Philip J. Ginyard, senior pastor, theologian, counselor, and inspirational blogger, has died at 62

Philip J. Ginyard, 62, of Mullica Hill, former senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Swedesboro, chaplain for the Woolwich Township Police Department, theologian, program director at Missio Seminary, and inspirational blogger, died Friday, May 5, of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at his home.

Pastor Ginyard, called Pastor Phil by many, was the son of Joseph Ginyard, another prominent Philadelphia pastor. So it seemed only natural that, after being inspired by the fellowship and sense of purpose he felt when he joined First Baptist in 2000, Pastor Ginyard obtained his credentials and became the church’s seventh pastor in 2015.

Since then, says his staff biography for Missio, Pastor Ginyard “has been on the forefront of an awakening missional movement to advance the Kingdom of God in tangible ways.”

Indeed, Pastor Ginyard’s missional disciple program at First Baptist focused on specific community outreach plans and personal interaction with those he found in need. He taught religious classes at church, built coalitions with organizations and church members of other denominations in Swedesboro, Woolwich Township, and Logan Township, and created his blog, the Disabled Disciple, to keep his messaging current and vibrant even after he fell ill.

He retired from First Baptist in 2021 due to his debilitating illness but continued to update his blog through eye gaze computer technology. His last blog post was April 15, and more he had written are set to be published.

“He was a fighter,” said his wife, Donna Brown Ginyard. “He did not let that [illness] stop him. And he never complained.”

As police chaplain for Woolwich Township, Pastor Ginyard counseled young offenders in New Jersey’s Stationhouse Adjustment program that offers alternatives to criminal charges or incarceration. In 2019, to assist others in qualifying for advanced religious education, he helped create and was the first director of Missio’s Diploma in Biblical and Missional Theology program.

He was “passionate about making seminary education readily accessible,” his biography says.

The program launched in 2021, and the first class is to graduate in June. In a tribute, Missio officials noted Pastor Ginyard’s “vision and leadership” and said he “left a lasting influence on the goals and structure and curriculum of the program.”

Pastor Ginyard received his diploma in biblical and theological studies at Palmer Theological Seminary in Wayne in 2007, and his master of divinity in 2011 and doctor of ministry in 2016 from Missio. He was on the board of directors for Wise Choice Ministries and active with the Word of Life Fellowship.

”Heaven is celebrating,” a friend said in a Facebook tribute. “I’m a better person for knowing him.”

The youngest of four children, Philip Jerome Ginyard was born Jan. 17, 1961. He grew up in Wynnefield, attended Calvary Gospel Chapel in West Philadelphia, and graduated from Overbrook High School.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and became area director of the Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He had son Quentin, and worked in insurance, most recently as an account executive with Independence Blue Cross.

He met Donna Brown at a fraternity function in the late 1980s, and they married in 1997. They lived in Logan Township at first and moved to Mullica Hill in 2010.

Pastor Ginyard never lost his interest in political science and read everything he could, especially newspapers. He wrote on his own often and said in a 1997 op-ed in The Inquirer: “Despite the growing pains and the changing faces of the residents, Wynnefield has a special place in the mosaic of neighborhoods that is Philadelphia. It was truly a privilege to grow into adulthood in Dr. Wynne’s ‘hood.”

He watched football games and munched on pizza after church on Sundays or wandered through museums with his wife before brunch. He felt at peace near the ocean, so they visited many islands.

He liked old movies, saw all 10 of August Wilson’s plays on Broadway, and knew all the best restaurants in Philadelphia. He enjoyed summers at Word of Life Camp in New York as a boy, and he and his wife later served as camp counselors.

In a Facebook tribute, a friend said: “Phil will leave a legacy of strength, loyalty, and righteousness for us all.”

In addition to his wife and son, Pastor Ginyard is survived by two sisters and other relatives. A brother died earlier.

A viewing is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at Sharon Baptist Church, 3955 Conshohocken Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19131. A celebration of his life is to follow. Interment is to be at 10 a.m. Monday, May 15, at Ivy Hill Cemetery, 1201 Easton Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19150.

Donations in his name may be made to the ALS Association Greater Philadelphia, Suite 260, 321 Norristown Rd., Ambler, Pa. 19002.