Jamal Bryant’s megachurch makes good on years old promise with opening of medical clinic

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Tuesday, November 14, 2023

The Jamal Bryant-led New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, opened a full health clinic on their campus Saturday, becoming the first church in Georgia to do something like this, according to Bryant.

“We will be the very first church in the entire state of Georgia to have a full health clinic on our church campus,” the megachurch pastor declared in an interview with WSB-TV.

Bryant, whose church was heavily involved with testing and community support at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted how critical the medical clinic is for the community the church serves by pointing out how the pandemic impacted the black community due to pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. 

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“You know, the African American community was inequitably impacted during the pandemic, from pre-existing conditions and so that clinic wants to contend with it head on,” Bryant said.

He explained that the clinic will be for the “entire community” and will offer both primary and urgent care, disease prevention and other medical testing. 

“We’ll be able to do screenings, examinations, and X-rays. You won’t have to go to other places, you can do it right there. A full staff of certified board doctors and nurses,” Bryant said. “We’ll be open five days a week, Monday-Friday, and Saturday is the only day where an appointment is required.”

The clinic, which will be open in two weeks, has partnered with Community Healthcare of America and will accept several forms of insurance and Medicaid and Medicare. 

The opening of the medical facility follows an announcement Bryant made to his church in 2019 to build a medical facility on the church’s campus that will serve the uninsured and underinsured, as well as build affordable housing for seniors because the church is the “largest land-owning church in America.” 

"We are tremendously blessed by the overwhelming support and enthusiasm surrounding the Community Healthcare of America Clinic at New Birth," said Tony Safieh, the clinic's director, in a statement to CP. "Since the announcement, our phone lines have been abuzz with community members eager to access the enhanced health resources coming to South DeKalb County. Following our ribbon-cutting ceremony, we have slightly adjusted our official opening date to ensure that we not only meet but exceed the healthcare needs of this community. While we anticipate only a two-week delay, please be sure to visit our website at www.communityhcoa.com or call us at 770-217-1823 to remain abreast of our opening date."  

In his 2019 sermon, Bryant cited the rapid growth of the older adult population in the U.S. and explained that he believes God has called his church to invest in the welfare of seniors and other vulnerable populations.

“The fastest growing demographic is now our seniors, for the first time in American history. There are more 60-year-olds than there are 16-year-olds. We are a multi-generational church, and we have to make sure that we take care of our parents and our grandparents,” he said.

"So right on our campus we’re gonna be building an assisted-living home for our seniors. Right on our campus it is our intention to build a medical facility for people in this community who do not have health insurance and for those who are underinsured,” Bryant added. "Far too many are dying of curable diseases. And we want to make sure that the church doesn’t just operate on Sunday, but Monday through Saturday, that we are a lamplight to the community. That’s what God is calling us to do."

Bryant had promised to start making good on his promises in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed his plans.

“We are the largest land-owning church in America. And next year, y’all get ready, cause it’s gonna be construction trucks all over our sanctuary, all over our campus,” he said at the time.  “We’re looking to build right on our campus, affordable housing.”