The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir was started up by Carol Cymbala, the wife of Brooklyn Tabernacle's senior pastor, Pastor Jim Cymbala. The Choir was founded in 1972, a year after the Cymbalas came to the struggling church, which at the time consisted of just a few members meeting in a run-down building in the inner city of New York. As the church grew, the choir also grew bringing in more and more people until it now totals 285 members. This group of people is unique, coming from all backgrounds and walks of life. Respected lawyers sing next to former drug addicts, multiple races belt out songs of praise to God standing alongside each other. The only thing that the members of the group have in common is the love of God that they are passionate about sharing through song.

Over the years, the choir has won a string of awards for Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album. Their first award was in 1993 for their album Live...We Come Rejoicing. This was followed by the same award for their 1995 album Praise Him - Live. In 1999 and 2000, they won the same award for High And Lifted Up and Live - God Is Working. Be Glad brought in a Grammy in 2002, followed by Live...This is Your House in 2004. The number of Grammy Awards acquired by the group now totals six, with more certainly to come as they expand and grow better with every year.

There is also a core group of vocalists, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers, who travel worldwide visiting Korea, Japan and 23 cities in the US each year. The group is co-directed by the daughter of the church founder, the late Reverend Clair Hutchins. The choir has been a great addition to the city, and an integral part of the church's ministry.