The Power of Saying YES

QUIET STRENGTH, FIERCE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD

From the age of 9, Darriel Hoy sensed a divine calling to ministry. Raised in a Baptist family, her spiritual trajectory shifted unexpectedly when she attended a Revelation seminar at just 8 years old and first encountered the Sabbath. That experience stirred in her a lifelong desire to walk closely with God and serve others.

Hoy’s path was shaped early on by D.C. Hatcher, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor who believed young people are not only capable but called—even in their youth. He and his wife regularly picked Hoy up and brought her to church, immersing her in ministry through guest greeting, outreach and door-to-door witnessing. His encouragement left an indelible mark, helping her discover her gifts and passions and ultimately igniting a lifelong pursuit of ministry.

But despite this strong start, Hoy’s journey to pastoral leadership was not linear. In high school, when a guidance counselor asked, “What would you do, even if you never got paid for it?” her answer was immediate: ministry.

She shared this conviction with her new local church pastor. His response altered her life's course. “Women can’t be pastors,” he said. “I think you have a heart for God, but I don’t believe He’s calling you to ministry.”

Trusting his words, Hoy pivoted. She enrolled at Duke University as a chemistry major before switching to public policy, eventually landing a meaningful role with the Children’s Defense Fund, advocating for marginalized youth. Yet even amid her professional success, a question lingered: Is this all?

That question could no longer be ignored after a traumatic family crisis, when Hoy’s sister was randomly shot and temporarily incapacitated.

Hoy left her job and returned to Louisiana to help care for her sister’s six children. It was a painful homecoming, but it opened the door to the kind of ministry her childhood pastor had once modeled— serving young people, visiting the sick, organizing outreach.

While navigating this difficult season, the calling that had stirred in her heart since childhood resurfaced. One day, Michael Meyers, a local pastor, asked, “Have you ever considered ministry?” His words helped rewrite the narrative she had internalized—that women couldn’t be pastors. He urged her to be faithful to the call God had clearly placed on her life.

The shooting that left her sister temporarily incapacitated had seemed like a senseless tragedy, but instead it marked the beginning of a miraculous journey. Her sister fully recovered, and Hoy took a leap of faith, enrolling at Andrews University to pursue her Master of Divinity. As Hoy studied, she consistently witnessed God’s hand guiding her, empowering her to succeed. In 2003, she graduated and began her ministry in Baltimore, Maryland, at the invitation of Minnie McNeil, former Adventist Community Services director at the Allegheny East Conference. There Hoy launched a groundbreaking community and youth service corps.

Hoy recalls one event in particular: a day of community service when the forecast called for heavy rain. Miraculously, the skies held until the very last volunteer stepped inside. Then the rain poured. It was a moment that cemented her belief that God was working through her to bless others, and she would witness similar moments throughout her ministry.

I’m not really a brave person. I just have a God who’s extraordinary.

From Baltimore, Hoy’s career blossomed. She accepted a call to the Central States Conference, where she pastored in Kansas and led community service and youth ministries across regional and multicultural conferences.

She also made history as the first female youth director in a regional conference.

But gender-based barriers remained. When applying for pastoral roles, she often heard the same refrain: “We’re just not ready to hire a woman.” But Hoy refused to accept that limitation. Like Esther, who did not wait for an invitation but understood the urgency of her calling, Hoy acted. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s, Letter from Birmingham Jail and the phrase, “Why We Can’t Wait,” Hoy began writing letters to conference presidents, advocating for women in ministry.

One of those letters landed in the hands of G. Alex Bryant—now president of the North American Division—who helped open a door for her in the Central States Conference.

Her bravery in advocating for her calling was matched by the courage of those willing to make room in a historically exclusive system. Hoy eventually accepted a call to the Nevada-Utah Conference, drawn by the opportunity to engage with a more culturally diverse community. Reflecting on her time there, she shared her joy in helping women rise to leadership, directing Pathfinder clubs, coordinating children’s ministries and breaking new ground in church service.

Hoy now serves in her home state of Louisiana as the pastor of Faith Seventh-day Adventist Church in Baton Rouge and Morning Star Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lafayette. She also leads the community services department for the Southwest Region Conference, where she has a vision for building “resilience hubs”—churches equipped with solar power and generators to serve their communities during disasters. Her goal is simple: In times of crisis, let the people say, “I know the Adventists have light.”

Southwest Region Conference President Carlton Byrd described hiring Hoy as both meaningful and intentional, citing her deep experience in community service, youth ministry and grant writing. He was particularly moved by her connection to Baton Rouge— his own hometown—and noted her leadership in spiritual growth, youth engagement and church renovations. Byrd also praised her appointment as community services director and emphasized his commitment to gender-inclusive leadership, pointing to both Hoy and Leslie Soupet, pastor and Southwest Region Conference communication director, as examples of women leading vital departments in the conference.

When asked what sustains her, Hoy humbly replied, “I’m not really a brave person. I just have a God who’s extraordinary.” For Hoy, leadership is not about recognition. It’s about listening to God, stepping out in faith and trusting that He will take care of the rest. Her story echoes the courage of Esther, a woman called for such a time as this, moving forward with quiet strength and fierce faith, confident that the God who calls her also goes before her.

The story of Darriel Hoy stands as a testament to courageous perseverance, spiritual conviction and the power of saying yes to God—even when the world says you can’t.

By Ezrica Bennett. Bennett is a freelance writer based in California. Photos by Natalie S. Miller. Darriel Hoy is pastor of the First Seventh-day Adventist Church and Morning Star Seventh-day Adventist Church in Louisiana, in addition to her role as Community Services Director for the Southwest Region Conference.