JONATHAN MALONE
The 24th Pastor of Lower Merion Baptist Church, Bryn Mawr, PA from June, 2004 to December, 2008
Rev. Jonathan A. Malone became the Minister at Lower Merion Baptist Church in June of 2004. Rev. Malone grew up in Albany, New York where he was active at Emmanuel Baptist Church and in various musical endeavors. Summers were spent working at an American Baptist camp in Cooperstown, New York as a counselor, lifeguard, program director, and cook and bottle washer. Moving from Albany, he attended the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for two years as a performance major, and graduated with a Bachelors of Music in Musical Studies (with a focus on history) from the Crane School of Music at SUNY, Potsdam along with a performance certificate. It was during his college years when Jonathan felt a call to enter the ministry, and he took the risk, put down his bassoon (although not permanently), and moved to Boston, MA to study at Andover Newton Theological School where he obtained his Masters in Divinity. While in Boston, Jonathan worked with students at Harvard University through Old Cambridge Baptist Church. It was from Boston that Jonathan moved to Dayton, Ohio received his ordination, and served at the First Baptist Church as the associate pastor of Christian Education and Youth Ministry. While at Lower Merion, Jonathan was enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Theology at the University of Dayton, focusing on Baptist Ecclesiology (the Baptist understanding of the church). He left Lower Merion in December of 2008 to become the pastor at First Baptist Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Jonathan is an avid music listener of almost all genres, and lover of all the arts. Along with the bassoon he dabbles on the electric bass. He enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee, reading, hiking (ask him about his hike on the Appalachian Trail), attempting home repair, and spending time with his family.
When asked about his ministry, Jonathan stated, "If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be 'passion.' I have a passion to share the good news of Jesus Christ in an honest, engaging, and compassionate way. The love of God I experience through Jesus only increases my passion for ministry! I hope I can show, and invite others to be a part of that same passion I have for the Gospel."