The Evangelical Covenant Church has named Rev. Dominique Gilliard as its new senior director of discipleship, evangelism, and justice, a leadership role overseeing the denomination's Love Mercy Do Justice and Make and Deepen Disciples teams. Gilliard most recently served as director of racial righteousness and reconciliation within Love Mercy Do Justice, the ministry arm he now helps to lead.
Gilliard is widely known beyond the Covenant for his writing on justice and the church, and his path to the role has run through both the classroom and the local church. After teaching at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, he served in two Oakland, California, congregations — Convergence Covenant Church and New Hope Covenant Church — where his ministry centred on holistic discipleship, small groups, and community engagement.
In an interview with the Covenant Companion, Gilliard described his calling as closing what he calls an “unbiblical chasm” in the Western church between evangelism and biblical justice, between the Great Commission and the greatest commandment. He pointed to a revitalised intergenerational BLESS curriculum, the triennial Unite youth conference, and Crescendo's discipleship resources for older adults as initiatives he is eager to advance.
Source: Evangelical Covenant Church / Covenant Companion — covchurch.org/2026/09/08/making-gods-name-known-and-love-shown/
