Olive C. Brown was born in Richmond, Virginia on June 8, 1943. The daughter of the later Elder Randolph and Bishop Annie Chamblin, she attended the Richmond City Public Schools and Van Dy Vyver Catholic School. An advocate of higher education, she holds a BS in Sociology/Social Work and a Master of Divinity Degree both from Virginia Union University.

Olive C. Brown was saved at the age of 9 and began serving in ministry at the age of 13 as Minister of Music at the church where her mother was Pastor. Soon after in 1962, she was licensed to preach the Gospel in 1978, she was ordained Elder. In 1978 at the passing of Bishop Annie Chamblin, the Shepherd’s mantle fell on her and Olive C. Brown became the Pastor of Jerusalem Holy Church, Richmond, Virginia. This marked the beginning of a season during which many Pastors, Preachers, Teachers, Musicians, Psalmists and churches including Faith Deliverance Center, Portsmouth, VA (1982) and New Jerusalem International Christian Ministries, Richmond, VA (1992) would be birthed.

In 1993, Olive C. Brown was consecrated to the office of Bishop and founded the International Christian Ministries, Inc. Under the International Christian Ministries, Bishop Brown has established churches in throughout Virginia and North Carolina and as far north as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Along with serving as the Apostolic covering to many prolific and effective ministries, Bishop Brown has founded The United Christian Fellowship Conference held in Hampton, Virginia. In August 2006 Bishop Brown received her Honorary Doctorate degree through the Trinity Bible College.

A woman of strong faith Olive C. Brown stands firmly on Luke 1:37; “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” This belief and a strong desire to set the people of God up to succeed led her to a secular profession as a Clinical Social Worker. Olive C. Brown has worked with VCU, MCV and American Red Cross working with military families and disaster victims. She also worked at the University of North Carolina as a Pediatric Social Worker and runs a Christian Sociology and Counseling Center.

A Kingdom and Community Builder, Bishop Olive C. Brown is the Presiding Prelate of the International Christian Ministries, Inc. and the Senior Pastor of New Jerusalem International Christian Ministries, Richmond, Virginia. Led by Bishop Brown, this fast growing body of Kingdom People recently purchased nearly 40 acres of land in Chesterfield County, Virginia. She is the founder and CEO of Metro-Richmond Community Development Corporation, Communities Without Borders and the author of “The Mature Church” and “The Power of Corporate Prayer and Fasting.”

Olive C. Brown is a living testimony that there is a blessing for the family. She has been blessed to be the product of a line of Holy Ghost filled pastors and preachers both male and female. She was married to the late Bishop James F. Brown, Jr. for 27 years and to this union five children were born. Bishop Brown is very proud of each of her children who are all actively working in ministry: Bishop James “Rudy” Brown III (Senior Pastor of Whole Life ICM, High Point, NC), Elder Rosalyn B. Brown (Evangelist, Psalmist, Songwriter), Pastor Joel V. Brown ( Pastor, New Jerusalem ICM), Elder Marvin G. Brown (Board of Directors ICM, Pastor of Christ Worship Center ICM) and Caretta F. Brown (Administrator ICM, Vice-President ICM National Youth Congress) Olive C. Brown is known as “Grandma Olive” to 9 beautiful grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

With over 40 years of experience in the preaching ministry and 28 years of pastoring, Bishop Olive C. Brown is a powerful prophetic voice, a Pastor’s Pastor and a trailblazer. She loves a challenge and is not afraid to venture into new and uncharted waters. Bishop Olive C. Brown is not afraid to face real issues and stands boldly against all that stands against the people of God. Yet, she is the genuine epitome of a nurturer and a female preacher. She has been blessed to accomplish much and seeing lives changed and helped brings the greatest joy to her life.