Dr. Derek E. White was born on August 12, 1957 in Richmond, Indiana to the late Cecil and Emmajean White. He attended Richmond Public Schools and graduated mid-term in 1975. He received Christ as Savior and Lord on Friday December 12, 1969 at the Greater Second Missionary Baptist Church, pastored by the late Rev. O.W. Barber.

He is the seventh of eight children with four sisters and three brothers. Dr. White is much traveled and to that end, he spent 19 years in Oakland, CA. and served under the very capable leadership of Dr. Lester L. Cannon Sr. of the Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in many capacities, including but not limited to: Chairman of Deacons, Sunday School Director, Evangelism and Discipleship Trainer, Youth Ministry Coordinator, and Youth Director for the First Northern Central District Association of California, before moving back to Indiana.

Secularly, Dr. White has over 38 years of experience in the affordable housing industry and is on many National, Regional, State and local boards, as well as serving as Indiana’s Sixth District Congressional contact for the United States Congress. He was selected to serve two terms as the President of the Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) and currently serves on one of NAHRO’s national committees.

Upon moving back to Indiana, Dr. White united with the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, pastored by Rev. Earnest Randle. Dr. White served in various capacities at Mt. Olive under Pastor Randle, and acknowledged his call to preach in June of2008. He preached his first sermon on September 21st of that same year entitled, “The Real State of Emergency,” from Matthew 9:36-38.

Secularly, Dr. White has over 40 years of experience in the affordable housing industry that began in California, and has served on many National, Regional, State and local boards, as well as serving as Indiana’s Sixth District Congressional contact for the United States Congress. He was selected to serve two terms as the President of the Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) and served on regional and national committees for NAHRO as well.

Dr. White has pastored the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church of Richmond, Indiana since October 2014. He recently retired from his secular duties in 2021. He serves as the Midwest Regional Director for Nationwide Evangelism Training (NET). He is the past President/Dean of the Congress and the 3rd Vice­ President of the General Baptist Association of Indiana (GBAOI). In February of 2021 he became the President/Moderator of the GBAOI. He has recently been appointed as the National Committee Chairman of Recruitment for Simmons College of Kentucky in partnership with the National Baptist Convention of America Int’l, Inc., (NBCA). After studying at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Simmons Bible College, and North Carolina College of Theology, he received his Master’s of Theological Studies Degree. He received his Doctor of Divinity Degree from North Carolina Theological Seminary in June of 2016.

Dr. White is married to the love of his life, the former Miss Donna Marie Lash, who he describes as “The Most Beautiful Woman In The World.” They have four children, Terina, Monte’, Jasmine, and Joslyn. They also have two grandsons, Ajani and Aamir. One of his favorite passages of Scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the Lord with al! thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”