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Pastor Darnell Starks – A short biography
Born in Chicago March 6, 1966 I am the oldest of 8 children. My wife, Karen, and I have five children, Ricky, Brandi, Rhyan, Kari and Darnell, Jr. and five grandchildren.
I graduated from Greater Cincinnati Christian Academy in 1984 and entered the United States Marine Corps where I served as an Aviation Ordnance Munitions Technician. After one year of active duty I spent five years in the Reserves.
After leaving active duty military service, I trained at the Computer Learning Center and received a certificate in computer operations. Just prior to graduation, I was hired by one of the largest insurance companies in America, Allstate Insurance Company and worked for them as a Computer Operator. However, after a year I left to begin training to become a financial planner.
During this time, I met and married my wife Karen. I wasn’t earning much money at the time and with a new family to support I began looking for a better paying career. I found it in the construction industry. I started as an unskilled laborer, worked myself up to labor foreman eventually becoming president and co-owner of a commercial painting and decorating company.
Although I had some success in the painting business, I always knew that God had other plans for my life. I’d felt God’s call on my life for full-time ministry when I was in high school but had resisted it. Finally, at the age of 35 with a wife, five children and a mortgage, I left the painting industry and started my theological training at Moody Bible Institute (MBI) in Chicago.
In 2001, while a student at MBI, I heard about an opportunity to study at the International Christian College (ICC) in Glasgow, Scotland. Two years later, I came to Scotland with my wife and our three youngest children. I had planned to be here for only three months but God had other plans. With help from several individuals we were able to stay on for the whole academic year. During that time I was invited to come to Craighalbert Church to preach on Sunday morning. A week later I was asked to speak at the midweek house group. I felt an immediate connection with the people of Craighalbert Church and wondered if this church would be in my future.
A few months later the elders asked to meet with me about coming to assist with the preaching and teaching ministry of the church. I agreed and the rest, as they say, is history.