I was born in Leland, Mississippi and attended grades 1-12 in the Leland Public School system.  I was initially baptized at 12 years old at St. Peters Missionary Baptist in Leland, Mississippi.  After graduating from high school, I attended Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi starting in 1982 and graduating in 1986 with a Bachelor degree in Environmental Sciences.  I was also commissioned in the United States Air Force in May 1986 and started active duty in October of that year.  During my time at Delta State, I was blessed to meet and become engaged to my wife and co-Pastor, Arleen Pleas Poindexter.  We have been married now for 38 years and was blessed with three beautiful daughters,  two  son-in-laws and  two sweet granddaughters. 

I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ in January 1993 and was filled with the Holy Ghost on March 1993 while a member of Victory Deliverance Church of the Apostolic Faith.  Not long after, my wife, three daughters and I joined Power and Glory Ministries, led by Pastor Maurice Broomfield and his wife and co-pastor, Sherry Broomfield.  My wife and I grew mightily in the Lord, learning how to pray, fast/shut-in and operate in the Spirit of God.  It was here, in July 1995, that I preached my trial sermon and began my service of preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

My wife and I were blessed to participate in several ministries, due largely in part to my being a uniformed service member and numerous reassignments.  I was ordained in 1998 an Elder in Los Angeles, California, by the Church of God, Pentecostal national organization, with all rights of a pastor to teach, preach and lead a congregation.  Since my ordination, I have had to opportunity to lead worship services in military chapels, lead and baptize members into the Faith, marry, bury and teach in the Name of the Lord.  The assignments include, leading a Protestant and Gospel Service at the military chapel on Gunter and Maxwell, Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama (1998-2001); Leading Gospel Service in the military chapel (2001-2003), on Lajes Field, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal; Lay minister for church in Hawaii (2003-2005) and lay minister for ministries in the Northern Virginia area (2005-2009).  

It was in 2012 that the Lord gave my wife and I the vision to start a ministry (Bethel Christian Church and Ministries) in our home.  The ministry continued until 2014 when we moved from Virginia, to Huntsville, Alabama.  We served in the Grace and Truth, World Outreach Church, where the Pastors are Cathy and Bruce Richardson, for a number of years, before establishing this ministry of Bethel Christian Church in June 2023.  We believe in Jesus Christ in the only way to God and salvation.  We believe that believers must be filled with the Holy Ghost, with evidence of tongues.  We also believe in the gifts, five-fold ministries and allowing God to lead our services.

ARLEEN POINDEXTER is from Greenville, Ms. and Graduated from Greenville High School in 1980.  Arleen rededicated her life to Christ in January, of 1993. She was baptized in the Holy Ghost and also had a water baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Pastor Arleen was appointed to serve as Bethel Christian Church's Associate Pastor on, June 25, 2023. Prior to that, she served  as an Ordained Minister and   Director of Women at Grace & Truth WOC in Harvest, Alabama, under Pastors Cathy & Bruce Richardson. 

The attributes that best describe Arleen as a pastor are strong  leadership development and counseling. She has been blessed to work with her husband, Van Poindexter, Senior Pastor. Together they have been called to Shepard, Bethel Christian Church where biblical views are embraced and encouraged, with members who care about the needs of those around them and who want to connect others to the body of Christ. Pastor Arleen takes prayer,  Bible devotion,  praise, worship and preaching very seriously, spending the first hours of her day focused on God.

She graduated from Mississippi Delta Junior College with a degree in Secretarial Science II, and she  got her undergraduate degree from Delta State University with a BBA in General Business. She also recently received a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Counseling.  Pastor Arleen has been married for 38 years to Pastor Van and they have three adult daughters, two son-in-laws and two granddaughters.