Rev. Dr. William E. Flippin, Sr. is a distinguished leader with unwavering devotion to God and a profound commitment to serving His people. As the visionary pastor of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, he has guided the congregation through remarkable growth and transformation since 1990.

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Rev. Dr. Flippin, Sr. holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Business Administration from Fisk University. In recognition of his exemplary leadership, service, and enduring impact, he was inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. in 2006 as a proud graduate of Fisk University. He graduated cum laude from Candler School of Theology at Emory University with a Master of Divinity degree, where he was honored as a Benjamin E. Mays Fellow and a recipient of the Fund for Theological Education scholarship. He furthered his education with a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, and is certified as a Life Transformational Coach and Leadership Coach Trainer.

Rev. Dr. Flippin, Sr.’s career includes serving as Assistant Director of Black Church Relations for the Georgia Baptist Convention for thirteen years, where he organized Baptist Student Unions at numerous colleges and universities across Georgia and managed The Cason Fund for ministerial scholarships, valued at over $200,000.

He has pastored two historically significant Black churches founded by enslaved persons and freed Christians: Springfield Baptist Church in Greensboro, Georgia, and Shoal Creek Baptist Church in Locust Grove, Georgia.

Under his leadership, The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church has undergone extensive renovations and expansions, including the construction of a Family Life Center and a state-of-the-art Worship Center with seating for more than 1,000 worshippers. These projects were completed and fully liquidated in record time. In 2014, The Grove Gardens for Seniors was constructed and fully occupied within a week. In 2024, the State of Georgia honored him by naming the bridge on Glenwood Avenue crossing Interstate 20 in Atlanta the Reverend Dr. William E. Flippin, Sr. Bridge.

In 2026, Dr. Flippin was further honored with the unveiling of his official oil portrait in the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College.

Throughout his nearly three decades as pastor, Dr. Flippin, Sr. has overseen the ordination of more than 100 ministers and deacons, established scholarship funds, and created Christian education and resource centers for both the congregation and the broader community.

Dr. Flippin, Sr. has positioned The Grove as a prominent stakeholder in Atlanta and DeKalb County through partnerships with the NAACP, the operation of a full-time Outreach Center, Counseling Center, and Community Development Corporation (501c3), and by organizing annual holiday giving and self-help initiatives. He served as President of the DeKalb Juvenile Justice Commission, raising more than $300,000 in three years to support at-risk children and youth. The church also anticipates the completion of The Grove Gardens, which will provide healthy food options for residents of the East Lake Senior Living Community.

As Founder and CEO of The Flippin Legacy Ministries, The Pearl Initiative, Inc., and Pearls of Great Price Ministries, Inc., Dr. Flippin, Sr. is a Life Member of the NAACP and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., where he previously served as National Chaplain. He is the author of six books: In My Father’s House; God’s Order: Order in the Church; God’s Order: Order in the Pulpit; God’s Order; Vision 20/20; and Church Administration.

Dr. Flippin, Sr. is deeply committed to the development of leaders, serving as a mentor to pastors, ministers, and community and business leaders. Drawing upon his expertise as a certified coach, he equips individuals to realize their leadership potential. His ministry has taken him abroad to Africa, Ethiopia, South Africa, Greece, Turkey, the Bahamas, and Israel.

In addition to his professional and ministerial pursuits, Dr. Flippin, Sr. is happily married to Sylvia Taylor Flippin, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and holder of a Master’s degree in Education from Georgia State University. She retired as a Mathematics Instructional Coach for the DeKalb County Board of Education. Together, they are the proud parents of four children: Rev. Dr. William Edward Flippin, Jr. and his wife Kedra Flippin, Rev. Dr. Richard Curtis Flippin, Rev. Joseph Charles Taylor Flippin, and Miss Sylvia Joi Flippin. Dr. and Mrs. Flippin, Sr. are also the joyful grandparents of Shamel Emani and Khloe Kristina Taylor.