Pastor Griffith was born on January 7 1953 in Lynwood, California. John and Marion Griffith had moved to California from Jackson, Mississippi in 1951.  A World War II veteran, John Griffith purchased a home in Compton.  Lynwood and Compton are adjacent suburbs in the Los Angeles area.  Mr. Griffith worked McDonnell Douglas/ Boeing beginning in aircraft fabrication and retiring as an avionic designer and advance electronic system supervisor. Mrs. Griffith was an elementary school teacher retiring the same year as her husband following forty- two years in the public school system.Pastor Griffith attended public school in Compton and graduated from Compton Senior High in 1970.  Pastor Griffith attended California Lutheran College graduating in 1974 majoring in religion.  Pursuing his desire for ordained ministry, Pastor Griffith attended Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. Fulfilling his clinical ministry education requirement working at the Naval Hospital-Long Beach, Pastor Griffith was recruited into the Naval Theological Student Program. He was commissioned an Ensign in 1976. Pastor Griffith remained active in the Naval Reserves throughout his seminary years.   Pastor Griffith served a unique internship experience at Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago and Naval Station-Great Lakes.  It was on his intern year that Pastor Griffith met his future wife, Annette Louise Andrews. Upon graduation from seminary in 1978, Pastor Griffith reported to Marine Corp Recruit Training Depot-Parris Island. Chaplain Griffith was released from active duty at the request by the ALC Ohio District to accept the call to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio.  After leaving Parris Island, Pastor Griffith married Annette Andrews on June 25, 1978 at Good Shepherd Lutheran-Robbins, IL as the couple had planned during his internship year. Good Shepherd was Annette's home church where her parents were charter members. During their honeymoon in California, Pastor Griffith was ordained at First Lutheran Church in Compton. Pastor Griffith had worked at First Lutheran as its summer youth director during summer breaks from seminary. Returning to Ohio, Pastor Griffith served Good Shepherd in Cleveland for three years. In December of 1981, Pastor Griffith was recalled to active duty in the Navy. He served for the next twenty-eight years and retired on the 31st of October 2009. During his active duty career, Pastor Griffith served aboard an amphibious ship, three overseas tours, post graduate studies in Islam and several deployments with the Marines including a thirteen-month tour in Iraq. As a family, the Griffiths were stationed in Okinawa and Sasebo, Japan.

The Griffiths have two children, Ethan and Karen. Ethan was born at Naval Air Station-Lemoore in 1988 and Karen was born in Okinawa, Japan in 1994. Ethan will begin his junior year in college majoring in criminal justice. He works as a part-time computer support technician. Karen will be a senior at Northside High School in Jacksonville, NC.  She plans to attend college majoring in International studies and business.  Annette is the family's home manager especially with Pastor's numerous activities.  She has worked as an office manager and taught English while the family lived in Sasebo.  She loves to sing in the choir and has always volunteered her time as a military spouse mentor. She has taught Sunday school and VBS.  

Along with his military commendations, Pastor Griffith has the distinction of being the first African American senior class president at California Lutheran College. He received the Meritorious Service medallion from the National Church honoring his years of ministry to the military. Wartburg seminary presented him with the Living Loehe award as one of their distinguished alumnus.

Pastor Griffith is a tenured member of the endorsing committee for ELCA Federal Ministries.  He serves on the church council at Lutheran Church of Our Savior-Jacksonville and is the vice president of Thrivent-Crystal Coast chapter.