Alvin Christopher BernstineThe Reverend Dr. Alvin C. Bernstine is a fourth-generation Baptist preacher. He was born in Oakland, California, received his primary education in the Oakland Public School system, and is a proud recipient of the Distinguished Knight Award of Castlemnt High School.After several years as an entrepreneur, he decided to return to school in Sales and Marketing at Laney College, Oakland, CA. In 1977, he responded to God's call to ministry and radically changed his interests. He transferred to Bishop College, Dallas, Texas, graduating in 1981 at the top of his class, Magna Cum Laude. He continued studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School, of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, where he received the Master of Divinity Degree, with a concentration on Preaching and Biblical Studies, receiving the distinction of the Florence Conwell Preaching Honor. He furthered his studies as a Dr. Samuel Dewitt Proctor Fellow at the United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, receiving the Doctor of Ministry Degree, with the dissertation project focusing on "Preaching that Enhances the African American Family: Homilies on the Jacob Narratives." Dr. Bernstine completed studies and received a graduate degree in Psychology and Counseling from the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco on "Integrating Healthy Spirituality into the Therapeutic Process." He was a proud 60 years-old graduate of his fourth college degree.Dr. Bernstine served as the Director of Family Ministry at the Sunday School Publishing Board from 1991 to 1995. While employed with the Sunday School Publishing Board, he wrote numerous journal articles on Family Ministry related issues, and manuals to assist Christian Education. He also submitted for publication, As For Me and My House: Redemptive Words for the Black Family. He has self-published, Ministry in a Disaster Zone: The Seven Cross Sayings of Jesus; A Ministry that Save Lives: Sermons and Reflections on Ministry in A Challenging Context; Orientation for Children Who Want To Love Jesus; Give Power to the People: The Congregational Enablement Model Revisited; Church Through the Roof: Re-Storying Your Church's Ministry and As For Me and My House, Too: Some More Redemptive Words for the African American Family; The Evening and The Morning: A Liberation Primer of the Creation Story, and during the COVID19 Pandemic released Parts 1 and 2 of Hope Us, Lord: Prophetic Invitations (Part 3 to be published in 2023). Preaching Sermons that Matter: A Preaching Workbook on the Dialectical Preaching Model of Samuel Dewitt Proctor will also be published in 2023.Since returning to the Bay Area, he has served as visiting Professor of Preaching at the American Baptist Seminary of the West (renamed Berkley School of Theology), Faculty Member of the Leadership Institute of Allen Temple; Dean of the Bay Area Academy of Responsible Preaching, Faculty Facilitator for the Foster Kinship Care Program of Contra Costa County College, specializing in Trauma-Informed Care, and facilitator of Non-Violent Communication. Dr. Bernstine is married to the incredible Reverend Diana Becton, the first woman, first person of color, and first African American elected and re-elected District Attorney of Contra Costa County. She is also one of the first women to be ordained into Christian Ministry at the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church.Dr. Bernstine is an avid swimmer, budding golf player and bowler, and chess player, and still finds time to enjoy life through travel, family, and spending time with seven amazing grandchildren. His lifetime pastime is reading. Read More Read Less