Overseer Dr. Derrick L. Tanyhill Sr.
Overseer Dr. Derrick L. Tanyhill Sr. is the Sr. Pastor of the Pentecost Evangelical Missionary Baptist Church of Syracuse, NY. He was born and raised in Columbus, Oh., byway of Chillicothe, Oh. He is the husband of Lady Nolita Tanyhill, and together they are the proud parents of five children; Min. Khalil, Anastasia, Marrisa, Min. Derrick Jr., and Kiala.
Overseer Tanyhill was called to the ministry at the age of nine (9) years old. Thus, after confiding in his father and Pastor, the late Rev. Dr. David L. Tanyhill Jr., he was advised to "hold off, live his life as a normal youth, and when God is truly ready for you, He will call you again.” That call came again, at the age of seventeen, and on September 6, 1998, he was licensed into the gospel ministry by the First Baptist Church of Chillicothe, Ohio, where his father served as Pastor at the time.
Overseer Tanyhill relocated to Syracuse with his parents shortly after his licensing due to his father receiving the call to Pastor the Bellegrove Missionary Baptist Church in Syracuse. While at Bellegrove, Overseer Tanyhill served in many different capacities, including choir director, musician, sound booth technician and youth and young adult Sunday school teacher. His service to the Lord’s church led to his appointment as the Youth Pastor of Bellegrove on February 23, 2007, becoming the churches very first Youth Pastor at the churches inaugural Youth Conference. While serving as Youth Pastor, Pastor Tanyhill was ordained on April 6th, 2011, and served in that capacity until God called him to Pentecost, where he was installed as Pastor of Pentecost on December 4, 2011.
During his time at Pentecost, the Lord has blessed Overseer Tanyhill by opening various doors. From October 2012- October 2015, Overseer Tanyhill served as the Vice-Moderator of the Northeastern District Baptist Association of New York, a member of the Empire Missionary Baptist Convention, and in October of 2015, he was elected, and continues to serve as the Moderator of Northeastern.
God has continued to show Overseer Tanyhill favor in the form of elevation, as evident, on July 23, 2021, when he was elevated to the Office of General Overseer of Christian Education for Kingdom Destiny Fellowship International, headquartered in St. Louis Missouri
Overseer Tanyhill is a firm believer and advocate for Christian education. In 2005, he graduated from International Seminary (Plymouth, Florida), receiving his Diploma in Practical Theology. In 2013, he graduated from Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA.) with his Bachelor's Degree in Religion, and in 2020 from Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary (Lynchburg, VA), where he earned his MDiv (Master's of Divinity) with a concentration in Theology. Currently, he is enrolled at the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Oh., persuing his Doctorate of Ministry Degree. Aside from his earned degrees, and continual earned degree process, Overseer Tanyhill, in 2020, also received his Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree from Saint Thomas Christian University in Jacksonville, Fl.
When asked what his message to the people of God is, Overseer Tanyhill says it is encouraging them to … “Wait on the Lord” and just know that... “Your Today WILL Be Better Than Your Yesterday and Your Tomorrow SHALL Be GreaterThan Your Today”