Bishop David E. Barnes

Bishop David E. Barnes, D. D., was born outside the small town of Middlesex, North Carolina. He was the second child of seven born to Marcus G. Barnes Sr. and Magdalene (Brown) Barnes. The family migrated to Bronx and settled in Brownsville Brooklyn. Although Marcus Sr. had deserted the family by the time of this move, God was yet a way maker, and he made a way for Mother Barnes and her children.

The family grew up in the "Hood", but always maintained a sense of self worth and godly spirituality. At age eleven, David joined Unity Temple Church of God In Christ, then pastored by the late Elder Clarence C. Harmon. He served his church faithfully on the choir, in the Sunday school and was active in YPWW until he graduated from Boys High School as Salutatorian of his class.

He was awarded a four-year scholarship to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania where he majored in political science and graduated Cum Laude in 1972. David continued his education at the prestigious Graduate Faculty of the New School for Social Research and was awarded a full scholarship through the Ph.D. program. He completed his master’s degree in 1974 and most of his doctoral studies through 1976 when he decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

To the glory of God, Bishop’s entertainment career came "crashing" to an end in 1977 immediately after he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ one Saturday at the Deliverance Tabernacle in Brooklyn. He joined this church two years after the late great Apostle Arturo Skinner had gone home to meet the Lord. Apostle Skinner had been a surrogate father to him.

Bishop Barnes worked diligently at Deliverance Evangelistic Center under the pastorate of his spiritual father, Apostle Ralph G. Nichol, for several years. During this time he completed the Deliverance Evangelistic Center Bible Institute’s three-year program and graduated class valedictorian. Deliverance Bible Institute was the critical place of David’s theological foundation and growth in Christian character. After his first year’s attendance he was ordained an Evangelist and began doing prison ministry. Bishop Barnes is humbled yet honored to have had the call to preach to thousands upon thousands over the last 29 years who were dealing with incarceration. He has had the opportunity to minister in New York at Greenhaven State Prison, Rikers Island HDM, Spotford Juvenile Detention Center, and in New Jersey at Rahway State Prison, Essex County’s Caldwell Jail, and presently at The Tully House of Newark.

Among his other many occupations, Barnes is a sought after lecturer in Black History, a singer/songwriter and frequent radio and television guest on matters both sociological and religious. He belongs to a number of academic associations, both statewide and national. He has received many civic/community awards and citations and is especially proud to be a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Bishop’s faithful flock loves his down to earth presentation of the gospel. It has been said that even three-year-olds can get with his energetic messages. His soul purpose when preaching a message is to widen the scope to the largest possible audience. Today that audience has grown beyond the walls of The New Life Church in East Orange, NJ. The TV Outreach Ministry has a growing following and has been cited as one of the best produced religious programs on Cable TV in New Jersey. Bishop Barnes’ Ministry is carried on both the Comcast Network (Sundays at 5:30am on channel 27 and 7:30am on channel 26) and Cablevision Network of New Jersey (Sundays 7:30pm on channel 19).

Bishop David E. Barnes presides over the growing bishopric of The New Life Church and New Life Ministries, with headquarters located at 622 Thomas Blvd., East Orange, NJ. Bishop Barnes is Senior Pastor of his home church and overseer of In God’s Presence Church, Newark, NJ  under the pastorate of Reverend Willie Francine Brown. He is presiding bishop of Divine Deliverance Worship Center, Statesboro, Ga. pastored by Reverends Joann & Ronnie Washington; and Che-Star Ministries of Newark, NJ, a holy hip-hop music ministry dedicated to ministering to the needs of today’s youth all across America, headed by Evangelist Anise Robinson.

Bishop Barnes is married to his soulmate and ministry partner Pastor Sandra Clemmons Barnes whom he affectionately calls his Nefertiti, Cushite Queen, Abbyssian doll baby, voluptuous black woman that God has given to him. They have three adult children, Shaka S. Barnes, Malaika Paul and Aleshia Alston; eight grandchildren, (Little) Shaka, Assata, Naomi, Elisha, Amina, Shakur, Jordan and Alonna.

His favorite scripture is Psalm 34:1-3 and his favorite axiom for the church is "Surrender, Service, and Satisfaction-in God."