LEADERSHIP
Pastor Kenneth Bond
Pastor Kenneth Bond is a man who is passionate about ministry! He’s been around church all of his life, and began his music ministry through his mother’s prayers in 1982, after she stood for prayer, in proxy, for his hands. He’s been an instrumentalist every since.
Having his roots in the Church of God in Christ, he has enjoyed learning about the Lord through the lives of stalwarts of the Gospel–his parents, Pastor Emeritus Alvis Bond, and his mother, who is deceased, Mother Regenia Bond; and Pastor Jesse and Mother Dorothy Branson (Mt. Olive COGIC, Muncie, IN.).
In 1984, after graduating high school, Pastor Kenny attended Purdue University, where he matriculated for one year before joining the United States Air Force. He married his high school sweetheart, then Denise White, in 1986. They’ve served their country in various parts of the world….Florida, Japan, California, Illinois, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Ohio—at each location, they did their best to always find a church at which to serve.
During his Air Force career, he continued his educational pursuits, graduating with an Associates degree in Paralegal Studies in 1994. He continued his studies at the University of Maryland and completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Management Studies in 1997. Then, in 1999, he earned his Masters of Business Administration degree from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA.
After a 22-year career, in 2008, he retired in the rank of Major from the United States Air Force. He and his family returned home to Indiana to serve at, then, New Life Center Holiness Church. He was called into ministry in 2011, and he was appointed the Assistant Pastor in 2014. In 2012, he returned to school at Wesley Seminary, Indiana Wesleyan University, where he completed a Master of Divinity degree in August 2015.
In January 2016, he assumed the pastoral role at, then, New Life Center Holiness Church. Pastor Kenny and First Lady Denise celebrated 32 years of marriage in January 2018, and are the birth parents of two sons, Brandon (Clarisa) and Bryceton, as well as parents to Xavion Bond (9). They also have two grandchildren—Brendin (4) and Paxtyn (5).
First Lady Denise Bond
Born in South Bend, Indiana, to parents Bernard L. White, II (deceased), and Phyllis J. White, First Lady Denise Bond’s lineage is rich in Kingdom Work and public service! Her grandfather, Bernard Luther White, was the founder and past pastor of St. John Baptist Church in South Bend, serving as the pastor for over 30 years. Pastor White was also very active in the Civil Rights Movement, and was a personal friend and escort to Dr. Martin Luther King when he visited South Bend on October 18, 1963:
“The civil rights leader arrived in South Bend by private plane. He was escorted into the city by a motorcade of about 50 cars, and about 20 police officers on motorcycles and in squad cars, according to Tribune coverage. He gave a brief news conference at a downtown hotel then attended a dinner in his honor at First Methodist Church, 333 N. Main St. King “was a very good speaker. Everyone was proud to hear him speak,” recalls Clara White, 96, of South Bend. Her late husband — the Rev. Bernard White, pastor of St. John Baptist Church — helped arrange King’s visit and served as master of ceremonies at the Stepan Center event.”
In addition, her father is often referred to as the first African-American State Representative in Indiana, representing South Bend. Her grandmother, Clara White, was also one of the first African American women to receive her nursing degree in South Bend, practicing as a Licensed Practical Nurse for over 30 years.
First Lady Denise is an avid reader and is certified in Early Childhood Education, having served as a first-grade teacher, and a director of before and after-school programs. She enjoys spending as much time at the beach as possible, and thoroughly enjoys the company of her children, Brandon, Bryceton and Xavion; and her grandchildren, Paxtyn and Brendin.
