Dr. C. L. Brookins, birth name Clarence, was born on November 8, 1930 in  Yazoo County Mississippi, where he accepted Christ in 1941 at the tender age of  11 at the Campbellsville MB Church in Yazoo City Mississippi under the  leadership of the late Pastor E.D. Johnson. Dr. Brookins was ordained a Junior  Deacon at the age of 17, and at the age of 19, he accepted God’s call to the  preaching ministry and was ordained at the age of 21 by his pastor, the late Dr.  Clay Evans. During this time, he was also a member of the gospel quartet  group, The Faithful Wonders, singing throughout the Chicagoland area and also  at the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education in 1948. In 1953, Dr.  Brookins organized New Foundation Missionary Baptist Church, later named,  True Foundation Church Baptist, and currently named, True Foundation  Transformation Church. His education includes: Dunbar High School, Moody  Bible Institute, Chicago Baptist Institute and Roosevelt University, all located in  Chicago Illinois, along with schooling at Columbia Basic College in Pasco  Washington and Trinity College in Newburgh Indiana.  

Dr. Brookins served as pastor of True Foundation Transformation Church  (currently named) for 49 years before retiring in 2002, having also served in  many other leadership capacities, such as: President of The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (TIMA) within the Tri-Cities of Kennewick, Pasco, and  Richland Washington, and a Board of Directors member of Dr. Martin Luther  King Jr. Foundation in Pasco Washington, and the First and Third Vice Moderators of the Tri-State Baptist District Association in Pasco Washington, as  well as the First Vice-President of Pacific North West General State Sunday  School and BTU Congress. In addition to his religious duties, Dr. Brookins also  participated in civic duties within his communities, conducted revivals, and  implemented the first Black Religious Broadcasting service in Pasco Washington,  as well as being the first Black Church to broadcast over Radio Station WEDC FM in Chicago Illinois. While serving as pastor of True Foundation, Dr.  Brookins has produced several years of weekly radio broadcasts over various  Chicagoland stations, as well as a weekly telecast entitled “The Inspirational  Hour,” which still airs over Chicago Cable TV Channel 36, every Wednesday  night at 9:30pm and Thursday mornings at 11:30am (CST). 

Dr. Brookins has been married to Mary Frances (Scales) Brookins for 73 years (as of May 6, 2023) and the union birthed eight children: Patricia, Clara,  Charlotte, Clarence, Herbert (deceased), Larry (current pastor of TFTC), Faye, and  Danny, and the spiritual legacy continues. For years, Dr. Brookins has inspired  many through preaching and teaching, Christlike love and lifestyle, as well as  through song, telling the world: “Everything will be Alright.”