Pastor Troy A. Barnett was born in Jacksonville, North Carolina on May 24, 1971 to Alonza and Sophia Barnett. He was baptized in Jesus Name and received the gift of the Holy Ghost at the age of 9 at United Pentecostal Church in Arlington, Virginia.  He received his Apostolic foundational training under the late Bishop Robert L. Meredith at Shiloh Apostolic Holiness Church in Jacksonville, North Carolina who is the son of the late Bishop Miles Meredith, one of the original charter members of the Way of the Cross Church, Inc. in Washington DC.  While attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Pastor Barnett rededicated his life to Christ.  UNC-Chapel Hill is also where Pastor Barnett earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology and was a starting Defensive Lineman on the football team.

 

Upon graduation, in 1994, he signed a free agent contract with the New England Patriots and later moved on to finish his NFL career with the Washington Redskins before working in the IT Department at Reebok International, Ltd. in Canton, Massachusetts.  All along, God was preparing Pastor Barnett for the ministry.

 

While in Massachusetts he was under the pastoralship of the late Pastor Hurshel Langham at Greater Faithful Apostolic Ministries for 13 years and became a licensed minister in 1998.  Pastor Langham’s leadership has significantly impacted Pastor Barnett’s growth in God.

 

In 2007, God led Pastor Barnett to Baltimore, Maryland to continue his growth in the ministry at Refuge Way of the Cross Church of Christ where Apostle Leroy H. Cannady, Sr. is the Founder and Senior Pastor.  He was ordained as an Elder in 2008 at the 64th Way of the Cross Church of Christ, International Holy Convocation in Dayton, Ohio and a District Elder in 2014 at the 70th Way of the Cross Church of Christ, International Holy Convocation in Washington, D.C.  In August of 2018, Presiding Bishop Alphonzo D. Brooks appointed Pastor Barnett to the office of Bishop during his keynote address at the 74th Way of the Cross Church of Christ Holy Convocation in Alexandria, Virgina.

 

In January of 2016, he was asked by Apostle Cannady to become only the 2nd Pastor in the Refuge Way of the Cross

59-year history.  On July 16, 2016 Pastor Barnet was installed as the Pastor of Refuge Way of the Cross. 

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He has been married since 1994 to Lady Tiffany Barnett and they have two beautiful, saved daughters, Tiana and Taylor Barnett.  They live in Middle River, Maryland where Pastor Barnett is a Customer Engagement Executive at SAP, a global technology company. where he leads technology deployment for top tier Retail accounts for SAP.  Pastor Barnett also holds a MBA from the RH Smith School of Business from the University of Maryland at College Park.

 

Pastor Barnett continues to strive for higher heights and deeper depths in the ministry of God.  He attributes his faithfulness to God as a result of God’s faithfulness, grace and mercy shown towards him.  God has always had Pastor Barnett on His mind and in His sights and preserved him from dangers that sought to alter his destiny in God.  Who wouldn’t serve a God like that!