Biography
By Jim Hague
Reverend Donald Harris has enjoyed a fulfilling life, complete with a wife, five children and grandchildren. He has devoted the last 40 years of his life to his faith and his ministry, the last 22 years as the pastor at the Grace Bible Church in North Haledon, N.J.
It’s a far cry from when he was a three-sport standout at Rutgers-Newark, earning an astounding 11 varsity letters as a member of the R-N basketball, baseball and golf teams.
“I believe that God led me in another direction,” Harris said. “God has blessed me greatly.”
After graduating from Dumont High School in Bergen County in the mid-50’s, Harris sought out an education at Rutgers-Newark.
“I enjoyed it immensely,” Harris said. “I found the school myself. I was looking for a good business school and wanted to major in accounting. Rutgers-Newark had a good reputation as a business school and I was able to drive there and come home.”
When Harris enrolled at R-N, he decided to try out for the basketball team.
“I saw they had a sports program and I was interested,” Harris said. “I enjoyed playing sports and I tried out for each team.”
In basketball, Harris was known for his floor leadership and good jump shot. He was a scrappy, hard-nosed player who made the most of his athletic frame.
But when the spring came, there was a challenge, considering he had interest in both baseball and golf.
“In the spring, I got busy doing two sports at once,” Harris said. “I did a lot of hustling around. We had a regular schedule in both baseball and golf. When I wasn’t playing baseball, I was playing golf. I spent a lot of afternoons either on the baseball field or the golf course. It was every day of the week. If I didn’t have a game, I’d be home studying.”
Harris learned how to play golf on his own.
“I was a caddie at White Beaches Golf Course in Haworth,” Harris said. “On Mondays, they let the caddies play. When I got to college, I played on some nice courses.”
Harris was asked if he found it remarkable that he was able to play two varsity sports at the same time and still concentrate on his studies.
“I never really thought of it,” Harris said. “I just enjoyed it so much. I was committed to being a part of it. It was a tremendous experience.”
Harris’ efforts were recognized by being named the Outstanding Senior Athlete. He also received the Bronze Key and was a constant member of the Dean’s list.
In 1959, Harris graduated from R-N with a Bachelor of Science in accounting and later attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick to receive his Masters in economics.
Harris was working as a certified public accountant in New York, when Uncle Sam called.
Harris was drafted into the United States Army and spent two years in Fort Benning, Ga.
It was around that time when Harris received a calling from a higher source.
“I had been visiting people in a hospital, when I came across a man who told me he had been in bed for 28 years,” Harris said. “He was very appreciative of my visits. Visiting this man made me aware that it was a calling, both physical and spiritual. I became more interested in sharing the Gospel.”
Harris then went to the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where he studied for a year. While in Chicago, he met the woman who would become his wife, Ruth.
“It was a non-denominational Christian church,” Harris said. “After one year, we got married and I went on to pastor a small country church in Indiana.”
Harris then returned home to New Jersey to become the pastor at Haworth Gospel Church, where he remained for 18 years.
In 1991, Harris moved on to the Grace Bible Church, where he remains as pastor today.
Harris was asked about giving up his initial career for a life with God.
“In a sense, it was really starting all over,” Harris said. “I did keep my CPA license for 40 years. Financially, it was a big change. But in this ministry, it helps to know a little about business. Work has to be done. It’s a privilege and honor to share the Bible.”
Now 75 years old, Harris remains active with his community. He believes that his experiences as an athlete at Rutgers-Newark have helped him become a better pastor.
“I think it’s helped me relate to young people,” Harris said. “I still play softball and I still play golf. I’m the manager of the church softball team. The young people get to see me in that light. It’s a whole other dimension.”
A long-time resident of Wyckoff, N.J., Harris was inducted into the Rutgers-Newark Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He definitely has to be one of the most decorated and devoted athletes in the history of the school, playing varsity baseball and golf for four years during the same season and spending three years with the Scarlet Raiders’ basketball program.
“I was very pleased to be able to do that,” Harris said. “I was given the opportunity and I made the most of it. It really was something special. It might have taken a lot of time, but it was well worth it.”
Now you can see the reasons why Pastor Donald Harris truly believes that God has blessed him. He has a legacy that backs up those words – and his word now is spreading the word of the Lord through the Gospel.
