“Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the death of his
Faithful Servants.” -Psalm 116:15
The Rev. Dr. Arthur R. White, the Pastor of Christ Community Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pa., died on Saturday, March 21, 2020. He was 71 years old.
The Rev. Dr. Arthur R. White was born on
July 4, 1948, in Roanoke, La., to the Late Deacon Vandy White and Geraldine Joubert White. He was a fourth-generation preacher in the White Family. The Rev. Dr. White was the pastor at Christ Community Baptist Church for 39 years.
The Rev.
Dr. White attended Bethune High School in Welsh (1st-11th grades) and was the first black to graduate from Roanoke High in 1966. He received a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from McNeese State University in 1971. Inspired by the Rev. V.E.
Washington, the Rev. Dr. White then received his Master of Divinity from Virginia Union School of Theology in 1974. Continuing with his education in the Lord, he took post-graduate courses in preaching, hermeneutics, theology and missiology from
Lutheran Theological Seminary. In 2011, he earned a Doctorate of Ministry Degree at the Biblical Theological Seminary.
The Rev. Dr. White served as Director of Christian Education of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention from 1986-1996
and as President of The Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention from 2001-2005.
The Rev. Dr. White was also the co-chair of the Theological Commission and Philadelphia Host Committee for the National Baptist Convention Congress of Christian
Education. He was the Assistant Dean of the National Baptist Convention, Congress of Christian Education. He was a member of various religious boards, commissions committees and community organizations. He also taught at Institutes, Seminars,
Workshops, Revivals and Conventions.
The Rev. Dr. Arthur R. White is survived by his wife, Thelma Wilson White; three daughters, Tina, Kimberly and Ashly; two granddaughters, Brenae and Peyton; and two grandsons, Brendan and Brylan all of
Philadelphia, Pa.; his mother, Geraldine J. White; one sister, Vandell W. Lockett (Harold); three brothers, the Rev. Carl White (Vicki) and Kelvin White, all of Lake Charles, La., and the Rev. Kirby White of Shreveport, La.; three stepsisters, Linda
Pitre, Julia Fontenot and Kathy Guillory; and two stepbrothers, Charles and Harry Guillory; two aunts, Lora Edwards (Ivory Joe) of Lake Charles, La., and Jeanola Sherman of Shreveport, La.; one uncle, Herman Joubert (Julia) of Milton, N.C.; a host of
nieces and nephews who loved him dearly and a host of beloved cousins and friends.
**A Celebration of Life-Memorial Service will be held at a later date.