Rev. Michael A. Pender Sr.

Michael A. Pender Sr. was born in Harlem Hospital in New York City and raised in the Bronx, New York. He moved to Houston, Texas in 1985 and accepted Christ as his Savior in February of 1985 while attending a Friday Night Service. He has been a member of three instrumental churches since moving to Houston in 1985: Sagemont Church, where he began his discipleship process, learned about servant leadership and was licensed as a Minister of the Gospel; Greenspoint Baptist Church, where he served as Youth Minister, was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel and then sent out to plant Fallbrook Church.

After much prayer, preparation, and assistance from many faithful Christians, the Pender family along with three other families founded Fallbrook Church. In September 1994, Fallbrook Church held its first public service at Gray Elementary School in North Houston. Under Pastor Pender’s preaching and teaching, more than 4,000 individuals have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and were baptized. The congregation has grown from four families to several thousand, worshipping at two services each Sunday and on Wednesday evening.

To deal with the exponential growth, Pastor Pender, affectionately known as Pastor Mike, has led his congregation in four successful multi-million dollar building campaigns, the latest being a state-of-the-art Children and Youth facility. From the very beginning, God has shown favor on this ministry; however, to whom much is given, much is required. Fallbrook’s mission is to Reach Our Community for Christ One Home at a Time and Change the Way People Think About the Church Forever”. We have never lost sight of this great commission from God.

Pastor Mike is committed to making positive change in the community and serves as President and CEO of Fallbrook Community Development Center which has served thousands of children through a preschool academy, before-and-after school program, summer camps and scholarships. He is also CEO and Chairman of the Board of Fallbrook College Preparatory Academy which currently serves grades K-10 with a STEM based education in North Houston.

Pastor Mike believes the greatest model of leadership is found in Jesus Christ — servant leadership. He believes that his call is to be a good shepherd over the sheep entrusted into his care.

Pastor Mike graduated from Houston Baptist University and is married to Janice Foreman Pender and they have four children, Bailee, Michael Jr., Arnelle and Colin.