Reverend Dr. D. Darrell Griffin, D.Min. is a Senior Pastor, a certified Ministry Coach and Enneagram Trainer who is committed to educating, empowering and transforming the lives of God’s people.
Since January 2000, Dr. Griffin has served as the Senior Pastor of the Oakdale Covenant Church of Chicago, Illinois. Under Dr. Griffin’s visionary leadership, Oakdale continues to be recognized as a haven of hope and spiritual transformation in the community and has become known as “A Great Church, with Great People, Serving a Great God.” His commitment to a holistic ministry has manifested itself through the tremendous growth of Oakdale, the expansion of Oakdale Christian Academy and Child Care Center, the establishment of the Oakdale Community Development Corporation to impact the needs of the Brainerd/Washington Heights community, and the Reconnecting Center which assists in connecting Oakdale to the needs of our brothers and sisters on the continent of Africa.
Dr. Griffin’s unique leadership has successfully reached youth and families through the establishment of Oakdale Youth Church, Dr. Griffin has led the Oakdale congregation in a multi-million dollar renovation of Oakdale’s sanctuary and the acquisition of additional properties to accommodate the ongoing growth of this vibrant ministry. His wonderful transition and change skills have successfully created a congregation for every generation.
Dr. Griffin’s distinguished ministerial experience extends back to his years of service as the Assistant Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem, New York, pastored by Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III.
Dr. Griffin was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and educated in the Kenosha public school system. He continued his education at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he received a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Marketing (May 1987). In June 1992, Dr. Griffin completed his Masters of Divinity Degree at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He successfully completed a Doctor of Ministry degree in Preaching at North Park Theological Seminary (May 2006). Dr. Griffin is the author of Navigating Pastoral Leadership in the Transition Zone: “Arriving in the Middle of the Movie” (Chicago: MMGI Books, 2012) and it has become a resource to assist congregations and pastors through challenging maze of a transition in pastoral leadership. Dr. Griffin has also published several articles on transition in The Covenant Quarterly(August 2007) and The African-American Pulpit Journal (Spring 2008). Dr. Griffin is a trained spiritual director earning his certification from North Park Theological Seminary’s Center for Spiritual Direction (August 2009).
From January 1997 to December 1999, Dr. Griffin served as the fourth Pastor of the Antioch Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Under his pastorate, Antioch doubled its membership, established the Antioch Development Corporation, a comprehensive program to help revitalize the Bedford Stuyvesant Community, the Antioch QUEST Institute, which provided career education and computer technology training for youth, adults and seniors, The Caring Educators in Action, a support group for community teachers and administrators and the Antioch Educational Resource Center which collected and distributed educational supplies to community teachers and students in need.
This gifted preacher and leader continues to be invited to speak at churches, corporations, and educational organizations throughout the country.
