Our Pastor

Rev. Dr. Anthony D. Dunham I has been endowed with a vision that empowers him to tell God’s people what “thus saith the Lord” without fear of losing popularity.  He has demonstrated a burning passion to be committed to the call and to the cause of the Christ.  His passion for God is evidenced by his desire to minister to the Body of Christ, admonishing the Body to draw nearer to the Master by personally dedicating their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Working in the Ministry has always been a great part of his life. He served in the capacity of  Deacon for six years prior to being called into the ministry, Assistant to the Chairman of Deacons, Sunday School Teacher, Teacher for B.T.U., Teacher for Vacation Bible School and the Choir Director.

Pastor Dunham received his calling into the ministry by the Lord in 1965 at the tender age of ten years old in his parent’s home on 1562 Julian Street in Stockton, California. He often speaks about his call, as he was asleep on the bottom bunk of his two bunk bed room in their  small family home. He says that he can recall how often he heard the voice of the Lord in his heart, impressing upon him the urgency to declare the Gospel. It was then and there that he felt the urge to prepare himself for the work of the ministry. It wasn’t until 

November 1, 1986 he publicly professed his call and obeyed the Master’s bidding. Licensed to preach the Gospel in 1986 at the God's Throne Missionary Baptist Church, Stockton, CA, and then ordained in 1988 by the Stockton Baptist Ministerial Alliance.  

•  National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Chicago, IL, 1988, Boys Scouts Director
• National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Evangelical Board member
• National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Foreign Mission Board member
• California Baptist State Convention, Los Angeles, CA, 1998 to 2007, Third Vice-President of Congress
• California Baptist State Convention, Los Angeles, CA, 2007 to 2009, First Vice-President of Congress
• Mid-Valley Baptist Association, Stockton, CA, 1998 to 2007, First Vice-President of Congress
• St. John Baptist Association, 2009-2014, Vice-Moderator Southern District

In June of 2017, Pastor Dunham was honored and blessed by the Lord to be chosen to be the Moderator of the Monterey Bay Baptist District Association, CA. This Association began in 1968 and revived in 2010, and presently serves twelve churches.  

By the Preachment of the Word, Pastor Dunham causes others to examine their lives and begin to live by God’s Holy Word. He tries with all of his heart to unashamedly and unapologetically preach biblically based sermons that will prick the hearts of hearers.  He qualifies his desire to learn as much as he can, to better equip himself for this enlightened assault of our day.   He understands the challenges of our times of that as remaining biblical while at the same time relevant. He is determined to resist the current trend of today, which involves mocking the accuracy of the Bible, the legitimacy of the Saviour and even challenging the existence of God, all of which confront and confuse the Sunday worshipers. He firmly believes the power of God is needed to communicate the Word, as well as be remain true to the fact that it is our responsibility to equip ourselves for the task at hand. 

Saved, sanctified and unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, serious and sincere about the things of God, lover of God and of God’s people, motivator of ministry, promoter of forgiveness and reconciliation for the body of Christ are all terms and phrases that may be used to describe his personal ministry.

Pastor Dunham was reared in the Church by his Baptist parents, and baptized at the age of 11.   His father The Late Zacchaeus Dunham Sr. was Pastor for nearly 60 years at the God’s Throne Missionary Baptist Church, Stockton, CA, which obviously has been a very strong and positive influence in his spiritual walk with the Lord. 

Pastor Dunham was blessed with six brothers. Five of the brothers are preachers, of which three are Pastors while one of his brothers  Rev. Dr. Zacchaeus Dunham Jr., is a Pastor Emeritus.  Due to acquiring the disease Agent Orange and more recently has been over taken by Dementia he had no option but to give his up Pastorate in 2016.  His other two brothers are struggling with the pressures of life however, they are finding their way back.  

In August 2009 the Dunham Brothers released a Christian CD entitled “Love One Another” this project has made his ministry even that much more a blessing.