Bart Brookins
Q: How long has Fullness Christian Fellowship been here?
A: My wife and I and four other couples started this church 31 years ago. Our first location was down next to the [Vestavia Bowl] bowling alley. … This is our third location. This used to be Metro Church of God, and when they built their facility, we purchased this from them and have been here about 20 years in this physical location [2575 Columbiana Road].
Q: Tell me what inspired you to get into the ministry.
A: I really wasn’t going to get into the ministry. I wanted to be a teacher full-time. My degrees are in music. I was first on staff at Vestavia Hills Baptist Church, and this church started out of that church, with their blessing. We’re kind of a church plant. But we’re a very contemporary-style church. They are a more traditional, wonderful church, Baptist church. I was just going to help this church get started and bring in a real pastor, and 31 years later, here I am still pastoring and loving it.
Q: What motivates you to keep doing it?
A: A love of people, a love of teaching the word of God and, at this point, just the love of being able to spend a life with people. Thirty years of pastoring the same church, … I’m marrying and baptizing the children of children that I baptized 30 years ago. Just the lifetime ministry. It’s been wonderful, and it’s a great church.
Q: Tell me something most people might not know about you.
A: The people in our church know me pretty well. I’m pretty vulnerable and transparent in sermons. I’m a father of five. Three of them are graduates of Vestavia Hills High School. They now live all over the country doing different jobs. I love to run. I’m a runner. I like to play golf. I like to be with people.
Q: Do you run races?
A: I have. I’ve done some marathons —
the Boston Marathon. I’ve done an ironman triathlon, but those are a couple of years past now.
Q: How long have you lived in Vestavia Hills?
A: My wife and I have been Vestavia residents for 33 years now.
