About Us
Our Purpose:
The First Pentecostal Church exists to challenge people to ACCEPT membership in God's family, to encourage them to ADVANCE in developing Godly character, to ASSIST them in working as a team in ministry, to help them courageously ANNOUNCE their mission to the world, in order to ADORE God's name.
What We Believe:
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God and inerrant in the original writings. We believe that there is one God, eternally existing in three relational roles: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that the lost and sinful man must be saved, and that man's only hope of redemption is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We believe in and practice the holy ordinance of water baptism, which signifies the believer's death, burial, and resurrection into new life with Christ Jesus, and the regular celebration of Holy Communion as commanded by our Lord.
We believe in the present ministry and baptism of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved; those that are saved into the resurrection of life and those that are unsaved into the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Gatherings
Gatherings at first Pentecostal church occur in both large groups and small groups. Our primary large group worship service is on Sunday morning at 11:15. Our Bible study is held on Thursday evenings at 7:30 PM. A full schedule of our ministry activities can be seen on our event calendar.
Small Groups are referred to as Abundance Groups at First Pentecostal Church. We have a few groups that are currently looking to expand, or are oriented to specific needs and/or activities. A brief schedule of groups is provided below. Please contact our volunteer center at 732-775-8174 or our main office at 732-775-7789 for more information.
Our Leaders:
Bishop Paul L. Brown - Senior Pastor
Paul Leighton Brown was born January 20, 1959, in Jamaica, West Indies to Elorie and Donald Brown. He received his early teachings from St Aloysius Boys School and St Georges College. The Lord found him February 1975 under the ministry of Bishop B.S.E. Dyer, where he was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, received the gift of the Holy Ghost and obtained his Christian and biblical foundation. Elder Brown migrated to the United States in March 1977. He attended Drexel University where he graduated in 1982 with Masters and Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.
In 1984, he met his lovely wife, Tori Jones. They were married on February 16, 1985, and he later went to serve with his wife at First Pentecostal Church, under the leadership of its founder Pastor Geneva Crudup. They have three children from their union: Taphenese, Tashelle, and Terrell. Pastor Crudup's leadership brought him to experience the message of sonship by Bishop Monroe R. Saunders, Sr. Pastor Brown has served in the capacity of Sunday School superintendent, district evangelist, and international young people president. He has served in the local assembly, the district as well as at the national level. “After many years of joyful service, the Lord has called him to serve in the capacity of the pastor of the First Pentecostal Church...” said Bishop Monroe R. Saunders.
After twenty years of faithful service in the pastorate, the Lord saw fit to once again elevate Overseer Brown to the office of Bishop. On Friday, June 23, 2017, during the 51st Holy Convocation of the United Church of Jesus Christ, Bishop Dr. Monroe Saunders Jr. and the College of Bishops consecrated Overseer Brown to the Bishopric of the United Church of Jesus Christ. In September of 2018, Bishop Brown was appointed the Diocesan Bishop of the 2nd Episcopal Diocese. The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, so the journey continues...
Elder Betty Jones - Associate Pastor
Betty Jean Morris Jones, affectionately known by her grandchildren as “Baby” is a woman of God who has served faithfully in the same church for over 50 years. She was born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 30, 1938, to the late Annie Mae Vaughn Morris Hurt and the late Feaoley Morris. She was saved at the early age of 15 and visited various churches singing with her twin sister. Thus they were pegged, “The Singing Sweethearts” of Asbury Park. She attended Monmouth Vocational School to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. In 1961, a beautiful double wedding ceremony took place and Betty married John Oscar Jones. From this union four daughters were born; Tori Lei, Trecia Ann, Tracy Aileen and Tia Johnette. She serves as head of the FPC Ministerial Staff, Sunday School Teacher, Trustee, and Care Ministry Member. She has also served in the capacity of District and Local Women’s President, FPC Adult Choir Member, and President, and wherever else she’s needed.