The 1990s were a period of cultural change.  Transitioning from a decade of financial instability, war on drugs, and significant world conflict to a time of relative prosperity.  But, pressures still abounded: police misconduct, gentrification, corporate and individual greed. “CREAM, get the money, dollar bill yall” was the prevailing mantra in Brooklyn and across the land.  At this same time, there was also this burst of cultural awareness.  Diversity was in, blackness was in, being comfortable in your own skin was in.  People increasingly needed to feel safe, craved authenticity, and demanded freedom to express themselves.  These needs expounded into religious expression.  Folks wanted depth of spirituality - they needed a sanctuary from the realities of this world, a model of hope, but they wanted it in a way that did not suppress what God had birthed inwardly, one where their cultural authenticity resonated.

In the midst of that historical backdrop the foundations of the Kingsboro Temple of Seventh-day Adventists (KBT) were born. 

August 10, 1991. Excitement permeated the air as ~ 5,000 people filled the Walt Whitman Auditorium at Brooklyn College to hear the inaugural message from CD Brooks – “Glorious Peace or Global Pieces - Nearing Armageddon - The Mother of All Battles” at the Breath of Life evangelistic crusade.  The crusade, sponsored by the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, aimed to develop a new foundation of believers in NYC boroughs, but the title of that inaugural message was prescient of the magnitude of the mission about to be birthed.   That series of  Breath of Life-affiliated programs aired on WNYW-Fox channel 5 and on BET weekly, a media context that would continue to be a defining marker for the assignment about to be appointed.   

At the close of that series, 288 people were baptized, 67 of which became the founding members of the Kingsboro Temple of Seventh-day Adventists (KBT). Pastor Abraham J. Jules, with the support of Pastors Courtney Goulding and Kenneth Jones, was commissioned to lead this new ragtag group of new believers.  Brooklyn College would be their place of abode in the short term.  But KBT needed a home. 

And it did become one, albeit, at first a more mobile version of home.  The founding members of KBT initially continued to worship at Brooklyn College, but over the early years moved around Brooklyn at Flatbush Church of the Redeemer at Foster Avenue, to the little white church, the Dutch church of the Redeemer on Kings Highway, and more.  KBTs founding members were determined to build on and maintain the spiritual roots planted from the initial crusade.  

By 1992, KBT had purchased a new building, at 415 7th Street in Brooklyn, NY.  But over the next year, this growing body of believers did indeed transform the edifice into a real home.  Under the leadership of Pastor Abraham J. Jules and Elder Vincent B. Goffe, and the sweat equity and diligence of countless church members and volunteers, the original edifice was completely rebuilt into the structure that has become synonymous with KBT today.  The sacrifices of Paris Kittaman, Eric Levy, Alpheus Calderon, Clifford Cole, Isaac Fordyce, George King, Jermain Wedderum, Wendell Walwyn, Randolph Gomes, Matthew Johnson, Arlene Dyer, Patricia McCottrey, Peter Bispham and many more will forever be embedded into the legacy of KBT.  

The pinnacle of their efforts and God’s blessing was realized November,1993.  1,500 supporters showed up to both the Friday vesper service, and the dedication service on Saturday for the renovated sanctuary. 

The 1990s however, were about more than the building.The legacy and the story of KBT was still to be defined.   Within a year on June 11, 1994, Kingsboro Temple formally became a church with 450 charter members -  the largest membership ever organized as a church in the history of the Northeastern Conference.

In short order, these founding members laid the foundations of excellence embedded in the heritage of KBT that would endure throughout the decades. 

●      A house of prayer and spiritual development

●      A model for free and authentic worship

●      The standard for musical excellence

●      Community engagement

●      Ministry innovation  

Pastor Jules once noted that KBT’s church service was intentionally constructed as a model for free worship and a ritual that would be more conducive to younger and more contemporary worshippers.  KBT delivered on that.  Initial Ministers of Music Claudine Faison, Geneva Qualls, and Roy Ashmeade throughout the 1990s set an atmosphere that synced spiritual reverence with a blend of contemporary and classic music stylings, and liberty from cultural restriction.  Beyond the charismatic leadership of Pastor Jules, many early members cite the joyful worship experience often led by Roy Ashmeade as critical in drawing them to and keeping them at KBT.  “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, His eye is on the sparrow, That’s the reason why I sing” became not just a chorus to be sung, but a manifesto on the connection between expression and the testimonies that buttressed the way that expression was exhibited.   

The roots of the musical excellence were not just planted within praise and worship, but in the weekly renditions of the KBT Band and the beginnings of one of the most enduring choir ministries in Brooklyn.  It started with Celebration & Praise Choir originally formed as a First Anniversary Choir under the direction of Neville While and later taken over by Roy Ashmeade Jr. and Elliot Lamour.   This ministry did everything - they were the choir praise team, special music for the weekly Divine Worship services, and represented KBT externally even once ministering at the NYC marathon during various events and along the marathon route upon the invitation of Nike.  1998 marked the birth of the KBT Youth Choir (now known as Exaltation Ministries) under the direction of Rhoda Jules and Michelle Tuckett.  Over the years, crafted with a unique Brooklyn-tinged sound and aura, and never satisfied with being just “mid,” the KBT Youth choir would minister within and outside KBT performing with professional gospel artists and musicians from all over the world and across musical genres with distinction.  

‍COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT‍ ‍

From inception, KBT endeavored to embed community care within the fabric of its foundation.  Community involved meeting individuals at the point of need, partnering to tackle societal issues that endangered the people at large, and enabling pathways to share the gospel of Jesus.  For example, early on in its residence in Park Slope, Brooklyn, KBT partnered with Beansprouts Nursery School, a local community preschool, to provide space for nurturing kids 1.9 to 5 years old – a partnership that remains to this day. ‍ ‍

MINISTRY INNOVATION‍ ‍

It was during this period that the foundations of KBT’s media ministry were born.  The world wide web – the internet as we know it was invented in 1989.  The world’s first website went live in 1990.  By the late 1990s, KBT was one of the first Seventh-day Adventist ministries to not only have its own website kingsborosda.org  but was its own media streaming ministry that enabled the word to be shared around the world.   At the start of the 2000s, this ragtag group of 67 believers had grown to over 1,000 formal members and many more “members at large” drawn by the weekly media offerings.  If you didn’t know of KBT, by 2000 you knew.  KBT had not just been born, it exploded onto the scene!!!  ‍ ‍

2000-2009 KBT Media: Stay Seen, Stay Real, Ignite Faith‍ ‍‍ ‍

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem…. and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

The 2000s was the decade of mobility, social media, and tremendous technology advancement , but with the backdrop of political turbulence and financial crisis.  Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace all launched, introducing new ways of socializing with the world around us. Expression became even more overt.    Oversized hoodies, throwback jerseys, Timberland boots and Air Jordans dotted the streets of Brooklyn during that era.  This generation strived for independent thought, challenged illogical social norms, demonstrated fearless bravado, but also displayed a deep need for affirmation and for their unique perspectives to be considered.  ‍ ‍

KBT was uniquely positioned to capitalize on this technology innovation to build broader connections globally and tailor Christ’s message to the language that resonated with young people.  ‍ ‍

In 1997, KBT welcomed the leadership of Pastor D. L. McPhaull, a former music executive and radio announcer, turned soul-stirring, international evangelist.  Pastor McPhaull’s expertise combined with the technical and broadcasting talents of KBT members augmented KBT’s ministry beyond the building walls.  While the 1990s marked the launch of the internet, and KBT’s initial foundational web-based streaming services, KBT in the 2000s flourished by intentional excellence in diversifying communication of God’s word.  Streaming the weekly worship service was the start, but KBT expanded its media footprint to develop more interactive, digital engagement.  WKBT Radio – the first of its kind live radio recording presented compelling spiritual content ranging from sermons and Bible studies to drama and musical presentations, with the modern broadcasting voice and stylings led by Lauren John.   In the ensuing years, KBT’s social media presence was born enabling more casual engagement in a way that related to the evolving media landscape- one dominated by the vibe and language of young people.   

As communication enveloped into a sea of LOLs, BRBs, TTYLs, IDKs, TBHs, and of course emojis 🙂😂👍😰👋😡💯, evolving how we engage and talk to our growing youth became critical to ensuring continuity of the KBT legacy.  As such, in the 2000s KBT invested heavily in KBT’s young people.  May 2000 marked the arrival of KBT’s first Youth Pastor, Gregory Nelson, tasked with expounding the word of God’s in the language and ethos that would resonate with this teenage / young adult generation.  In parallel, the music ministry amplified with the addition of two new choirs in 2003.   KBT’s Children’s Choir -- The KBT Jubilees – established under the direction of Vanessa White, not only sang, but became famous for its musical dramatic presentations.  Kingsboro Temple’s Royal Priesthood, Youth Choir 2.0, launched with a bang under the direction of Karl Jackson and Sandra Pottinger-Mitchell and grew to become one of the baddest vocal ministries on the Eastern seaboard, building its own unique vibe and sound and embodying the flourish typical of the youth of this generation.  

But one of KBT’s most resonant ministries was Pastor’s Hour hosted by Pastor D. L. McPhaull, an hour that took the traditional Bible study construct and spun it into a safe space where people -- young and old – could wrestle with real questions of faith directly with the Pastor.  Congregants could speak freely with questions / concerns on various topics – no judgement.  The Pastor would engage in REAL conversation, leveraging the Word of God, but with a spirit of understanding and grace guiding people to a deeper understanding of how the word intersected with everyday challenges.  This ministry set a standard for how to engage with controversial topics with directness, maturity and respect, a skill-set particularly valued in a period where combative social media “conversations” were becoming the norm.  

As KBT crafted, refined, and expanded its voice, and the mechanisms through which it communicated God’s word internally and to the world, it became increasingly important to leverage that God-given influence to actually impact change beyond the KBT walls. 

‍2010-2019 - CHURCH BEYOND WALLS: SPREAD LOVE, IT’S THE KBT WAY

“I am living while I am living to the father I will pray

Only him knows how we get through everyday

With all the hike in the price

Arm and leg we have to pay

While our leaders play”

Extreme crisis personified the 2010s.  Political polarization dominated. Major weather disasters (Hurricanes Sandy, Harvey, Irma, and Maria, Earthquakes) reeked destruction. Social movements proliferated aimed at addressing historical injustices, Me Too, Black Lives Matter, Climate change.  Costs continued to rise. In Brooklyn, gentrification brought financial pressures to the working class.  The prevailing lyric was “There’s a war going on, no man is safe from.” But God’s faithfulness continued to resound, particularly in the work of Kingsboro Temple. 

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.” (Psalm 89:14).

KBT’s philanthropic efforts shifted dramatically in the 2010s (although KBT had previous mission activities in Honduras and in the US in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina). Brooklyn needed it. The world needed it.  In 2010, KBT traveled to Ghana to complete building the Ho-Fiave Seventh-day Adventist Junior High School. Along with the funding and construction of the physical building, school supplies, books, and sneakers were also donated. Additionally, following a devastating earthquake in Haiti, KBT provided crisis counseling services for members who experienced loss and conducted a benefit concert that raised thousands of dollars for Haiti’s infrastructure rebuild.

With the explosion in societal needs, KBT committed to expanding community presence in Brooklyn. In 2010, under the direction of Pastor Ainsworth Joseph, KBT joined the Park Slope Civic Council as a voting member. Relationships with the Park Slope Block Association and the NYPD 78th Precinct were also forged including annual contributions for youth empowerment initiatives and a successful block association collaboration to challenge the establishment of the liquor store in the neighborhood.  In 2011, KBT hosted an open house to celebrate the building’s designation as a landmark building.  Evangelistic efforts further expanded outside of Park Slope with a coordinated dedicated revival in Red Hook Brooklyn in 2010.  In August 2014, KBT’s growing profile led to Mayor Bill DeBlasio joining KBT in worship, the first sitting NYC mayor to visit Kingsboro Temple. 

Community presence quickly transitioned from visibility to direct action.  Acts of Kindness, a large-scale church day of service launched in September 2013 under the leadership of Easton Marks.  KBT members dedicated the day to providing care to members of the Brooklyn community at large including volunteering at neighborhood soup kitchens and food pantries, hosting health and wellness expos, prayer stations, and kids stations, bringing joy and care to local women’s shelters and nursing homes, and much more.  While it started as a once a year event, Acts of Kindness has grown over the years to a quarterly event bookending ongoing local mission opportunities throughout the year including participation at annual Brooklyn Atlantic Antics, care package delivery across Brooklyn and Manhattan, new mother kit distribution to the Methodist Hospital maternity ward, and the Angel Tree initiative, donating gifts and services to the children of prison inmates.   During this time, KBT also established a free counseling program in collaboration with Hofstra University.  The neighborhood Spartan Sundays  fitness community dedicated to consistent physical and mental care was borne out of KBT and has since expanded training dozens of individuals to complete marathons around the world, improve overall fitness, and continues to be a consistent and impactful witness on the heights God can bring us when we submit our bodies and minds to him. 

Furthermore, KBT engaged in the growing political activism, enlisting as a polling station to drive more thoughtful political action by voters.  KBT started educating members on immigration rights with the Know Your Rights informational series as early as 2019.

By 2020, KBT had evolved from a small, but seminal body of believers based on the corner of 6th Avenue and 7th Street in Brooklyn NY to an entity that had real impact and voice in the community and the world beyond.  By the grace of God, KBT successfully translated the gospel of Christ from concept to real action and effect.   But the global crisis would test whether KBT’s core had strengthened enough to face unimaginable obstacles.  ‍

2020-Present  -CHURCH BEYOND WALLS:ROOTED IN CONNECTION

The 2020s have proven to be a resounding testament to the foundational principles and assets that God has embedded into KBT over the decades.  This period was peppered by extraordinary strife, tragedy, and change.  The decade began with COVID, a pandemic of biblical proportions that wielded incalculable destruction and sowed division outside and within religious bodies.  The aftermath of COVID led to rising costs, and fundamental changes in ways of working.  People connected differently, if at all. That lack of connection pushed individuals to the brink. Mental health became severely impacted.  Folks were crying out… “Don’t push me cause I’m close to the edge…I’m trying not to lose my head… It’s like a jungle.  Sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.”   Political and social division further complicated how we interacted, deep interaction and tight bonds waned, and more fighting – physical wars, social media attacks with less dependence on facts and truth.   People hurt –  physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

In the midst of this, KBT, for the first time in its history, had to close its physical doors from March 2020 - September 2021 due to COVID to ensure safety for the congregation and the community at large. But KBT did not shut its purpose and ministry impact.  Bucking the isolation trend, KBT leveraged its roots to build connections in the midst of chaos.  This era bore the birth of Not So Random, a visual podcast hosted by Pastor Amanda Hawley highlighting topics that might appear random, but all relate to what's happening in the news and the new environment.  This became a vehicle for listeners to make sense of what was happening in the world around us through a spiritual lens.  Happy Hour at the Boro became a vehicle for the youth to unwind, engage, and learn.   Kids Korner served as an interactive spiritual jam session that taught kids about the goodness of God in a fun, engaging way.  Spartan Sundays - Quarantine Edition helped the brethren to stay fit and well in a digital community setting.  Music Ministries also leveraged this time to remind congregants of KBTs musical legacy through the Flashback Friday Concert Series.

But beyond standard engagement, KBT became a lifeline for folks to stay rooted in the truth of God, his healing presence, and the hope the gospel invokes.  Prayer communities expanded through Sabbath afternoon dedicated prayer hours, and consistent prayer lines during the week.   Griefshare initially launched in 2015, expanded to counsel congregants and community members at a time where societal mental health became more frayed.

As COVID ended and the world started to re-engage, KBT doubled down on its commitment to community -- internal and external.  It is within this era that Project CARE- a larger scale effort to nurture the NYC community, launched..  Within this effort, KBT’s partnership with Camp Friendship - a Brooklyn food pantry, expanded.  KBT also deepened partnerships with various community organizations like CHIPs, Meals on Wheels, and God’s Love We Deliver. Furthermore, KBT’s praise and worship ministry, Temple Praise, literally lended voice to the black experience to Brooklyn Nets games ministering Lift Every Voice and Sing, the Black National Anthem during Black History Month and for the Martin Luther King holiday several years in a row.   War Room Parents started by Family Ministries in 2025 opened a path for earnest prayer from and on behalf of parents for their children.  Men’s and Women’s ministries unite each Sabbath in prayer before and after the main service to share burdens and praise reports in collective devotion to the limitless power of prayer.  Recognizing the need for broader health support for our members, a dedicated Mental Health ministry was formed to more consistently convey clinical and spiritual best practices on managing the constant pressures attacking our society.

As KBT has grown to minister more broadly to bigger audiences, it has not forgotten that at its core, the KBT ministry is family business.  We are a church family, a Brooklyn family, a New York family, and a global family connected through Jesus Christ, and with that drive a responsibility to ensure the well-being and spiritual growth of each member through nurture, education, accountability, and uplift. 

FROM BOOMERS TO GEN Z: GROWING TOGETHER IN FAITH

As we approach KBT’s 35th anniversary, we celebrate the immense impact it has had on the Christian community of believers, the life-saving effect on the Brooklyn community, and the broader influence it has had on the society at large through its media prowess. Over 35 years, KBT grew from 67 members to over 1,000 members.  Church musical groups declined significantly post COVID - but not so for KBT.  That little choir that could – KBT Youth Choir grew up to become Exaltation Ministries, now the adult choir (27 years in existence), while KBT Jubilees and Royal Priesthood have enjoyed 22 years of musical distinction and are still going strong independently, and combined under the banner of KBT Mass Choir.

KBT planted deep spiritual roots through dedicated and enduring prayer emphasis, forged multiple interactive pathways to spiritual instruction for the young and old, baptized hundreds into the fellowship of Christ, and reached tens of thousands of online viewers globally over decades of media ministry.  KBT’s standard for heartfelt worship, often imitated, but never duplicated, endures today rooted in authenticity, freedom, and shared testimonies of God’s goodness despite continuous war, financial instability, political conflict, sickness, death, mental health pressures, and more.   And KBT continues to spread that message of love, hope, and faith through multiple interactive media channels.

NO WEAPON, and there have been many wielded, has prospered against the purpose that God has endowed on the people and ministry of Kingsboro Temple of Seventh-day Adventists and with God’s grace, none ever will. Happy Anniversary and may God grant many more!