219 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine SOCIAL SERVICES AND NONPROFIT contemplated his faith. At the end of his tenure with Bankers Trust Company, Rev. Bernard decided to dedicate his life to the ministry on a full-time basis. He founded the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York, in 1979 alongside his wife Karen. What had begun as a small storefront church in Williamsburg grew into a 37,000-plus member church that currently sits on an 11.5-acre campus. He now serves the Christian Cultural Center as founder and senior pastor. Alongside his full-time endeavors with the church center, Rev. Bernard recently established the Christian Community Relations Council, a New York-based nonprofit that serves as a central resource and coordinating body for congregations and community organizations. Likewise, he has served as the president of the Council of Churches of the City of New York, in which he represents over 1.5 million Protestants, Anglicans and Orthodox Christians. He currently sits on the board of directors for the Commission of Religious Leaders, is the chairman of the American Bible Society of the National Church Advisory Council, and is the founder and president of Common Grace, a social justice and humanitarian works organization. Rev. Bernard holds two master’s degrees and two bachelor’s degrees, receiving his most recent master’s degree in divinity from the Alliance Theological Seminary. Throughout his career, he has also garnered honorary doctorates in divinity from his alma mater, as well as Nyack College and Wagner College. As a testament to his success, he has been featured in myriad news articles; was named Most Influential American Clergy, Most Influential New Yorker and Most Influential Black New Yorker; and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from former President Barack Obama, which he cites as a career highlight. At the inception of his career, Rev. A. R. Bernard served in the banking industry as an operations specialist in the Consumer Lending Division and as a clerk for Bankers Trust Company for nearly 10 years. During his time in the field of finance, he discovered his faith in God, and, for five years during his banking tenure, REV. A. R. BERNARD FOUNDER, SENIOR PASTOR Christian Cultural Center Brooklyn, NY
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