Pastor Barry
Pastor Barry, Lisa, Dylan and Robert Minkow
At the age of 16, Barry Minkow started a carpet cleaning company in the family garage. By age 20, he had a 240 million-dollar company and was referred to as the "whiz-kid" of Wall Street. After milking highly educated investors out of millions of dollars, Barry's scam came to a sudden halt when he was arrested in 1987 at the age of 23 and sentenced to 25 years in the federal prison. Against all odds, and with a 26 million dollar court awarded restitution nailed over his head, Barry decided it was time to make a change.
"After accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and receiving God's unmeasurable forgiveness, Barry headed down a new path."
It was a path of restitution and comeback. While in prison Barry accepted the role of heading up the prison's religious services. He spoke to his fellow inmates every Sunday and shared the gospel of grace and mercy that God offers to anyone who will receive it.
During his time in prison, Barry felt the calling of God in his life. With a call to the ministry and an unquenchable fire burning in his heart, he headed his life full speed ahead in that direction. After serving 8 years of his sentence with an unblemished record and with the recommendation of the sentencing judge, Barry was released into society. In the judge's own words, "Barry can do more for his victims out of prison than he can in prison."
While in prison Barry earned a B.A. and a Masters of Arts degree in Church Ministries (with an emphasis on Theology and Apologetics) from Liberty University. In 1996, he earned yet another degree, a Masters of Divinity, also from Liberty. After his early release from prison, he was called to work as Director of the Bible Institute and Pastor of Evangelism at the Church at Rocky Peak. Community Bible Church invited Pastor Barry to serve as Senior Pastor in March of 1997. He married Lisa in 2002, and together they adopted twin boys from Guatamala in 2003.