OUR PASTORS

Our church is a nine-year story in the making, filled with God's providence and little miracles along the way.
 
In 2012 God spoke to one of our Co-Pastors, Pastor Frank, to start a church specifically in Times Square NYC on Sunday evenings. Pastor Frank argued with the Lord for an entire year, knowing the resources it would take and not wanting to give up football on Sundays. However, Pastor Frank kept prayerfully considering God's direction. Finally, one Saturday morning, while in prayer at 8 am, Pastor Frank was so overwhelmed with God's leading that he called a dear friend to pray with him about launching the church. The friend lived in Tennessee, and that's where Pastor Frank expected him to be when he picked up the phone. However, as the Lord would have it, his friend was spending a few days in Times Square NYC. This was confirmation, and so Pastor Frank finally asked the Lord to provide the resources necessary to make it happen. First, God spoke to an elderly man who generously offered a gift that covered over half of the need, without Pastor Frank sharing with him about our NYC church. The man simply said God told me to give you this gift so you can do what He has put in your heart. Pastor Frank then shared the vision with his congregation, Faith Church, and the members generously gave to cover the balance needed in one miraculous offering. Faith Church NYC then launched in the AMC movie theatre in Times Square.
 
After much success in Times Square, a spot opened up in lower mid-town with much more reasonable rent, and Faith Church moved. At the time Pastor Frank believed he was being a wise steward of the resources entrusted to us; however, in hindsight, we now know it was not God's will. God's will was to stay in Times Square and believe Him to provide. Faith Church then moved again to a school in Harlem. Serving both the community and the school in many ways such as backpack give-aways, food and clothing distributions, athletic tournaments, kid's fun days in the park, free concerts, and even Christmas gift and tree give aways; all in addition to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, each time Faith Church moved, the church seemed to struggle to gain momentum. Pastor Frank continued to seek the Lord and always kept hearing go back to Times Square where I told you to plant this church. Finally, after nine years of faithfulness to the NYC area, God ordered Pastor Frank's steps to cross the path of our other Co-Pastor, Pastor Hezekiah Walker. Pastor Hezekiah and Pastor Frank hit it off and became friends.

Pastor Hezekiah, too had a heart for NYC and successfully launched a church in Brooklyn in 1994 which led to a location in Pennsylvania in 1998. After much prayer, a 3rd location emerged in Harlem, NY, called The Kingdom Church of Harlem 2015. After six years of ministry success in Harlem, the Lord began to deal with Pastor Hezekiah concerning the expansion of the Harlem campus. He became very unsettled in his spirit while trying to understand what God was doing. When COVID hit, the Harlem Campus would soon close for a season. During that season, Pastor Hezekiah had been praying to the Lord for direction and clear instructions. At that time, God spoke to Pastor Hezekiah and said, "Don't return to what you were doing before Covid." At this point, Pastor Hezekiah received specific instructions on what not to do but still didn't know what to do. This was when Pastor Frank and Pastor Hezekiah met. Pastor Frank shared his heart with Pastor Hezekiah about creating a church with no racial or ethnic divides. A place where people from every background could genuinely come together as one and worship our Savior Jesus Christ. Almost immediately, Pastor Hezekiah received confirmation from God that this was the direction for his Harlem church. After the meeting, Pastor Hezekiah and Pastor Frank went into prayer. They decided to join forces and create one new church in Times Square NYC - a collaborative of their respective churches, The Kingdom Church and Faith Church. This new church would be called Every Tribe Church. The name and vision of the church come from Rev 7:9 where it says:
 
"After these things, I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Revelation 7:9-10 NKJV
 
This is our church and our story. We celebrate God's miracles each step of the way. His provision and His faithfulness to order the steps of our Pastors for such a time as this! We are excited to see the great things God will do as we continue to follow His leading and be obedient to His call.