Our Founder and Pastor

Hope’s Beacon Baptist Church  (HBBC) was founded in the Spring of 2020 by its pastor, Rev. Dr. Malcolm T. Byrd. Dr. Byrd is a former long-term resident and still homeowner in the neighborhood of Carroll Park, situated in the Overbrook community of West Philadelphia.  He attended neighborhood schools [Hanna, Shoemaker, and Overbrook]. 

He was introduced to the Lord by his mother and grandparents. He was saved and baptized at the Monumental Baptist church where he matured in faith and devotion.  As a young adult Malcolm was attracted to the ministry of the First Corinthian Baptist Church where he experienced the Call to lay ministry, Christian service, and witness for approximately twenty years.  It was here where Malcolm received the divine Call to vocational Gospel ministry (Though at the time he was only partially cooperative with the Holy Spirit).

During his preparation and journey toward vocational ministry, Malcolm was blessed to affiliate with the Sharon Baptist Church for five years and the subsequent reaffiliation with the church of his childhood and young adulthood, Monumental Baptist Church. Here he was licensed and ordained to the gospel ministry by Rev. Dr. J. Wendell Mapson, Jr.  During this period of preparation and further sanctification he served on the staff of the Monumental church as an Associate Minister for eight years. Since 2017, Rev. Byrd has served as an Associate Minister with the Zion Hill Baptist Church and concluded his service as Pulpit Supply Minister at the Cathedral of Praise Community Church at the end of 2020

Dr. Byrd acquired his formal theological and ministry education at the Eastern Baptist/Palmer Theological Seminary. There he earned the Master of Theological Studies, Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry. Dr. Byrd has also most recently served as an Associate Minister and Pulpit Supply at the Zion Hill Baptist and Cathedral of Praise Community churches, respectively. He is affiliated with the Baptist Pastors and Ministers Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity; Evening Baptist Pastors and Ministers Conference and Vicinity; West Philadelphia Ministers Forum and; Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity. Dr. Byrd is also blessed to serve on the Adjunct faculties of both Eastern University and Lancaster Bible College where he teaches undergraduate courses. Dr. Byrd is also a member of the Governor's Advisory Commission on African American Affairs.

Further, Dr. Byrd is a retired public administrator having served in city government for nearly thirty years followed by a four-year tenure as a senior manager with a global Christian ministry. In addition to seminary training,  he earned  both Bachelor and Master of Education degrees from Antioch University. He also earned a Master of Governmental Administration degree at the renown Fels School of Government of the University of Pennsylvania.

Rev. Byrd has received numerous awards and recognitions for his civic, community and ministry service. Presently he serves as the President of NewCORE, a nonprofit organization committed to racial understanding through conversation. He is also the founder and CEO of Forum Philly, a social welfare and advocacy organization, committed to growing the Equity, respecting the Dignity, and honoring the Significance of African Americans and our cause.