Overseer Porter S. Brown, Sr. was born on December 6, 1947 to John and Flora Brown in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was educated and graduated from Atlantic City High School in 1965 and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lincoln University in 1970. Porter Brown married his childhood sweetheart and the love of his life, Sheila A. Brown, on March 23, 1968. Their union has been blessed with four children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He departed this life on January 13, 2017.

Porter taught in the public school systems of Red Bank, Neptune, and Asbury Park for 29 years from which he was blessed to retire in July of 2000.

He joined Faith Baptist Tabernacle in 1973 under the Pastorate of the Late Reverend Wilmore A. Carter where he served and led in a variety of ministries. In 1979, Overseer Brown accepted God’s call into the Gospel Ministry. After becoming licensed in July of 1979, he was ordained as Assistant to the Pastor in January of 1980. In June of 1981 the call to the pastorate of Faith was extended to Overseer Porter S. Brown, making him the Pastor of Faith Baptist Tabernacle for over 35 years. In addition to his personal obligations to the church, he also served as District Overseer in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship for the State of New Jersey, as well as the Assistant to the State Bishop.

Overseer Brown was blessed to travel abroad to Africa to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He also aided and assisted in the process of developing more churches in Africa. He had a heart for the people of God and loved to preach and teach God’s Word. Pastor Brown quotes “I do not believe we have yet seen what God has in store for us as the body of Christ, but we know the best is yet to come.”

Pop-Pop, as he was called by his grandchildren, loved to ride his bike on the Boardwalk and would often do this as his special time with each of them.

Porter was predeceased by his parents, John & Flora Brown; a brother, Massie Brown; and a sister, Susie Maisonave. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Sheila; four children, Shannon (Kyle) Salter of South Carolina, Porter (Charise) Brown of Maryland, Lamont (Shalon) Brown and Larteshia Brown both of New Jersey; eight grandchildren, Shontay and Krystal Salter, Aaron (Kaylyn) and Brianna Brown, Omar and Elijah Brown, and Malachi and Miles Neal; two great grandchildren, Saree Richardson and Carter Brown; his siblings, Johnnie (Linda) Brown, Floyd (Clara) Brown, Joyce (John) Howard, Harvey( Roz) Mason, Marvin (Rowena) Mason, Darlene (John) Lockett, Kenneth (Andrea) Mason, Wendy (Eugene) Mason-Harris, Hattie Mason-Smith, and Octavia Mason and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and loved ones.