Our pastor, Russell T. Perkins, is a native of Nashville who grew up in the Preston Taylor housing projects and, also, in the part of North Nashville near Head School. He is a graduate of Pearl High School, Tennessee State University, and the College of Law at Ohio State University. His wife, Renita J. Perkins, an accomplished educator and woman of faith, is a native of Nashville, Tennessee who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Tennessee State University.

Bread of Heaven Church, launched by a group of approximately five adults, had its first worship service on Sunday, January 7, 2007 at Hartman Park Community Center on Tucker Road in Nashville, Tennessee. Approximately fifty-five people attended thisfirst service. The founding pastor, Russell T. Perkins, had been praying about starting a church for approximately ten years. When the Perkins family helped plant the church, Pastor Perkins transported everything the church owned (small keyboard, used speakers, microphones, a box of paperback Bibles, etc.) from week to week in the SUV his family was blessed to own. Pastor Perkins would get "happy" every Sunday morning when he was loading his SUV because he considered the opportunity to work in the vineyard for the Lord and the opportunity to use whatever modest gifts the Lord had given him to be a great and humbling privilege.

First Lady Renita Perkins and Assistant Pastor Russell J. Perkins (sometimes called "Rusty" or "Russell Jr.") were leaders who made important contributions in the church from the very beginning. Two of the Perkins' three daughters (Robin and Ranetta), the Perkins' daughter-in-law, Christina Perkins, and their oldest granddaughter, Taylor Perkins, along with First Lady Perkins' aunt, Sister Sandra Driver, are all charter members of the church, committing to serving the Lord at Bread of Heaven Church at the very early stages of the church's existence.

Before moving to its current location on Jefferson Street in June 2013, Bread of Heaven Church rented a church building on 51st Avenue and the chapel of Vine Street Christian Church after leaving the community center in March 2009. The church distributed the first issue of its newsletter, entitled "Fresh Bread," in the summer of 2007. Many family and friends supported and prayed for the church during the early years, with several people giving money earmarked for the "Fresh Bread" newsletter. For two years (March 2009 to May 2011), Bread of Heaven Church had a weekly fifteen minute radio program on WNQM, 1300 AM called "Living Bread." This radio program aired on Sundays at 1:30 p.m.

Bread of Heaven Church had its First Annual Women's Conference on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at Bread of Heaven Church. Our speaker was Evangelist Jean Capps, who ministered to the attendees in an anointed, yoke-shattering way. This conference powerfully blessed all who attended.

On May 31, 2011, Bread of Heaven Church started a men's ministry called "Band of Brothers" based on the principle of "iron sharpening iron" recorded in Proverbs 27:17. This ministry is regularly attended my men (and pastors) who serve at other churches. The Band of Brothers ministry is designed to bless, motivate, and equip men to serve, minister and lead in their respective families, churches, and communities.

In the early days, Bread of Heaven Church baptized people who wanted to be baptized at other churches (Faith Apostolic Church in Charlotte, Tennessee, Greater Christ Temple Church, and Faith Apostolic Church on Trinity Lane, pastored by Bishop Napoleon Ward) before it was able to use the baptismal pool at Vine Street Christian Church. In the spring of 2012, First Lady Renita Perkins was driving down Jefferson Street when she saw the "for sale" sign on a building located at 2430 Jefferson Street in Nashville. Pastor Perkins had already instructed the church that the Lord had put on his heart that we should narrow our search for a building or vacant lot to the "Fisk University" area of North Nashville. After making a U-turn on Jefferson Street, Sister Perkins got the information and called the real estate agent for the building, which incidentally, is within a few blocks of Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical college, and Fisk University. The real estate agent was a retired educator Sister Perkins knew, Mr. Zenoch Adams. To make a long story short, the church was able to purchase and renovate the building with the help of several God-fearing professional people (people like Sister Nicole Dunigan, Brother Michael Neal and others who will be mentioned by name when we get around to writing a longer history of the church). Sadly, Mr. Adams, who was instrumental in the purchase, died a few months after the closing.

After several months of renovations led by our general contractor, Mark Driver, and after receiving the expert help of our architect, Pastor James Larkin, Bread of Heaven Church had its opening services on June 22-23, 2013. On August 11, 2013, the church building located at 2430 Jefferson Street was officially dedicated by Bishop Sherman L. Merritt, Sr., the Pastor of Greater Christ Temple Church (and Pastor Perkins' most recent Pastor), and the Diocesan for the First Apostolic Council of Kentucky and Tennessee during an anointed Sunday afternoon service. Greater Christ Temple Church, the guest church, showed up strong and ready to worship the Lord, and Bishop Merritt, as he always has done, preached a tremendous, life-changing message.

We believe that the Word of God is infallible and that the truth and power of the Word of God, as recorded in the Holy Bible, will stand forever. Matthew 24:35; Psalm 119:89. We believe that there is One, indivisible God, who is manifested in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) to bless and save us. Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 9:6-7. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ and the saving power of the name of Jesus. John 1:1-14; John 20:31; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-3. Jesus, the sinless Christ (or Messiah), endured the contradiction of sinners, despising the shame, in order to save us and to make us free. Hebrews 12:1-3; Isaiah 53:1-6. In other words, He (Jesus Christ) who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21.

At Bread of Heaven Church, we baptize people by immersing them in water in the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38. Through the redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ, the power of His name, and our repentance and faith, God pours out His grace to wash away our sin and to fill us with the Holy Ghost as evidenced by speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. See Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:1-6; and John 3:1-17. Through His unmerited favor, ordinary people are born again and delivered from being dead in trespasses and sin. Ephesians 2:1; John 3:1-17.