Alumni Spotlight Dr. Jerome Tarver
Dear Alumni, Friends and Supporters of Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and
Seminary (MSBBC&S),
Did you know that 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of our beloved
MSBBC&S? We are celebrating by spotlighting our alumni who are doing marvelous
work evangelizing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our nation and world and who are
making a positive impact on their local communities. We begin with the Chancellor of
the Board of Trustees and Pastor of Maple Springs Baptist Church, Reverend Doctor
Jerome (“Sam”) Tarver, who is celebrating his 7th Pastoral Anniversary with Maple
Springs Baptist Church (MSBC) this Sunday, March 23, 2025, at 10:30 am. Please join
us this Sunday as we celebrate one of our own!!
MSBC selected Reverend Tarver, DMIN, as its 4 th pastor. Dr. Sam Tarver was licensed
by the late, Pastor Emeritus Dr. Chester A. McDonald, Sr., to preach the Gospel on
October 3, 1999, and was ordained by Pastor Emeritus Dr. Larry W. Jordan on June 23,
2007. Dr. Tarver is a child of God who loves children, especially his one daughter Jai
Alicia. Dr. Tarver and his wife, Lovie, have been very active in the lives of young people
and until recently partnered to lead the Youth Ministry at MSBC and the Hope
Missionary Program for the Lott Carey Foreign Mission.
As a 30-year veteran of the United States Navy, Dr. Tarver concluded his career as a
Commander serving as a Navy Judge Advocate representing Wounded Warriors. His
military career has also included stints as a Prosecutor, Defense Counsel, Legal
Assistance Department Head, and completion of a six-month recall to active duty to
serve as the Deputy Legal Counsel for the National Defense University.
In addition, to his active and reserve naval service, Dr. Tarver spent more than 22 years
as an Ethics Official at the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Office of
General Counsel (OGC), advising and training staff regarding ethical integrity and equal
employment opportunity laws. Dr. Tarver has been very active in his community and has
volunteered time providing numerous workshops and training for youth for his fraternity
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. as well as other organizations such as the Covenant
House, DC Partnership Program, and Job Corps.
Dr. Tarver received both his Master of Divinity (2002) and Doctor of Ministry Degrees
(2007), with a Counseling Emphasis, from Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and
Seminary, where he currently serves as Chancellor on the Board of Trustees. These
degrees mesh well with the Juris Doctor degree he received from Cornell Law School in
1990, with a concentration in Advocacy. Dr. Tarver also graduated from Brown
University in 1987, with a Bachelor of Arts, as a dual major in Afro-American Studies
and Political Science.
Again, please join us as the Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and Seminary Family
Celebrates on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at 10:30am the 7th Church Pastoral
Anniversary of Chancellor Sam Tarver. An alumni photo will be taken after service.
Also, please mark your calendars and save the date for Saturday, November 8, 2025,
3:00-7:00 p.m. for our 40th Anniversary Gala! This is an event that you do not want to
miss as we celebrate the milestones and achievements of our beloved institution and its
alumni.
Finally, if you are celebrating a milestone or any significant achievement whether they
are this year or years prior, we want to honor you! Please reply to this email with the
details (similar to Pastor Tarver’s above) as we plan to spotlight 3 or more alumni
monthly leading up to our Gala.