Pastor Van Dyke Freeman, Sr. was born April 13, 1952 in Brooklyn, New York to Georgia M. Freeman. The youngest of seven children, young Van could always be found trailing his mother to church. Seeing his need for a father, the late Apostle Arturo Skinner took young Van under his wing to nurture and train him as a son in the natural as well as the Gospel. Prophesying the mighty move of God that was to take place in his life, Apostle Skinner placed young Van in the School of the Prophets as its youngest student. Accepting Christ in his life at the age of 13 and being baptized with the Holy Ghost shortly thereafter, young Van preached his first sermon in an Invaders for Christ youth service. He saw miracles, signs, and wonders, and out of a love for music, and a desire to play the organ from a small child, became anointed to play, compose and arrange music. This gift enhanced his ministry as well as the ministry of others.
At age 18, Minister Freeman followed Bishop Ronald Brown, also a son of Apostle Arturo Skinner, to Orangeburg, SC to assist him as Minister of Music in the Faith Tabernacle Deliverance Temple Ministries. After graduating from Wilkinson High School, Minister Freeman met and married the former Davonia L. Wallace. To this union was born five children, Van Jr., Tonya, Ronella, Arturo, and Craig.  Pastor and First Lady Freeman are also the proud grandparents of eleven grandchildren, Allerik, Jordon, Jade, Alexis, Laila, Rakeem, Quincy, Braxton, Josh, Jonathan, and Joel. They also have seven great grandchildren, Maddox, Josiah, Kendall, Chance, Aiden, Genesis, and Leia.  His educational pursuits led Minister Freeman to Claflin College where he first majored in Music.
Later, Minister Freeman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice.  Preaching and working in the music department, Minister Freeman was made Co-Pastor of the ministry. While serving faithfully in his position, God begin to impress upon him the urgency to launch out and pursue the “call” to pastorship.
Answering this “call” would lead him to Charlotte, NC where he would establish the Emmanuel Tabernacle Center of Hope church on March 24, 2002. Senior Pastor Van and Pastor Davonia Freeman have envisioned the Move of God for Charlotte and Rock Hill, SC areas. For over 20 years, with prayer and faith as its foundation, the currently named Emmanuel World Evangelistic Outreach strives to prepare a people who will help to usher in the Move – SALVATION, HEALING, AND DELIVERANCE FOR
THE TOTAL MAN!