AME Pastor Named as the First African American to Lead CEF® of Mississippi, Inc.
Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is a nonprofit 501(c)3, international, interdenominational, and Christian organization founded in 1937, headquartered in Warrenton, Missouri. CEF comprises 58 state chapters with 399 offices in the USA and is organized in most nations of the world, with over 3,500 paid staff and hundreds of thousands of volunteers. In its last ministry year, CEF ministered to over 25 million children face-to-face.
The state board of Child Evangelism Fellowship of Mississippi, Inc., headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, selected the Rev. Ammie L. Davis as their new state director. The state director is a developer of developers (local directors), chapters, and is the face of the statewide ministry. “Faith determines our relationship with God, how we deal with God, and how we see God. I am looking forward to creating new partnerships with churches and schools through CEF of Mississippi, Inc., to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus the Christ and to teach them in the Word of God for Christian living,” said the Rev. Davis.
“Within five minutes of conversing with Ammie on the phone, I knew she was the one we had been praying for. God sometimes drops staff from Heaven and that is how we view Ammie—a godsend. Not only does Ammie have the executive leadership skillset to view her role from 30,000 feet but she is grounded in God’s Word, which is what is needed in addressing the ‘lostness’ of the next generation,” said Ron Tant, the CEF Vice President, USA Ministries. As the state director, the Rev. Davis is responsible to pioneer and charter new chapters, effectively reach children throughout the 82 counties in Mississippi, and oversee existing chapters in Jackson, Vicksburg, Louisville, McComb, and the Gulf Coast under the management of local directors, state office team, and the state board.
The Rev. Davis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Human Resource Management from Southern New Hampshire University in 2000, a Master of Divinity degree in Psychology of Religion and Pastoral Care and Counseling from Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in 2004, a Master of Arts degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University in 2011, a Master of Business Administration degree from Webster University in 2014, and is a Doctor of Philosophy candidate in Organization Leadership with an emphasis in Ecclesial Leadership at Regent University.
The Rev. Davis is a member of the Eighth Episcopal District and serves as the pastor of the Zion Chapel AME Church in Hattiesburg. The Rev. Davis brings a wealth of executive leadership and management experience having served 28 years in the United States Navy and retired as a Lieutenant Commander; the founder and director of AD & overF.L.O.W. Ministry, LLC; the Connectional First Vice President of AME/Women in Ministry (WIM); Executive Liaison for Chaplains to the Rt. Reverend Frank Madison Reid, III.; member of Turner Theological Seminary Board of Trustees; and the former president of the Turner Theological Seminary Alumni Association.
