Dr. Ava S. Harvey Sr.

Dr. Ava S. Harvey, Sr., has served as the pastor of the Pilgrim Rest MB Church of Brandon, MS since 1997. At the age of 17, he accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of his life and immediately heeded the call to preach the Gospel. He has been married to Mrs. Leslee Butler Harvey for 24 years and they have two children (Amari and Ava Jr.).

Pastor Harvey is a frequent public speaker that facilitates revivals, workshops, conferences, conventions, and convocations. As an effective communicator, he has participated and made presentations to various religious, social, and political associations. He has previously served as a seminary board member of the McKinley Theological Seminary and on several community activist boards. He is a certified mentor through the Mississippi National Guard Youth Challenge Academy and he has also volunteered as a “Keys-2-Life” and “Big Brother & Big Sister” mentor.

He is the published author of the book “Milk, Manna, and Meat – 90 Days of Spiritual Nourishment” and the Visionary of the FACE-IT Fellowship Ministry.

Pastor Harvey holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Jackson State University, a Master of Divinity from Wesley Biblical Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Morehouse School of Religion at the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. He was awarded the Pastor of the Year by the Mississippi Music Awards and the prestigious HEADWAE Academic Excellence Award by the Mississippi State Legislature in 2015. His passion for God and his love for the people of the Lord are his driving motivation.