We all are born with a purpose in life. Pastor Tony McGraw’s passion centers around helping teens and adults identify and pursue their purpose, especially those who have experienced some of life’s greatest setbacks. His work has been broad in scope as he has supported the personal, professional, and spiritual development of many.
As an ordained minister who has preached for over 45 years, he has planted and developed churches in Gulfport, Mississippi, Syracuse, New York, and Liverpool, New York. He was serving as the Assistant Pastor of True Tried Missionary Baptist Church of Indianapolis, Indiana when the Lord put on his heart to return to the role of Pastor. He was lead to and encouraged to accept the role of Pastor here at Faith Baptist Church. Pastor McGraw is bivocational. He also works as a Family Consultant/ Mentor for a faith-based organization where he strives to reunite and support families that have been torn apart by life’s circumstances.
Passionate about the character development of youth and the successful re-entry of ex-offenders into society, Pastor McGraw spent many years in Christian and public school systems supporting the education of young people and coaching them in sports. He faithfully taught two classes at the Plainfield Correctional Facility in Indiana for more than ten years. The first course, Inside Outside Dads, is a course that teaches men how to be better dads while inside so they will be better dads on the outside. The second course, Threshold, supports men who are on the verge of being released. It guides them through the transition from incarceration to their return to their families and commmunities.
Pastor McGraw has earned degrees in Human Services, Bible Theology, and an Honorary Doctorate from the Louisiana Baptist University in Freeport, Bahamas. He is married to LaSonya McGraw who assists him in ministry with administrative tasks, website design & maintenance, social media and livestreaming. She enjoys outreach activities and has previously served teaching children's and women's Sunday School. She holds a Master's Degree in Accounting & Finance and has worked at the University level in Research Administration for more than 15 years. Tony and LaSonya have six adult children.