MBB News & Notes: Spotlight on Rev. LaThelma Yenn-Batah

Rev. LaThelma Yenn-Batah credits an elementary school
student named Jada with her mission trajectory. In
2015 when visiting her friend’s classroom, the young
girl asked Rev. Yenn-Batah what was her career focus.
When she told Jada she was in school preparing to be
a pastor, Jada responded, “Women can’t be pastors,
only first ladies.”

“Little girls not seeing women as leaders in church
affected me,” said LaThelma.

LaThelma has a strong church background. She was
raised by her grandparents, James and Thelma
Armstrong, in Chicago. They attended a small church
on the Southside of Chicago where LaThelma was a
junior usher. Her grandfather was a trustee, and she
often sat in on meetings. It was in the choir where she
found her voice. As a youth, LaThelma loved church
and singing in church was how she shared her gifts
and talent. At the age of 14, she was awarded a
scholarship to a boarding school in Indiana, where she
participated in the gospel choir. She soon realized she
could pursue a Master of Divinity degree. That reality
sank in further when she realized the Rev. Dr. Janel
Dixon, pastor of Cedar Park Presbyterian Church in
Philadelphia, was showing her who she wanted to be.

As a post-graduate Parish Pulpit Fellow through
Princeton Theological Seminary, she received her first
call and participated in extensive cross-cultural and
urban ministry in Costa Rica. During her fellowship,
she was inspired by women who used their educational,
biblical, and theological experiences to take leadership
roles in their churches’ communities.

Pastor LaThelma first served American Baptist Women’s
Ministries (ABWM) as the Associate Executive Director
from 2019-2021. In April 2021, she was called as the
first African American pastor of Flemington Baptist
Church in Flemington, NJ.

She served there until September 2023. “It was
challenging,” said Rev. Yenn-Batah. “But if God calls
you, it will be okay. It doesn’t mean it will be easy, but
if we stay faithful, He will stay with us.”

She returned to ABWM in March 2024 as the Interim
Executive Director. She was named Executive Director
on July 11, 2024. “I feel my best self when in service,”
Rev. Yenn-Batah stated. “I am given the divine spark.”

She explains the difference for her between being
interim, and now being the executive director. “Now I
know I have the full support of the board and that the
ability to lead into the future is cemented. All in all, it
feels really good.” Rev. Yenn-Batah shared further, “I
want to be an agent of change and tap into the needs
of women and girls beyond ABCUSA. To be a voice of
justice and equality and to equip women with resources
to be innovators.”

She was instrumental in the founding of ABWM’s Rudd
Empowerment Center, which is dedicated to advancing
leadership, education and advocacy for women and
girls. Named after ABWM’s first Executive Director
Violet E. Rudd, the center will be a cross-denominational
and interfaith collaboration to extend ABWM’s influence
beyond its traditional community.

Rev. Yenn-Batah will work directly with the hub’s
director, the Rev. Dr. Christine Smith. “The Center is
built on what we have currently and training for where
we are going next,” explained Rev.Yenn-Batah.

“It is time for us to focus
not only on supporting women
in ministry but on expanding
our reach to impact the broader
global community of women leaders,” she
observed. “The Rudd Empowerment Center is a
transformative initiative that will elevate the voice of
women who have long shaped our faith and communities.
It’s exciting for us to have a global voice.” Planning is
underway for the Center to work in partnership with
academic institutions to offer training and certification
programs to give women needed skills to excel.
LaThelma still worships through music. Together with
her husband, they own a music and consulting company
called SoulJourn. “Singing is like breathing. It’s my
first love. I would be sad if I couldn’t sing. It brings
healing, peace, connection, and hope,” she voiced. “I
am always aware with how I show up, but in music I’m
free to let go and have a beautiful relationship with
God. Music brings people together. It impacts us as
individuals and as a collective by telling stories in a
way that relates as a universal language.”

Rev. Yenn-Batah participated in MMBB’s Strategic
Pastoral Excellence Program (SPEP), which provides
pastors and their spouses with tools and strategies for
financial wellness, both personally and for their
ministries. “I learned so much that helped to create
financial wellness in my family,” shared LaThelma.
“The program gave me general confidence in financial
matters as well as helping to support and educate my
church. I am most grateful for MMBB providing a
retirement supplement when ABWM could not initially
take on the full cost. Our future success can be
attributed to MMBB. They are a special partner.”
Rev. Yenn-Batah received a Master of Divinity and a
Master’s of Christian Education from Princeton
Theological Seminary along with certificates in
Theology, Women and Gender and Black Church Studies.

She graduated cum laude from Scripps College with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Africana
Studies. She has received numerous awards including
the Graduate Study Fellowship for Parish and Pulpit
Ministry at Princeton, The David Allen Weadon Award
in Sacred Music, and The Aaron E. Gast Award in Urban
Ministry. She was also selected as Ronald E. McNair
Scholar and a Daniel Murphy Scholar. Ordained in 2018,
LaThelma has served in Costa Rica, South Korea,
Nicaragua, and the United States.