Bishop William J. Hopkins
Senior Pastor, L'Chayim Family Ministries
Bishop William James Hopkins, is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Manhattan Bible Institute, O.M. Kelly Religious Training Institute, and attended Herbert Lehman and York Colleges.
In 1975, at the age of 18, Pastor Hopkins realized and acknowledge the call to preach the “gospel” of Jesus Christ. Answering the call, he delivered his initial message on October 26, 1975, and was ordained on September 17, 1984, under the Pastorate of Willie S. Rouse, the Pastor of Rose of Sharon Church of Christ. Pastor Hopkins would visit churches throughout
the NYC area and eagerly gave of his gifts and talents to enhance the worship service, but he was always faithful to his home church. As a young man, Pastor Hopkins joined The Youth on the Move for Christ New York Chapter, under the leadership of Elder James R. Chambers. It was through this brotherly fellowship, that Pastor Hopkins met the love of his life, Deborah Ann Bryant, whom he married on July 11, 1981. To this union 4 children were born -- Kortney William, Kylah Nicole, Kaleb Alexander, and Kiabi Brianna Hopkins.
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From the years of 1989-2012, Pastor Hopkins sat under great leaders such as: The late Archbishop Roy E. Brown (Pilgrim Church), Bishop James R. Chambers (The Greater St. Mary Church of Christ), and Archbishop Ronald Hopkins (Pilgrim Cathedral of Harlem). It was under these leaders where he served as a musician, the President of the Board of Presbyters, adjutant, Senior Assistant Pastor, but of those, the most important was that of a big brother, listening ear, role model, and a servant of God.
On November 4, 2012, after yielding to the call of God to pastor and lead his own church, Pastor Hopkins and family began L’Chayim Family Ministries. His first message was "Building a Caring Church" in which the first principle demonstrated is unconditional love. Pastor Hopkins and the L’Chayim Family Ministries joined the Dunamis Covenant Connection under the leadership of Archbishop Robert J. Rochford, Chief Prelate on November 8, 2014. He was consecrated to the office of Bishop as of October 2024. Bishop Hopkins meets people where they are in life and walks with them as the Lord leads. He is never too busy or too tired to take time to assist, counsel, nurture, listen or pray for anyone! His main goal is to do God’s will and advance the Kingdom one soul at a time.
