MY STORY

Darnel M. Butler was born on December 19 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He has been ministering and serving churches for over 20 years now. At the early age of 13, he became very active with “Fusion”, the youth ministry at Rhema Bible Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1995, his family moved to Orlando, Florida and became a faithful servant at Faithworld, under Pastor Clint Brown. Here, he served as the praise and worship leader for the youth group and learned all the aspects of a sound engineer. He later was called, with his parents, to The Gathering Place Worship Church, under Pastor Sam Hinn. Here, again, he served as youth leader and sang on the praise and worship teams for the adult and youth services. He remained here until graduating from Lake Mary High School in 1998 and enrolling at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

During his matriculation at B-CU, he was considered a figure head during the years he spent with the B-CU Inspirational Gospel Choir. It was in this choir that he taught himself how to play the piano by simply watching the fingers of his choir director. He graduated from B-CU in the spring of 2003 and became the Minister of Music at Allen Chapel AME Church. Over the next few years he served as Director of Worship & Arts for Allen Chapel AME Church, Bethel AME Church, and Rise Above It Family Church.

In 2009 he became the Music Director at Relevant Church in Daytona Beach, FL. Here he began to hone his craft of media production; including video production and editing, website design, sound recording and engineering, and more. He eventually became the Worship Pastor at Calvary NSB where he continued to operate in all of his creative arts gifts.

For over 14 years Darnel also served as Senior Assistant Director of Admissions for Bethune-Cookman University and Associate Director of Admissions Relations at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Here he specialized in presentations on the college admissions process as well as how and where to find scholarships. He traveled the country doing workshops and seminars for families.

In 2013, Darnel founded the group known as “Ignition.” This energetic group focused on delivering high passionate praise and pure worship to churches and conferences all over the country. They traveled teaching on effective praise and worship by providing workshops and nights of worship to communities everywhere.

In 2017, Darnel moved to Tampa, Florida and started full time ministry as Pastor of Worship & Creative Arts at Crossover Church while also launching his personal motivational speaking platform, The DMB Project.

Darnel is an accomplished musician and songwriter and has written & published over 100 praise and worship songs. Some of which have been recorded and performed in different areas around the nation. His musical resume includes opening for and working with Tamela Mann, Kierra Sheard, Donnie McClurkin, Clint Brown, Martha Munizzi, LaRue Howard, Trinity Anderson, Montell Jordan, and more.

He released “The DMB Project:LIVE," his 1st live recording in 2017 featuring some of the nation’s premier worship leaders and songs written by him. In 2022 Remix Worship released its live recording, “Lift You Up,” with many songs written by him as well.

Pastor Darnel now focuses on being a consultant for churches all across the country. Providing them with high quality services and trainings to help build their growing needs. He has traveled the country speaking at high schools and with families about the college application process and how to find scholarships.

Darnel currently serves as the Director of Programs & Curriculum for the Arts Conservatory for Teens. ACT was created to serve under-served, at-risk students and communities. Founded in 2012, with headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida, ACT offers world-class training and performance opportunities in Music, Theater, Dance, Film, Art, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship.