ERNEST LEONARD WAS BORN ON JULY 8, 1938 IN ALBANY, GEORGIA TO THE LATE ERNEST LEONARD, SR., AND GLADYS LEWIS. HE WAS THE ELDEST OF FOUR BOYS AND TWO GIRLS. HIS FAMILY RELOCATED TO CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND WHERE HIS MOTHER RE-MARRIED. HE WAS RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN HOME AND WAS SAVED AT THE AGE OF 12 YEARS OLD. HE JOINED THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND WHERE HE FIRST BEGAN TO PURSUE HIS ANOINTING FOR MUSIC, PLAYING THE PIANO FOR CHURCHES, SINGING GROUPS AND CHOIRS. ERNEST GRADUATED FROM CARVER HIGH SCHOOL IN CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND.
ERNEST RELOCATED TO ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY WHERE DIVINE DESTINY PUT HIM IN THE PATH OF BISHOP CALDWELL THOMAS. ERNEST BEGAN TO SERVE BISHOP THOMAS IN MANY AREAS OF CHURCH WORK, AND AS A MUSICIAN HE WOULD TRAIN CHOIRS, SING AND ESTABLISH MUSIC GROUPS. AT MANY CONVENTIONS HE WOULD BE REQUESTED BY CHOIRS TO PLAY FOR THEM.
ERNEST WAS MARRIED AT MT. ZION UNIFIED FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH IN EDISON, NEW JERSEY. IN 1958 HE RECEIVED THE CALL TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. HE PREACHED HIS INITIAL SERMON AT MT. ZION. ERNEST WAS CALLED TO PASTOR AT ST. MARK FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEWARK. WHILE THERE, HE HOSTED A WEEKLY LIVE RADIO BROADCAST. THEN, THE LORD LED HIM TO START A SUPERNATURAL MINISTRY THAT BELIEVED IN SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES AND THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST. PASTOR LEONARD RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR OUTREACH AND HE SAW HOW TELEVISION AND RADIO COULD BE USED AS AN EVANGELISTIC TOOL THAT WOULD DRAW PEOPLE TO CHRIST. FOR MANY YEARS DR. LEONARD WAS DOING THE WORK OF AN APOSTLE EVEN BEFORE BEING COMMISSIONED BY GOD IN 1991 IN WASHINGTON, DC. DR. LEONARD BIRTHED SEVERAL NEW CHURCHES AS A RESULT OF HIS HOLDING HEALING CRUSADES ALONG WITH HIS HEALING SCHOOL TEAM ACROSS THE TRI-STATE REGION. SINCE THOSE YEARS THE APOSTOLIC MANTLE AND COMMISSION TO PLANT AND ESTABLISH CHURCHES HAS BEEN FOREMOST IN DR. LEONARD’S LIFE.
DR. LEONARD IS THE FOUNDER, PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO DESIRE TO HAVE AN EXTENSIVE EDUCATION. APOSTLE LEONARD HAD A VISION TO ESTABLISH A NETWORK THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER FOR ONE PURPOSE – PRAYER. WHAT WAS ONCE REGIONAL HAS NOW BECOME INTERNATIONAL THEREBY ESTABLISHING THE CORNELIUS CONNECTION INTERNATIONAL NETWORK. HE SAW TELEVISION AND RADIO AS EVANGELISTIC TOOLS THAT WOULD DRAW PEOPLE TO CHRIST. TODAY, DR. LEONARD CONTINUES TO HAVE AN ACTIVE OUTREACH THROUGH “THE HOUR OF RESTORATION” WEEKLY TELECASTS ON THE WORD NETWORK AND ON THE ATLANTA INTERFAITH BROADCASTERS.