Bishop Marcus D. Brown, Sr.
Founder and Pastor, Serving in the Office of Bishop
Bishop Marcus D. Brown, Sr. is the Founding Pastor serving Tabernacle Church in Portsmouth, Virginia. Serving in the Office of the Bishop, Pastor Brown executes his duties as prophet, priest, and pastor. As a servant-leader, his pastoral ministry focuses on spiritual maturity, educational excellence, and economic management. A pioneer of faith-based ministry, through the direction and guidance of God, Bishop Brown planted Tabernacle Church March 25, 2007, through what was “intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives,” Genesis 50:20 NIV. Currently, Tabernacle Church disciples nearly 700 who desire to manifest the Kingdom of God through our core values: Worship, Fellowship, Evangelism, Discipleship, and Service (Matthew 28:16-20). He is instrumental in establishing ministries in this local gathering that meet the needs of the families, the local church, the surrounding communities, and the world.
Bishop Brown has been an active prophet for God for more than a decade. Bishop Brown has shared his gift of preaching God’s Good News across the length and breadth of this country. Bishop Brown has also lifted his voice through the written Word while serving as religious columnist for The Hub.
In the community, he has also set two terms on the Mayor’s Commission on Aging for the City of Portsmouth, VA served in other areas of leadership as the Second Vice-Moderator of the James River District Association and Executive Board Member of the Baptist General Convention of Virginia. His involvement in the community includes: served on the Mayor’s Sister Cities Commission of Portsmouth, VA. Bishop Brown is also an Evangelical Training Association Approved Teacher. Academically, Bishop Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of Central Oklahoma, after graduating from the Oklahoma City Public Schools in the top half of his class. He also holds a Master of Divinity Degree from The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA.
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK, Bishop Brown is the fourth child and second son born to Dr. Jolly Brown, a Baptist Minister and Ruth Brown, a Public School Teacher. Bishop Brown resides in Portsmouth, VA with his beautiful and supportive wife, the former Reneita Patrice Randall. He is the father of four wonderful children: Marcus Jr., Marissa, Micah, and Makayla.
The Bishop’s Greeting:
The Tabernacle Church joyfully welcomes you as a part of our family! I hope you use this resource to learn more about how we are growing disciples for Christ and positively impacting our families, schools, and local communities, as well as a communication medium to share the message of “Good News” throughout the world. We are a multi-cultural, multi-dimensional gathering of believers in God through Jesus the Christ, dedicated to preparing Kingdom Citizens for success and happiness in life. At Tabernacle Church, we manifest the Kingdom of God through worship, fellowship, evangelism, discipleship, and service. Likewise, we are a body of believers who evidence our relationship with God through up-reach, out-reach, and in-reach.
As you can see, the foundation of our ministry is deeply rooted in five values: Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Service, and Evangelism, with Worship being central. I invite you to visit our website often for updates. From teaching people to cancel the debt through the Tabernacle Financial Peace University for debt management and debt relief to living free from the power of sin – personal, generational, and abuse and other hurts - Tabernacle Church is committed to the responsibilities and privileges of being Kingdom Citizens – royalty by adoption.
You may wonder about our name. The “Tabernacle” which is written about in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible was a tent, or a portable dwelling place. In other words, the tabernacle of the Hebrews, during the Exodus, was a portable worship facility whose conception, content, and construction, management, and maintenance were ordained by God. Its purpose was to be a channel for people escaping generational imprisonment while working their way toward God’s promises for their lives, to remain in contact with Him in the midst of the wilderness in between. Therefore, we are “The Tabernacle,” because we are not at a point where we are at the end of what God desires for us. We are always reaching and striving to see what and where God has purposed and planned us to be.
We have opportunities for each Tabernacle disciple and guest to execute the five values from our toddlers to our senior citizens through mid-week Bible Study, 5th Sunday Family & Friends Day, Church-wide New Disciples Classes, praise dancers, and other ministry opportunities. Now that you have a quick overview of Tabernacle Church, I want you to know that you can access our website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We will keep the content relevant and current, so it will continue to be a blessed source of valuable information for you.
I am committed to making your online experience a worthwhile one. Please let us know if you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior by contacting us by email. We would like to partner with help you in your new life. Please send us your prayer requests so that our intercessors can prayer for you specifically. As this outreach ministry blesses you and you hear God saying, “you must bring everything I command you - your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow - to the designated place of worship, the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored”
(Deuteronomy 12:11 NLT). Thank you for visiting, and I look forward to seeing you again, soon.
Walk In the Blessing from God!
Marcus D. Brown, Sr.