Bishop A.D. Brooks

Bishop Henry Brooks and Mother Willie Shaw Brooks must have known that after 11 children it was the will of God to have one more. As the twelfth child of this union, Alphonzo Dunston Brooks came into this world on December 10, 1941, with his roots firmly plated in a Christian home and his purpose predestined by Almighty God. He was raised in church, where his parents made sure he stayed busy. He sang in choirs, he served as an usher and was very active in children and youth ministries.

 In October 1967, Alphonzo Brooks accepted God’s call to ministry and in 1969 he was ordained an elder.  He was elected President of the National Youth for Christ in 1972 and graciously served our youth for 19 years. Elder Brooks was appointed Assistant Pastor of the Mother Church in 1972 and in September 1978, he was consecrated and installed as Pastor of the Mother Church.

 Alphonzo Brooks’ roots continued to grow deeper and stronger as he was consecrated to the office of Bishop in 1985. Twenty-three years later, Bishop Brooks is still working tirelessly to be the shepherd that God has called him to be.

 For more than 10 years, Bishop Brooks served as Vice-Presiding Prelate of the Way of the Cross Church of Christ, Int’l.  In this capacity, he provided invaluable insight, leadership and vision to the organization. I could go on and on about Bishop Brooks accomplishments, which are many, but this not what A Place Called Agape is all about. For let me share with you my relationship with Bishop Alphonzo D. Brooks. One who I have known all of my life, he was even in my parents wedding.

 First and foremost, Bishop is the first and last pastor that I personally pick to be my spiritual leader. I was born under his father leadership, I was a teen living in my daddy house, when he stated his work, no regrets, but I had no choice. But after the death of my father and calling myself being upset with the Lord, after a health scare, the Lord instructed me to return home, to the Way of the Cross Church of Christ for direction in September of 1990 .

 Now me and Bishop we have a funny relationship, as I have said, I am not the easiest person to know, I like to keep my distant. Bishop has the wisdom and the know how to let me have my space, but always at the same time keeping an eye on his son in the gospel. Though very busy, there has not been a time, when I have called Bishop for advice, he did not call me back, giving me my space, yet there when I needed him. When I was hit by the car, though out of town, Bishop called me twice to pray with me,  knowing  I needed to hear from my father in the gospel.

 Then I remember in October of 2000, I believe, Bishop came back from his annual vacation with a powerful anointed sermon from the Lord, called Chosen. Though not one who proclaims to be a prophet, but when called, he can be one. And as he called me out doing the service and laid hands me on, obeying what God had said to him, that I was chosen to be a pastor. Like Job, that which I feared the most had come upon me. It was those same words that were spoken over my life in 1985 by my father, just before his death and now it was time for it to be fulfilled.

 I might be bias, though I don’t think that I am. But be it Noel Jones, or Jakes, or whomever, ain’t (excuse my Engligh) none of them got anything on Alphonzo Brooks.  The  man can sing, teach, and Lawd knows, he can preach. I admire his openess to admit the mistakes of his youth, never acting that he has always be perfect. I admire his faith in God, even through illness and many disappointments, his trust for God has not waver. If anything it has grown. Though sometime to me Bishop seem distant, and maybe it is just him giving me the space that I want.  Nevertheless this great man of God has blessed me in so many ways. Though we may not always agree on every biblical topic and though I am not the one who will be smiling in his face trying to be his favorite son, nevertheless I know that Bishop Alphonzo Dunston Brooks loves me and cares for me, and I pray that he knows that T. Byron feels the same way