Meet The Pastor
Pastor Andre Martin
The Journey Begins…
Born in 1975 to Andre Leron Martin, Sr. and Angela Martin, Pastor Andre Martin grew up on the northwest side of Jacksonville, Florida with his brother and sister. Andre used to read encyclopedias in the back of the class, liked drawing and playing sports like any other child, but he also used to like fighting and was regularly sent to the principal’s office! Thankfully he was saved at the age of 14 at First Baptist Church of Oakland and participated in youth activities and sports until he left to pursue his education at Florida A&M University. Ironically, he did not initially know what his destiny in the Lord was going to be but his mother would always tell him from a very young age that “someday you are going to be great!” Little did he know that that path to greatness will have some hard lessons associated with it.
Its a Hard Knock Life…to be a testimony
During his college years Andre began to distance himself from the Lord and found himself living in ways similar or even worse than the Prodigal son and eventually began to question the very faith he once proclaimed during his youth. His grades began to fall, even dropping to a mere 1.37 G.P.A . Bad choices led him to graduate late and in 1999, Andre found himself homeless for a period of time and finally went home to stay with his parents until he moved to Orlando, Fl. In 2000, after being married for a few months, Andre began working temp jobs trying make it for himself and his new wife. He accepted a position as a janitor, but was extremely frustrated and eventually walked off the job and went home to his apartment depressed. He began to reflect on his life and the many bad decisions he made during college. He thought about how he failed his Occupational Therapy Exams, the money he wasted from his parents, almost being killed three times and dropping out of Graduate school. Andre thought to himself and said ” God where are you? I have no job, no money, no security for my wife, I am using pawn shop loans and I am still asking my parents for money at 25! I am an educated failure …Could it get any worse?!!!!”
My Way or God’s Way…
Andre was still unemployed, trying to break into the IT industry (It’s funny that it was during the dot.com bust aftermath!) and was encouraged by his wife (now Lady Martin) to go with her to a “Beyond the Veil” Gospel meeting in Florence, S.C. with her family in 2001. Andre was sleeping on the floor at her parents’ house and heard his name being called in the middle of the night, woke up and saw no one. He fell asleep again and woke up after hearing his name being called a second time (sounds familiar!) and still saw nothing. Finally, Andre began to dream of Jesus Christ and a Woman being melted together (The woman symbolized the Church), and saw himself preaching to several people. Upon having this dream he woke up startled and quietly said “yes Lord, thy servant heareth”. After accepting the call, he then preached his first Sermon at First Baptist Church of Oakland, Jacksonville, FL. and entered the ministry at age 25.
Dreams and Visions Realized
From that day forward Andre accepted the calling to preach the Gospel to the nations. Two weeks after the conference ended he was blessed by God with his first real job teaching Computer Technology (he had no prior experience or training in this area). The man that hired him stated that it was “Gods’ providence” that sent him there to help the college (and the pay was enough to be proud of too)! Prior to starting his own ministry, Andre along with his wife served 8 Years in ministry by using his gift of music, teaching and technology to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ was soon thereafter, he was appointed as the Director of Multimedia Affairs in 2001 and was ordained as associate Minister later that year and finally, In 2007, he was elevated to an Elder. Academically, Andre has obtained his Master’s Degree (University of Phoenix) in Computer information Systems, Ph.D (ABD) Courses in Information Systems (Nova Southeastern University) and has recently obtained his Masters in Advanced Theological Studies from Chesapeake Bible College and Seminary. As of Feb, 28th 2010, Andre and his wife launched out into the exciting and challenging journey of declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Well…how about now?
As a result, Pastor Martin is the CEO and Senior Pastor of Divine Truth Christian Center, Inc. and the Founder of the M.P.O.W.E.R. Community Development Center that consists of Club Fiya, Kingdom Business Consultants, and Camp Vision. Divine Truth Christian Center is covered by Bishop Vaughn Mclaughlin, Senior Pastor of The Potters House International Ministries of Jacksonville, Florida where Andre was ordained on March 4th 2011. Andre is an unwavering believer in the Power and Gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s articles of faith. His passion is to teach the Revelation of the Bible and make it understandable to the common man. He also loves the use of Technology, Multimedia and Creativity to spread the Gospel across the World, mentor young and adult men, promote healthy marriages and mend broken hearts by the Word of God. He is happily married to Lady Nikitra Martin for 14+ years with three sons, Kyre, Andre (Pop) III and Jaden (Jiffy).