Dr. John M. Perkins (1930–2026) A Faithful Witness to the Gospel of Reconciliation

The family of Dr. John M. Perkins announces with gratitude to God and deep sorrow that this faithful servant of Christ has entered into the presence of the Lord.

For more than six decades, Dr. Perkins proclaimed and embodied the gospel of Jesus Christ — not only in word, but in costly obedience. From rural Mississippi to global platforms, his life testified to the transforming power of reconciliation through the cross.

A civil rights leader, Bible teacher, author of more than seventeen books, and co-founder of the Christian Community Development movement, Dr. Perkins called the Church to live out a holistic gospel — one that binds up the brokenhearted, confronts injustice, restores dignity, and builds beloved community rooted in Christ.

Having endured injustice, violence, and imprisonment during the Civil Rights Movement, he responded not with bitterness, but with forgiveness. His message remained consistent throughout his life: that we are “one blood” under God, that suffering can produce joy in Christ, and that true justice flows from a reconciled heart.

In 1983, alongside his beloved wife Vera Mae Perkins, he founded what is now the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation, committed to advancing Christian community development, leadership formation, and racial reconciliation. Through youth programs in Jackson, Mississippi, national partnerships, and twelve Legacy Schools across the United States and beyond, the Foundation continues to form leaders shaped by faith, justice, and love.

Dr. Perkins often said that reconciliation is not an option for the Church — it is a mandate of the gospel.

In lieu of flowers, the Perkins family invites those who have been impacted by his life and ministry to honor his legacy by supporting the ongoing work of the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation. Contributions will help equip the next generation of Christian leaders to pursue justice, embody reconciliation, and proclaim the hope of Christ in their communities.

Though we grieve, we do so with hope. Dr. Perkins ran his race with endurance, kept the faith, and finished well. His life remains a testimony that the gospel is powerful enough to heal wounds, transform communities, and reconcile what the world calls impossible.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” — Matthew 25:23

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