Bishop Darnell L. Easton’s predestined purpose began on October 28, 1951 at his birth in Baltimore, MD.  He is the youngest of nine children, hovered by many loving siblings. At the age of 2 he visited Bethel with his parents, the late Deacon Joseph and the late Mother Viola Easton.  He grew up in Anne Arundel County, and his humble beginnings were on a farm with lots of work.  He attended the Anne Arundel County Public School System.  He is a graduate of Southern Senior High School.  Darnell’s advance studies were completed at Bowie State College.  Later in life, he completed home study courses through the Washington Bible College. 

Bishop Darnell has held numerous jobs.  He has been blessed by God to become an entrepreneur in the concrete field.  He has maintained this business for over 16 years.  He is also involved in the salesmanship of nutritional products. 

His parents trained him in the way a child should go.  Bishop Darnell became a baptized believer and filled with the Holy Ghost at a young age.  He loved church, but curiosity and other distractions encouraged him to learn more about his outside surroundings.  However, Bishop Darnell did not fail to return to his first love, Jesus Christ.  He carried zeal and devotion towards the ministries in his church. 

During Bishop Darnell’s preparation years, he served in the capacity of President or member on numerous choirs, boards, groups and committees.  His ability to reach you wherever you are attracts him to the young, middle-aged, old, the haves and have-nots, the learned and the not so learned.  He is a man of wisdom and good character with a strong love for the people of God and their welfare.  He proclaims and guides God’s people in defeating the enemy and determining to be victorious, at all costs.  He is an evangelist and an intercessor.  These gifts equip him for the great work he does with the newborn Christians and the youth. 

Bishop Darnell was called into the ministry in April 1975.  He answered the call and preached his trial sermon in June of 1977.  He was ordained under the leadership of Bishop Jacob A. Green, Pastor and now Pastor Emeritus of Bethel.  Later, he was blessed to serve with his brother and Pastor, the late Bishop Allen H. Easton, first as fellow minister, then as First Assistant Pastor.  He was ordained Elder in August of 1996.  On August 6, 2008, he was consecrated to the office of Bishop by the Way of the Cross Church, International.

Bishop Darnell has held many roles as a member at Bethel.  He has served as Youth Minister, Prison Ministry Coordinator, Care Ministry, Trustee Board, Deacon Board, and on the Official Board.  He also assumed leadership of our Intercessory Prayer Ministry.  

Bishop Darnell has a beautiful relationship with his lovely wife, the former Margo Brooks.  She is the daughter of the late Hezekiah and Sister Viola Brooks.  She was born on December 21, 1953.  She is a fervent prayer warrior and worshipper.  She has been walking with the Lord for over 31 years.  She supports her husband in the Prison and Care Ministries.  She has a love for the youth, and has served on panel discussions and open forums, addressing issues of concern to them.  Her hands are often busy behind the scene assisting him on worthy tasks.  Being reserved, her heart is toward God and her cause is to be available to support her husband and assist him in refining the vision that God has given him.  They have 3 children.

Having assumed the role as Pastor, Bishop Darnell has undertaken the charge to actualize the vision of reaping the harvest, church building/expansion, community relations and outreach Bishop Darnell is an effective and aspiring minister; giving life to one of his most beloved scriptures; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”