Photo courtesy of Briarwood Presbyterian Church.
Dr. J. Scott Redd Jr.
Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham officially entered a new chapter of leadership on Aug. 10, as Dr. J. Scott Redd Jr. began his role as lead pastor. Selected after an extensive nationwide search, Redd steps into the pulpit of one of the largest congregations in the Presbyterian Church in America, PCA, bringing a unique blend of scholarly expertise and pastoral experience to the Birmingham area.
Redd entered the role following a congregational vote on June 15, which was affirmed by the Evangel Presbytery and followed by a formal installation on Aug. 10, according to a Facebook post. His first sermon as senior pastor took place that same day, marking the beginning of his ministry at Briarwood.
“Our committee believes that he is the man God has called to Briarwood. God has blessed Scott with special gifts and abilities in preaching, teaching, leading and serving. He has a deep love for the church and a commitment to proclaiming the whole counsel of God,” Pulpit Search Committee Chairman Billy Hall said in a recent report to the congregation.
Before joining Briarwood, Redd built an extensive career in theological education and leadership. After teaching and serving as dean of students at Reformed Theological Seminary, RTS, in Orlando, he became president and associate professor of Old Testament at RTS Washington, D.C., in 2012. During his tenure, Redd also directed RTS New York and continued teaching at several institutions, including Catholic University of America and Augustine Theological Institute in Malta, broadening his influence in both pastoral training and biblical scholarship.
Redd was raised in a military family and moved often during his childhood before earning his bachelor’s degree in English from the College of William & Mary, where he met his wife, Jennifer. After working in media consulting in Washington, D.C., Redd followed a call to ministry and earned his Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He went on to complete both a master's and Ph.D. in Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literatures at the Catholic University of America.
Briarwood Presbyterian Church began with modest worship services in a Cahaba Heights storefront. The church quickly grew into one of the largest congregations in the Presbyterian Church in America, PCA. Under Barker’s nearly four decades of leadership, the church established Briarwood Christian School and Birmingham Theological Seminary. Briarwood also played a pivotal role in the PCA’s formation, hosting the denomination’s first General Assembly in December 1973.
After Barker’s retirement in 1999, Dr. Harry L. Reeder III became Briarwood’s second senior pastor, leading the congregation for more than two decades until his unexpected passing in May 2023. By this time, Briarwood had settled into its current campus off I-459 and Acton Road, opened in 1988, and expanded its ministries both locally and globally.
Now settled in Birmingham, Redd brings with him not only a deep love of Scripture but also a strong commitment to pastoral leadership. He and his wife, Jennifer, are parents to five daughters. Jennifer stated in a recent video addressing the congregation that the family looks forward to becoming part of the Briarwood community.
Now, as the church turns the page, Redd steps into his new role combining academic depth with pastoral care.
With Redd’s leadership underway, Briarwood Presbyterian begins a new season rooted in tradition yet looking toward the future.
