Pastor
Pastor Derrick Jackson
Pastor Derrick Jackson is the current pastor of First Baptist Church on Winchester Street in Gallatin, Tenn. He is also the chief financial officer of the Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. in Nashville, Tenn. Married to Laurie Smith-Jackson, Pastor Jackson is the proud father of two sons, Jeffery and Joshua Jackson. His pastoral objective is to pastor in such a way that God is glorified and humanity is edified through biblical teaching and biblical living.
Pastor Jackson’s other professional experiences include serving as assistant to the chaplain at Prairie View A&M University, chaplain of Sumner Regional Hospital, and associate minister of St. James Missionary Baptist Church of Nashville. He has served as the chief financial officer and director of fiscal affairs of Meharry Medical College Physician’s Group and accounting coordinator and senior staff accountant for Cromartie and Associates.
Pastor Jackson is very active in both denominational and community activities. He has served as president of the African-American Ministerial Fellowship, vice-president of the Middle Region of the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Inc., past-president of the Gallatin Ministerial Alliance, certified dean of The National Baptist Convention, USA Inc., dean of the Congress of Christian Education of the East Fork District Association, board member of the Gallatin Shalom Zone, Sumner County Anti-Drug Coalition, Sumner County Sherriff’s Office Homeward Bound program, Volunteer State Community College Foundation, Salvus Medical Center, mayor of Gallatin’s Visioning committee, and past board member of Good Neighbor Mission and Teen Court.
Pastor Jackson earned a master’s degree in theology from Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, Tenn. and a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. He also received the valedictorian diploma from LeFlore County High School in Itta Bena, Miss. Pastor Jackson has a long list of honors and awards including: the National Dean’s List, Ideal Man-of-the-Year award, Spirit award, Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society, and Phi Beta Lambda Business Fraternity. His life’s motto is, “If I can help someone as I travel along, if I can cheer someone with a word or song, if I can show someone that he is traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain.“