Pastor DL Foster
Pastor DL (Darryl L.) Foster is an American activist, public speaker, minister and author. He was licensed into the gospel ministry in the Church of God in Christ by the late Bishop Chandler D. Owens in 1991. A native Texan, Pastor Foster was born into a family of Church of God in Christ preachers. His father was a pastor in the denomination, as was his father and grandfather, Ezekiel L. Foster, Sr. whom he honors as a major influence in his life. He founded and pastored Restoration Sanctuary Church in the Atlanta (GA) area for 8 years before transitioning to a personal discipleship ministry focus.
Pastor Foster combines a breadth and depth of over 20 years of frontline experience on the mission field as a pioneering trailblazer, leading a movement to radically alter the way the church addresses emerging sexuality issues. His seminal work incorporates both the critical biblical components of discipleship and deliverance. Though his personal ministry efforts, thousands have found freedom in Christ and a satisfying original intent life.
After his own “Damascus road” conversion from homosexuality to holiness in April 1990, Pastor Foster dedicated his life to serving God and living out the mandate of Luke 22:32 to “strengthen his brothers”. Pastor Foster is passionate about empowering and inspiring a new generation of “overcomers” and has established several key ministries and organizations to advance that passion: Witness Freedom Ministries (1998), his personal discipleship and deliverance ministry. The Follow Me Discipleship Retreat (2002), a national 3 day men’s empowerment event and The Overcomers Network (2010) a leadership training and service organization for EXLGBT Christians with nearly 400 members.
Pastor Foster has written and spoken extensively on issues in the cross section of sexuality, policy, ethics and theology for diverse audiences both nationally and internationally. He's been quoted, cited and interviewed in such diverse media venues as CNN, Newsweek, Charisma Magazine, TIME, World Net Daily, 700 Club News Watch, AOL Black Voices, Lee Strobel’s Faith Under Fire show, ABC News, Jewish World Review, Details Magazine, TV One Network, TBN and numerous other print, broadcast and online forums. Pastor Foster was a special guest speaker two years at the national IMPACT Conference for young black college students where he was recognized for his distinctive practical wisdom on issues of sexuality and the bible. His bold activism has brought him to stages around the country with pro-family activists such as Star Parker, former US Ambassador Alan Keyes and Dr. Alveda King.
In 2008, he was recognized as one of "10 Emerging Voices of the African American Church" by Charisma Magazine.
His 2002 groundbreaking semi-autobiographical book “Touching A Dead Man” has been read by people all over the globe and became the template for scores of other biographical books by former homosexuals. He’s also authored a disciple workbook-journal LifeLines Discipleship Workbook and is currently working on a new book entitled “21 New Life Strategies for the Overcomer: Living your life in the Winner’s Zone”, slated for publication in 2018.
Pastor Foster is a US Army war veteran having served a combat tour in Operation Desert Storm where he was awarded the Kuwait Liberation Medal.
He was educated respectively at Marlin High School, McClennan Community College, the University of Maryland (European Campus), Liberty University and Atlanta Bible College.
He is the proud father of four now adult children, one teenager and the grandfather of two.
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