Meet the Pastor: Kenneth D. Brooks

Senior Pastor Kenneth D. Brooks 

Kenneth was born and raised in the city of Elmira, NY. This is an area in Upstate New York that has a spiritual history associated with Charles Finney, John W. Jones, Jarvis Langdon, Thomas K. Beecher, Catharine Esther Beecher, Billy Sunday and Leo Hughey Sr. 

Ken is married to Virginia, (formerly Gilmore) his covenant partner and co-visionary of KDC ministry. God has blessed their union with four children; the eldest is Brandon (who now lives in Atlanta, Ga.) Gabrielle (daughter) resides in Elmira, NY Josiah (VA) and Joseph (CA) all their children have an abiding faith in Christ as their Savior. 

Ken is a fifth-generation minister out of his family’s history. A history that includes Pleasie and Agnes Shirfield, Leo Sr. and Mary Hughey, Eldon and Ruby Brooks, Leo Hughey Jr. and Dr. Wilma Hughey. His spiritual roots are connected to the church of his youth (Faith Temple Community Church of God in Christ in Elmira, NY) which was founded and established by his grandfather (Leo Hughey Sr.) 

The foundation of faith that was established in Ken’s early years was through the nurturing and love of his mother Agnes Jean Brooks. (deceased) She would often have bible studies with Ken and his siblings cultivating a reference and love for the word of God. Ken had a special bond with his mother; she was deeply devoted to Christ. His mother would tell him on many occasions that he was destined to be used by God in a mighty way!

During his early to late teens Ken’s spiritual life blossomed through relational discipleship by his grandmother, Mary Hughey. She was strategic in finding ways to awaken a deeper spiritual hunger within Ken, she would often tell him about Holy Spirit encounters! She would share many true-life stories of how people received the Holy Spirit and she lovingly encouraged Ken to seek for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. She would often tell Ken as well as other youth “there’s no age, there’s no race, there’s no boundary between you and God, the outpouring of the Holy Ghost is for everyone!”

She stoked the fire of desire within Ken by having him accompany her to Revivals and Healing  Miracle Crusades that featured Kathryn Kuhlman, Oral Roberts and Billy Graham. Ken’s grandmother encouraged him to hear the inspirational testimonies of Corrie Ten Boom and Charles H. Mason. (Founder of the C.O.G.I.C) as well as others.

They traveled together to attend the COGIC annual Convocation’s where members and believers came together from all over the USA. Ken’s grandmother arranged for him and other youth to attend the C.O.G.I.C Youth Conferences.

These sacred gatherings with dynamic speakers and corporate worship caused this young man’s heart to burn deeply for a true encounter with the living Christ.

His grandmother spent countless hours with Ken sharing insights in her own simple manner about the power of a personal relationship with God.

This affirming relationship kept fueling Ken’s spiritual hunger and it propel him down the path of discovery where he wanted to truly know God’s plan for his life. 

Ken was passionately stirred to seek the will of God for his life and in time was called to the gospel ministry. He was licensed as a youth minister in the Church of God in Christ in his late teens /early twenties. During this time, he began a purposeful pursuit of yielding to the call of God upon his life.

Education: Pastor Brooks is a graduate of Chesapeake Bible Institute in Ridley, Md. where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Theological Studies.

He is the Founder & Pastor of The Kingdom Dream Center Inc. of Elmira, NY. “KDC”, a Non-Denominational spirit filled Church & Community Center. 

He has participated in foreign mission work. He has traveled extensively to Europe and Africa preaching the word of God. In Europe he ministered in miracle crusades in the countries of Germany, Norway and Sweden. During the miracle life crusades in Europe crowds of over 5,000 people were in attendance. 

The word of God was demonstrated in power as hundreds of people were healed, delivered and received Christ as their Savior. Many incurable diseases were healed! The blind recovered their sight and the deaf were able to hear! He also participated in Mission campaigns to Romania, Ghana (West Africa) and the Dominican Republic; these outreaches had an emphasis of evangelistic work as well as humanitarian aid to assist with the practical day to day needs of impoverished communities.

In addition to his ministerial training and work Pastor Brooks was a three-term elected official for the city of Elmira. During his civic leadership as a Councilman, Pastor Brooks Co-Led an initiative with “New York State Affordable Home Project” to facilitate the development of new single-family homes on Elmira’s eastside.

•  Was a founding committee member for the downtown “First Arena” development.

• Co-Led steering committee for the city of Elmira’s “Comprehensive Master Plan.”

• Established three Neighborhood –Watch locations within the second district.

•  Involved in the establishment of The First Time Home Buyers program.

• Led several diversity initiatives with the Elmira City Manager 1998-2002

• Co-Led Elmira City Parks Enhancement Program.

Board Member for several community organizations

• Heritage Park

• American Red Cross

• Ernie Davis Community Center (EOP)

• NAACP

• Elmira Downtown Development

• Evangelical Athletic Association

• Southern Tier Economic Growth

• St. Joseph Hospital

Pastor Brooks life confirms how God has providentially prepared him to be a transitional leader for this time in history. He spent the first 28 yrs of his life in a predominately black church experience where he functioned in leadership and the next 20 yrs. in a predominately white church experience where he also functioned in leadership. This blended background has produced a man who fully embraces his Afrocentric roots while also being highly sensitive to other cultural expressions.

Pastor Brooks has had a cross pollination with many different aspects of church and community life that has uniquely prepared him to reach today’s generation. He has stated many times that “this is the most multiethnic, multi-racial generation in the history of America; the culture of today is a blended culture.” 

Pastor Brook’s involvement in community work has further ignited the fire within his heart to reach out to the so-called outsiders and bring them into an affirming church community. Pastor Brooks states “Jesus reached out to those who were being shut out by religion and self-righteous people.” 

“Jesus ministered to the people that nobody else wanted to engage with, He didn’t just go along with the system. God put Jesus in a place where hurting, broken, misused, messed up and forgotten people could get to Him. It’s my heart’s desire to follow the pattern of Christ so that people with different needs can experience and live in the kingdom of God.” 

There are different groups, different expressions, and different experiences in the world in which we live. 

God always prepares a leader who can be effective in sharing His heart with people who live in the different intervals of history. God never prepares a people for the man, but He always prepares the man for the people. 

Pastor Brooks is fully persuaded to believe that everything that has happened in his life up to this present time has all been to prepare him for this time in history.