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Pastor Jim Cymbala - Founder of The Brooklyn Tabernacle

Jim Cymbala | SENIOR PASTOR

Pastor Jim Cymbala was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where he enjoyed a successful career playing basketball in both high school and college. Upon graduation from the University of Rhode Island, he entered the business world and married his childhood sweetheart, Carol. Although unforeseen by them, it wasn’t long before God called them into ministry. Arriving at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, they found a congregation of less than 20 people meeting in a rundown building located in an impoverished part of downtown Brooklyn. Over the years, God has shown his faithfulness to them and their congregation in many miraculous ways. Their present campus includes a large renovated theater in downtown Brooklyn, where thousands of people come each week to hear the good news of Jesus.

During his early years of ministry, the discouragements and challenges nearly led Pastor Cymbala to resign. He desperately sought the Lord for a breakthrough in the church and in his ministry that would reflect what could be seen in the early church of the book of Acts. God clearly spoke to his heart that prayer was the source of the power and breakthrough that were needed. As a result, the Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting became the most important service of the week for the church. Today, Pastor Cymbala’s ministry is still characterized by his emphasis on prayer in the church and a dependence on the Holy Spirit for his leading and power.

Pastor Cymbala has a strong burden for the local church and has been blessed with the opportunity to encourage thousands of pastors around the country and world with what God has taught him throughout his 50 years of ministry.

Pastor Cymbala is the author of several books, including Spirit Rising; Breakthrough Prayer; and Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, which was named Christian Book of the Year.  He has also done a number of sermon series and other video series on prayer and other important topics for the Christian church.

His wife Carol directs the six-time Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, whose music has blessed people around the world.  Pastor Jim and Carol Cymbala continue to serve as senior pastors of The Brooklyn Tabernacle and have been blessed with three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

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Lincoln Fritz | ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Pastor Lincoln Fritz is an associate pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, he joined the staff in 2015 as the executive pastor, responsible for the overall operations of the church. In that capacity, he works closely with Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Operations, to ensure the highest standard of practice. In addition, he has oversight responsibility for the associate pastors and ministry leaders. Previously, his professional career was in international banking, where he held global and county head positions.

Alex Burgos | ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Pastor Alex Burgos was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where he met the Lord at a young age. Both his great-uncle and his uncle were ministers of the gospel. Pastor Burgos is a graduate of Nyack College Alliance Theological Seminary, where he received his Master’s Degree in Pastoral Studies. He began attending The Brooklyn Tabernacle in 1985 and sang in the choir for 11 years. In 2002, he joined the staff of The Brooklyn Tabernacle, where he now serves as associate pastor. Pastor Burgos does extensive counseling and has oversight of many ministries in the church. He also serves on the boards of directors of several organizations and meets with pastors around the country to provide encouragement.

Charles Hammond | ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Pastor Charles Hammond was raised in a Christian home and gave his heart to Christ at a young age. After college, Pastor Hammond began a career in business but soon realized that God was calling him into full-time ministry. After serving for 8 years in The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, he joined the pastoral staff in 1988. Over the years, Pastor Hammond has done counseling, directed the Men’s Chorus and the Evangelism Ministry, and led praise and worship in the church. Pastor Hammond has a strong passion to see lives transformed and useful for kingdom building.

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Jerry Park | ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Pastor Jerry Park worked in the technology and financial industry for many years. In 2000, he began putting together short mission prayer videos for The Brooklyn Tabernacle’s Tuesday Night Prayer Meetings. Soon afterward, he began organizing and leading teams to minister with our missionaries. Within a few years, he began The Brooklyn Tabernacle Missions Ministry, which meets regularly to pray for the world, organize short-term mission trips, and provide training and education about missions and the persecuted church. It was this experience of working in the impoverished and underprivileged Majority World that led Pastor Park to create a non-profit, World Compassion Fellowship, which has launched Medical Life Centers and funded other international humanitarian projects.

Brian Pettrey | ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Pastor Brian Pettrey was born and raised in Clarksburg, WV. While attending college at The Virginia Military Institute, he came to a place of desperation in his life that led him to read the Bible. He soon invited Jesus into heart, and his life was supernaturally changed. Pastor Pettrey received his master’s degree in Public Policy at Regent University; and in 1996 he moved his young family to New York City, where he began serving at The Brooklyn Tabernacle. Within a few years, God called Pastor Pettrey into full-time ministry at the church.  After directing the young adult ministry for three years, he was ordained as an associate pastor. Today Pastor Pettrey serves as the director of the Marriage Ministry and is interim pastor at one of The Brooklyn Tabernacle’s daughter churches, Manhattan Grace Tabernacle in Harlem, NY.