. In January 1995, he organized the 1st Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March in Algiers. Our Pastor holds office in LA. Home & Foreign Missions Baptist Convention (Vice President-at-Large) as well as the National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc (Deputy Secretary to Haiti) Pastor is a man committed to taking us to another level.
In July 2006, he was appointed Chairman of the Foreign Mission Board of La Home and Foreign Missions Baptist Convention, Inc. In his role as the former chairman of the Foreign Mission Board, he has led that convention to the top in Foreign Mission giving nationwide. Olive Branch Baptist Church is one of the leading churches in Foreign Mission giving statewide. He has made 5 trips to Ghana, West Africa and 8 trips to Haiti.
Pastor Nicholas is a visionary, leading this ministry to higher heights and greater depths in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In August 1999, he presented a Vision to build a New Edifice and on September 19, 2000, the Vision came to pass as we marched in and dedicated this Edifice to the Lord.
In 2005, the 28th day of August, our Church along with the surrounding state experienced a major catastrophe. Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, a four-state radius (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida) felt the effects of this category five hurricane with winds of up to 145 miles per hour which literally destroyed and scattered our members across the nation. As if that was not enough, New Orleans’ levees broke filling nearly 80% of the already below sea level city with water. Some four weeks later, Hurricane Rita devastated the remaining Gulf Coast in Texas causing many that had evacuated, to evacuate once again. Olive Branch, the building, suffered major damages, but the church continued. It was originally predicted that it would be months before residents could return home. But God saw fit to reunite us the first Sunday of October 2005, five weeks later, and we resumed services in the old church building and observed the Lord’s Supper. Thank God for that building which suffered minor damage which Pastor Ellison and the Church family marched into in December of 1959, and is now being used as our Multi-Purpose Building. Pastor prayed and encouraged others to continue to pray for all those who were still away. Pastor Nicholas preached a Word from the Lord from the book of Isaiah 6:1, with the subject, “A Year to Remember.”
Pastor Nicholas spearheaded and oversaw the Renovation Project following the damages after Hurricane Katrina and Rita. In October 2008 we retired our $700,000 Church Note with a Banquet at the Four Columns. On Sunday October 18, 2009 we had a Celebratory Service celebrating our Street Name Change from Odeon Avenue to BranchJoseph Avenue.
The Olive Branch Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) was formed under his leadership serving the community once a month with a Hot Meal through our Sharing a Meal Ministry. Pastor reaches out to the lost with our Prison and Judge of Another Chance Ministries. In January 2005 we launched OBBC TV Ministry on PAX 49. In January 2008 our Pastor began a Men & Boys Ministry which was held on the 1st Sunday of each month. In May 2008 he was appointed to the Trustee Board of Christian Bible College of Louisiana.
On April 15, 2009 he was elected as the 2nd President of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist General Association and was installed on May 23, 2010. He was blessed to receive a congratulatory letter from our 1st Black President Barack Obama on his election as President.
On April 15, 2014 he was re-elected to a second term as President of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist General Association.
He has four (4) sons that are pastoring: Rev. William P. Butler, Sr. (April, 2009) – Rock of Ages B. C. of Morristown, Tennessee. Rev. Larry P. Steib (March 26, 2010) – Mt. Pilgrim 4th Baptist Church, Algiers, La. Rev. Mat E. Turner, I (September 26, 2010) – Greater Old Zion Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, La. Rev. Gregory Ussin (March 10, 2014) – Ebenezer Baptist Church, Houston, TX.
We will always cherish the gift God has given us, for truly Pastor Reginald Nicholas, Sr. is a man after God’s own heart as he Ministers from the Heart. He is committed to Building a Winning Team where there are no big (I)’s and little (U)’s. As the ministry continues to grow Pastor Nicholas continues to remain humble under the mighty hand of God. It is with great excitement that we wait to see what God does next, through our Pastor, our Teacher and our Leader the Rev. Dr. Reginald Nicholas, Sr.
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