Est. 2003
History
A Brief History
Esther’s Academy is the vision of Pastor Yvonne Brooks, First Assistant Pastor of New Jerusalem Apostolic Church, Birmingham UK and Director of Women of Purpose Ministries.
Pastor Yvonne’s vision is to see women of all ages engaged in a development programme that will challenge, empower and equip them to live a purposeful life, founded on biblical principles – just like Queen Esther of the Bible. This vision was birthed in 2003.
Pastor Yvonne shared her vision with Pastor Denise Carpenter who was then invited to be the first facilitator of Esther’s Academy.The first programme consisted of four Thursday evenings starting on 18th August 2005. Workshops were also delivered in the annual Women of Purpose conference. Since that time we have had numerous presentations and facilitators teaching during the Esther’s Academy Core Programme.
In 2007 Pastor Yvonne asked Sister Julia Regis to head up the Academy along with Joycelyn St Juste and Janet Taylor. The team was prayerfully developed and the programme divided into seven workshops. The programme was now developed and taught over seven weeks from 10am to 4 pm, a life transforming Journey. This was followed by the Esther’s Graduation Banquet where the ladies were supported by friends and family as they graduated. Julia then along with a team of committed members prayerfully, revamped and developed Esther’s Academy as we see it today, a seven week life transforming journey based on Esther’s life addressing the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental aspects of wholeness. The revamped programme commenced on 26th April 2008 and has taken place annually. Every graduate testimony demonstrates just how Esther’s Academy has changed their life. The presence and anointing of God is made manifest each and every year in every woman’s life. In 2012 Minister Chantel Brooks a former graduate of the Academy came to the helm and led the Academy into a new era. She allowed changes to the team and changed the rostrum of speakers as well as added in meeting and time for fasting within the team so that the driving force behind it could prepare the programme before it even started. In 2016 Andrea Porter-Bent stepped in to learn and lead the programme as Minister Brooks stepped back to focus on other areas within the church programmes.
Pastor Yvonne’s vision is to see women of all ages engaged in a development programme that will challenge, empower and equip them to live a purposeful life, founded on biblical principles – just like Queen Esther of the Bible.