Bishop Dr. Nicky P. Starling
Presiding Bishop of the OCOG
Standing on the Solid Rock - JESUS
Presiding Bishop, Dr. Nicky Paul Starling was born April 17, 1955 in Dalton, Georgia, to Mr. Trammel Starling (deceased), Veteran of The United States Army, and Elder Odessa (Starling) Taylor. Dr. Starling was raised in the doctrine and belief of Overcoming Church of God, where his parents and grandparents (The "Late" Bishop C.H. & Mother Inest Ellison) encouraged his growth in the LORD. Dr. Starling joined Saint James Overcoming Church of God, (where his grandfather pastored) at an early age. He attended and worked in various areas of the church as a child, teen and young adult. Dr. Starling graduated from Dalton High School in 1973. He was outstanding in sports and held the position of Captain for both the basketball and track teams and received scholarships in both sports to Jefferson State College in Birmingham, AL. He also attended Dalton State College majoring in Business Management.
God called Dr. Starling into the ministry, and he furthered his Christian education, by attending the Cup Bearer Bible College in Dunlap, TN receiving a Diploma in Theology; the University of Biblical Studies in Tulsa, OK; The Masters International School of Divinity receiving a Bachelors of Ministry Degree with honors. He graduated with honors Cum Laude from Covington Theological Seminary receiving a Masters of Ministry Degree; and he graduated with honors from the Covington Theological Seminary earning a Doctorate of Ministry Degree.
Dr. Starling served with the Dalton Police Department for many years, where he retired in 1984. He graduated from the Dalton-Whitfield Leadership class of 2003 with perfect attendance.
Dr Starling has served in various positions within the Overcoming Church of God, including, the Corresponding Secretary of the Overcoming Church of God for ten years; Presiding Elder/District Bishop for (19) years; Pastor of Greater St. James Overcoming Church of God for (28) years, where he currently serves; Chairman of the Ordination committee for nine years, and Vice Chairman for ten years.
In August 2012, Dr. Starling was elected as the 6th Presiding Bishop of the Overcoming Church of God of America, Incorporated, and was installed as the Presiding Bishop of the Overcoming Church of God of America, Incorporated on November 4, 2012, where he currently serves.
Dr. Starling's awards and accolades are many, and consist of him currently serving as the Vice President of Harvest Outreach Ministries and has been since 1986, served as Charter President of Community Housing Resource Board 1986-1988, served on Dalton-Whitfield Day Care Board of Directors 1988, served on Hamilton Hospice Committee 1988, served as President of the Dalton-Whitfield Chapter of the N.A.A.C.P 1988-1992, he was appointed to the Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission by the Honorable Governor of Georgia Joe Frank Harris from 1988-1992, served on the United Way area Planning Committee from 1990-1994, served on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Georgia Regional Developmental Center 1993-2009, he received the Humanitarian Award of the Overcoming Church of God of America, Inc. in 1993, he received the L.M. Mitchell Founder’s Award the highest award of the Overcoming Church of God in America, Inc. in 2000, served as President of the Dalton-Whitfield County Concern Clergy from 2003-2005, he received an honorary recognition day, the Nicky Paul Starling Day in City of Dalton April 25th, 2003, he received the Whitfield County Community Service Award in 2007, he received the Citizen of the year award in Whitfield County 2007, served as Chaplain at Hamilton Medical Center 2007-2009, he was the first African American to win a Democratic runoff election for the Whitfield County Commissioner in Whitfield County history 2007, he was awarded the Who’s Who in America 2008, awarded the American Biographical Institute Man of the year 2011, appointed by the Whitfield Board of Commissioners in 2012 to represent Whitfield County in the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission, appointed to the Dalton-Whitfield Housing Corporation in 2012, he received a proclamation from Mayor David Pennington and the Dalton City Council. The Whitfield County of Commissioners named this day Dr. Bishop N.P. Starling Day and he received the key to the city of Dalton, during the Installation service for the Presiding Bishop on November 4th, 2012, he serves on Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities region #1 2013, and he received one of the highest Honors in America. Dr. Starling was inducted into the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers on April 4th, 2013.
Family
Dr. Starling is married to Elder Rhenda Gale Starling for 38 years and they were inducted into the Dalton-Whitfield County Black Marriage Hall of Fame in 2011. Elder Starling is retired from the Dalton Public Schools. They have three daughters and one son. Melissa Starling Parks who graduated from Georgia Southern University with a B.S. in Nursing and graduated from Georgia State University with a M.S. in nursing as a Nurse Practitioner. She is currently employed at Harbin Clinic in Rome, GA. She is married to Brian Keith Parks and they have two children K.J. and Titiana. She is the President of the H.Y.P.U. Department at Greater St. James Overcoming Church of God. Latasha Starling Love graduated from Dalton State College with honors, first in her class in the Licensed Practical Nurse Program and is currently attending Dalton State College studying toward a B.S. in nursing. She is currently employed by North Georgia Health District, Dalton, GA. She is married to Raymond Love. She is an Associate Minister at Greater St. James Overcoming Church of God. Nichole Starling Hunt is an Insurance Specialist and Coder for Dr. John Chung, she is a graduate from Northwestern Georgia Technical College with an Associate in Business, and is also in pursuit of a professional singing career. She was married to Mr. Demetrius Hunt, who passed away suddenly on December 2nd, 2010 from a brain aneurysm. She has two sons Christopher and Elijah. She is the President of the youth choir at Greater St. James Overcoming Church of God. Devon Keshun Taylor who is 10 years old is an active member at Greater St. James Overcoming Church of God.
Dr. Starling's mother is Elder Odessa Taylor, who is the General President of the Mission and Prayer Band Department of the Overcoming Church of God. Elder Taylor is married to Deacon James Taylor (stepfather), who is a member of the Finance Committee of the Overcoming Church of God. His grandparents were Bishop C.H. Ellison, Sr. the 3rd Presiding Bishop of the Overcoming Church of God and former pastor of the Greater St. James Overcoming Church of God in Dalton, Georgia for 42 years; and Mother Inest Ellison, former General Mother of the Overcoming Church of God.
