Rev. Will B. Brock received a mandate to plant a church in the City of Rochester, New York. As he sought direction from the Lord on how this should be done, he started by faith. There were many that doubted him, but Rev. Brock believed and continued to seek, find and follow the will of God in this matter. The Ark of Jesus Church was established in July 1977 with eight founding members. With God leading this work in 1978, the first properties were purchased at 24-26 Ritz Street and 63 Hebard Street which were converted to the primary worship facility for our Sunday and mid-week services along with other functions. From the start Rev. Brock said God had not called him to be the Pastor. After much prayer, it was revealed that a person in the congregation was to be the set man of the house.
About Us.
Bishop David J. Singleton
David J. Singleton was born in Sumter, South Carolina to the late David and Rebecca Singleton. He is the second eldest of 9 children. Joyfully married to Dawn E. Singleton for over 36 years, the father of five adult children Davetta, Nicole, David Jr., Jahmia and Ernest (Ebony), and nine lovely grandchildren, Brian Jr., Briant’e, Darlene, Zyasia, Ebony, Ernest Jr., Essence, Elisha and Elijah.
He accepted Christ Jesus into his life April 1, 1975. He is anointed to teach and preach the Word of God to the learned and unlearned. Faithfully, he served as Assistant Pastor to the founder of Ark of Jesus under the leadership of the late Reverend Will B. Brock. In October 1981, he became Senior Pastor of the Ark of Jesus, presently known as the Ark of Jesus Ministries where he continues to serve and embrace Kingdom principles for the glory of our God and the benefit of mankind.
Bishop Singleton has been graced to retire as a professional firefighter from the City of Rochester after 22 years of honorable service. Having served in fire suppression, Community Relations and Education, coordinated the Firefighter Trainee Program and started a scholarship fund at the Monroe Community College Foundation for graduates of the Firefighter Trainee Program. Bishop Singleton has obtained various awards and plaques for outstanding service and is a Chaplin of the Rochester Fire Department.
Bishop Singleton has studied and taken courses from the Church of God Institute of Cleveland, Tennessee. He attended Rochester Institute of Christian Education, Colgate Divinity of Rochester, and received a Bachelor’s Degree through United Christian Ministry Institute of Columbia City, Indiana. In 2006, Bishop Singleton received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Rochester Center of Theological and Biblical Studies.
For over 25 years he has hosted a weekly television broadcast on cable TV. In addition, he has done numerous speaking engagements, seminars, workshops, and presentations to churches, children’s groups, prisoners, professional and community groups in America and other nations.
In 2010, Bishop Singleton received the “Man of the Year Award” from the National Association of Negro and Black Professional Women.
May 2011, The Baptist Ministers’ Wives & Widow Auxiliary of the Great Lakes Missionary Baptist District Association awarded Bishop Singleton an award for his Community Service work in the Rochester Community.
Bishop was honored this past September 2012 by the Ester’s Daughters from Syracuse, New York for the work he is doing within our community and worldwide. God has used Bishop Singleton to impact numerous lives whereby they were and are changed by the power of God. He has ministered in the United States and multiple other nations. God has allowed Bishop Singleton to provide a spiritual and ministry covering to pastors and churches in the United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Africa.
God has entrusted Bishop David J. Singleton with a vision for our local area, our nation in the (Nation Day of Prayer Initiative which was launched May 3, 2012) a global vision for the Body of Christ at large in the way of the Evangelistic Outreach Impact Saturday which is the third Saturday in September every year where pastors and churches participate around the world.
Bishop says “Anything in my life that is jacked up, off center, or out of balance is mine. Everything in my life that is noteworthy, praise worthy, proper, or good is all God’s."
Our Church History
An additional time of seeking God was had. In October 1981, Rev. Will B. Brock resigned from the office of Acting Pastor giving thanks to God for Pastor David J. Singleton who is to be the set man. Since that time, God has richly blessed this work and entrusted to Bishop David J., Elect Lady Dawn Singleton and Ark of Jesus Ministries a major kingdom assignment. Ark of Jesus Ministries is a very kingdom focused and community minded church. Our assignment requires us to make an impact in the neighborhood where we’re located, the region where we live, in the nation of which we are a part, and the international community in which we abide.
Ark of Jesus Ministries is a multi-culturally diverse ministry whose surrender to God requires application and demonstration of His Love, Word and Power among men. Through this ministry yokes have been destroyed, deliverance has come; souls have been saved and edified, whereby we give God glory. Young people have received Jesus as their personal savior and are reaching other youth for the cause of Christ. We have young people who have demonstrated genuine change by a touch from the master’s hand. Our seasoned (senior) saints have and do enrich the lives of all that the Lord sends into the house. The Vision is activated to affect lives near and far, that they might be changed forever by the power of Jesus Christ, through the agency of the Holy Spirit and for God’s glory. Our assignment is to bear much good fruit and fruit that remain according to John 15:8, 16. Be it known unto you “The Vision is Activated and the Best is in Process”
Through Ark of Jesus Ministries, people lives will be transformed by the Love and Word of God, taught and demonstrated. The learned and unlearned are evangelized with the Gospel. By holistic ministry to spirit, soul, and body with an anointed, active Spirit-filled youth focus and continual prayer and intercession, we shall be a center for launching missionaries, domestic and foreign.
We shall have Church Covering Covenants and Church Plantings. Providing excellence in ministry and purposefully engaged in the local community and beyond with favor, while honorably equipping people for service, that they may experience fulfilled lives walking in their God given purpose.