Bishop Bernard is the founding pastor of New Life Austin. He and his wife, Connie, started our church in 1992 and served at New Life full-time till 2010 when he became the the general superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International, which is headquartered in St. Louis, MO. He now serves New Life Austin as a pastoral advisor.

He is an ordained minister with the United Pentecostal Church International and earned the master and doctor of theology in New Testament from the University of South Africa, doctor of jurisprudence with honors from the University of Texas, and bachelor of arts magna cum laude in mathematical sciences and managerial studies from Rice University.