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About Our Church

Citadel of Praise Baptist
Church History

Bishop Torin Newsome was born in Berkeley, California in 1967, and is the son of Edward and Carolyn Scott.  He is one of six children, three of whom are ministers of the gospel.  He is the husband of Carla Newsome, celebrating 18 years of marriage, a father of 4 and a grandfather of 5. Pastor Newsome was musically and spiritually gifted at a very young age accepting Christ at the age of three years old.  He began performing solos and directing the youth choir at the age of three and often had to be placed upon a box or an offering table because he was so young and small.

Bishop Newsome matriculated through the Oakland Unified School District, gaining many academic and performing arts awards.  As a youngster, he was a member of the San Francisco Boys Chorus, performing music in several languages and traveling to Europe where he was granted a private audience with Pope John Paul II. Upon graduating from Skyline High School in 1985, Pastor Newsome attended Concordia University in Portland, Oregon where he majored in Business Administration and Marketing, also taking courses in theology.  During this time, he also traveled with the Concordia Choir to Japan and other parts of Asia as a vocalist and a drummer.

Bishop Newsome and his wife, Carla were the owners of Torin's Tots Daycare for many years, caring for many children in the community. Bishop Newsome also worked for Oakland Unified School District and is currently employed by the County of Alameda. In 2006, Bishop Newsome and his wife Carla Newsome made their first journey to Jerusalem where Pastor Newsome assisted with conducting prayer, baptism, preaching and song services in the Holy Land.  This was a life-changing experience for the two of them as they walked and talked in the steps of Jesus.

 

After accepting the call to preach the gospel in 2002, Bishop  Newsome became an Associate Minister at the Greater New Mount Hermon Baptist Church under the pastorate of his godfather, the late Pastor Nelson Davis.  During this time, he not only served his church but was a much sought after speaker and revivalist throughout the Bay Area and State.  He was ordained and licensed by Pastor Davis and was a member for over 40 years until the passing of Pastor Nelson Davis in 2012.

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