Pastor Chris Harris, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of two rapidly growing churches in Chicago, Bright Star C.O.G.I.C. (www.BrightStarChurchChicago.com) and St. James C.O.G.I.C. (www.StJamesMinistriesChicago.com), succeeding Dr. James Stovall, Sr. (November 1999) and Bishop Willie James Campbell (June 2021).
He travels the world building relationships between African-American and Jewish Clergy and has visited the Holy Land eight times, leading more than 70+ faith leaders to Israel on interfaith trips. Recognizing the need for more “community-minded clergy,” and due to increasing violence and trauma in Chicago, he established Bright Star Community Outreach – BSCO (www.BrightStarCommunityOutreach.com) in 2009. With an annual operating budget of over $9 Million Dollars, BSCO employs more than 150+ people annually and leads a collaborative of 70+ organizations in the Greater Bronzeville Community. As a result of BSCO’s work there has been a 17% reduction in shootings, a 14% reduction in robberies, and a 10% reduction in assaults.
Backed by hospitals, philanthropic and corporate funding, his TURN (The Urban Resilience Network) Model has received more than $20 Million Dollars of support, placing the faith community in the forefront of addressing community issues. In June 2023, Pastor Harris repurposed his former 68,000 sq. ft. elementary school now called the TURN Center. BSCO’s work has served more than 50,000 Chicagoans and Harris now endeavors to teach other pastors and churches how to replicate this important work.
To learn more about the work of BSCO please visit brightstarcommunityoutreach.com and brightstarcdc.com.
