Our Pastor

Bishop Andre’ C. Alston is pastor of Antioch Christian Tabernacle of East Orange, New Jersey, where he has served as Pastor since 1992; after serving as senior pastor of the St. Paul Baptist Church in Passaic, New Jersey.

Bishop Alston was licensed in October, 1975 and ordained into ministry May, 1976 as Assistant Pastor at the First Baptist Church, in Manassas, VA.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Bishop Andre’ Alston is the oldest of three children; born to the late Henry and Katherine Alston. He began his spiritual journey early on in his childhood, where he attended Cornerstone Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Brooklyn and later served as Assistance to the Pastor of Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, while attending seminary.

A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, Bishop Alston’s formal education include: an AAS degree in Electrical Technology, a Bachelor’s degree in Personnel Management and Master’s degrees in Divinity and Administration and Supervision.

Upon graduation from seminary, Bishop Alston was commissioned as an officer in the position of Chaplain, in the United States Naval Reserves and began work for an organization called; “Church World Services“. In this position as “Chaplain and Preacher” Bishop Alston had the opportunity to minister extensively to all parts of the world including areas of Israel, Jordan, Spain, Africa, Cuba, Hawaii and Japan.

While his formal education undoubtedly supported his corporate function, Bishop Alston worked for IBM in Virginia and was relocated in August, 1978 to Tucson, AZ., where he Pastored at the Trinity Baptist Church in Tucson for a period of six years. He also held the office of Vice Moderator for the local church district in Tucson and taught Christian Education classes at the National Baptist Convention USA Inc., all while continuing the Pastorate at St. Paul Baptist Church.

After becoming extremely involved in public education, Bishop Alston became a teacher in the Paterson Public School system and taught middle school students in math and science for sixteen years. Earnestly eager to meet another challenge, he enrolled at Caldwell University pursuing another Masters degree and became Assistant Principal of Eastside High School in Paterson New Jersey. Bishop Alston was there for three years, before serving as Vice Principal at Wilby high school in Waterbury, CT. All while continuing as Pastor at the Antioch Christian Tabernacle.

In August, 2011, Bishop Alston was conferred the title of Bishop in the Evangelical Christian Fellowship International Association of Clergy. His many accomplishments includes a publication of a book on mediation called, “Habits of Healing”; recognition in the 2005 “Who’s-Who among Teachers” and the 2010 edition of Madison’s “Who’s-Who Among Executives and Professionals Throughout the World.” 

Now apart of Pilgrim Assemblies International, Bishop Alston is traveling throughout the country and tri-state area preaching the gospel

If you ask Bishop Alston what his next step is in life, his response…“God is not through with me yet.”