NCCA Staff Pastor Jack

I was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey to John and Karen Brink. We were a family of "humble means" your typical blue -collar, working class family. Tho we were poor my Mom and Dad never let us kids know it. We were raised in a family that did what our parents told us to do, got punished when we did something wrong and ate dinner together EVERY evening at 5:00 (without the TV on). Milk was delivered to your house in those days and the only place I ever saw a chicken or cow was at the Turtle Back Zoo! (That's the NY/NJ Metropolitan area for ya!)

My folks sent me to Bethel Presbyterian Church around the corner to shut me up because all I did was sing and they had a children's choir. Some of my friends also went to Brighton Ave Bible Chapel so I'd join them where at 10 years old I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. (as well as memorized copious amounts of Bible verses) In the late 60's, there was a sweeping move of the Holy Spirit in the Northeast and across the country. Mainstream churches were getting born-again and Bethel Church was one of them. We were swept up in the wave and I seriously committed my life to Jesus at 14. I became one of the youngest Elders on record in the Presbyterian Church and started learning about the things of God.

I was baptized in the Holy Spirit soon after and came face to face with the revelation that not all churches were "ready for that". Mine was one of those. At 16 I found a Bible believing, Charismatic church (The Living Church) where I truly got my spiritual roots planted til it was time to go to college. I toured with the Pilgrims in Praise singing and ministering to folks across the country who were less fortunate than us (a concept I found hard to embrace til I saw what a double-wide was). It was during that time that it was prophesied that I would "preach and teach the Gospel and lead the flocks to living water". Also during that time I "fell in love" with four amazing women of God but for some reason it just never worked out.....mmmm, imagine that.

Fast forward to Atlanta, Ga 1983.......After a nine month period of praying and fasting (no,I did not abstain from food for nine months..:)) I remember being in my parents kitchen and praying in the light of a full moon drenched in it's blue light. Tho it wasn't audible, I knew on some very deep level I heard the Holy Spirit tell me that I was going to "heal with my hands." Medical school wasn't doing it for me so after consulting a myriad of health professionals I determined that Chiropractic was gong to be the route for me.......plus they administered healing "with their hands!"

It was here in Atlanta, going to Chiropractic School that I "came out" and began the tumultuous journey of figuring out how to balance my Christianity with Homosexuality. I learned that things are quite a bit different here in the South and that being gay in a spirit filled church, (most any church for that matter) wasn't a very good option. So I turned to New Age....

The New Age Movement seduced me in it's belief of God. On SO many levels they had it right..."God is a God of love.....He accepts you exactly as you are......God loves everyone.....But like so many things the Enemy tries to destroy, he does so by creating a counterfeit.....looks the same but it isn't! There is no room for Jesus as LORD OF ALL in the New Age philosophy...... great teacher? yeah, revered Prophet? oh heck yeah, the example of Christ Consciousness?.....you get the picture. After more than a decade steeped in New Age thought and practices I drove down Cheshire Bridge Rd and saw a billboard towering over one of those "girls, girls, girls" establishments. It read, "Saved and Gay"........

From the moment I walked into New Covenant Church of Atlanta (they were meeting at Virginia Ave Baptist at the time) I knew I'd found a home. And I wasn't even looking for one! It is here, after 30 years, that God fulfilled His promise to me that I would Pastor the flock, preach and teach the Gospel and heal with my hands in a new and different way! My background in health and fitness includes, Personal Training, Diet and Weight Counseling, Herbal Medicine, HIV/AIDS Nutritional Counseling, Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling as well as practicing Chiropractic for over 20 years. As a Biblical Health Coach, my vision is to see every member in the Body of Christ achieve their fullest potential physically, mentally and spiritually...based on 3 John:2 "Beloved, I pray that in ALL respects you may prosper AND BE IN GOOD HEALTH, even as your soul prospers".

This bio would not be complete without including in it the greatest gift that God has given me after salvation........ that is the unfathomably fulfilling, joy filled, adventure filled, 12 glorious years married to the most wonderful man on earth....my husband Marty Padgett. Through my relationship with Marty I see what Jesus meant in John 10:10b when he said, "I have come that you might HAVE AND ENJOY LIFE and have it in abundance, to the full, til it OVERFLOWS!"

If by chance you stumble upon this biography, know that it wasn't by accident. God is doing a great thing at New Covenant Church of Atlanta.....come see for yourself...come be a part of it.....come see what God is DOING!