Rev. Dr. Melvin B. Tuggle II

Rev. Dr. Melvin B. Tuggle II is the current Pastor of the Garden of Prayer Baptist Church, located in Baltimore, Maryland. He was born and raised in the city he loves, Baltimore City. He received his education in the Baltimore City Public Schools. Rev. Tuggle later studied Political Science at Louisiana Tech University. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy degree from the Christian Unity Academy in Compton California.

Rev. Tuggle preached his initial sermon and received a license to preach the Gospel at the St. Paul Community Baptist Church in November, 1982 and began to serve as an associate minister under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Gregory B. Perkins. He also served as Assistant Pastor of the Prince of Peace Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Moses Williams.

In August 1986, the Lord directed Rev. Tuggle to the Garden of Prayer Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. George A. Hurt. In November 1986, Rev. Tuggle was ordained by the St. Paul Community Baptist church and began to serve as Assistant Pastor of the Garden of Prayer Baptist Church. On the first Sunday, October 1987, Rev. Tuggle was installed as Pastor of the Garden of Prayer Baptist Church.

Pastor Tuggle is a man of vision. After becoming Pastor, Rev. Tuggle’s vision was to build a new church edifice. He was instrumental in leading the church to build this new edifice for the Garden of Prayer to worship. This vision came to past in August 1992. The church marched in to the new Garden of Prayer Baptist Church located at 1148 Homestead Street. Under his leadership, the church membership grew, numerous ministries were established, and a new extension added to the current church edifice. In addition, several properties were purchased to help improve the community, and to benefit the membership.

Pastor Tuggle is the President of Clergy United for Renewal in East Baltimore, past President of the Maryland State Baptist Convention. He has served and participated in many ministers and pastors conferences throughout Baltimore City. He has also preached in many churches throughout Baltimore, the surrounding cities and states. Pastor Tuggle is a community activist who is very concerned with the health of the faith-based community and the many health disparities that affect the faith-based community, and the church which he pastors. He participated in many public health initiatives and programs that deal with the many health disparities within the faith-based communities. He currently serves as chairman of Heart Body and Soul, a public health program of Johns Hopkins. He holds several board positions at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, School of Nursing and Medicine. He is the author of a book entitled, “It Is Well With My Soul: Churches and Institutions Collaborating for Public Health” a health manual that addresses the issues and collaboration of church and state. He is married to Brenda McLean Tuggle and they have one child. He is known as the Pastor who “Walks by Faith and Not by Sight”. He believes that if can help somebody as he travels along the way, than his living is not in vain.