The Preacher

Bishop Derek T. Triplett is the founding pastor of Hope Fellowship Church in Daytona Beach, Florida. He has spent over 20 years in pastoral ministry and over 25 years preaching the Gospel in a powerful and profound manner. He also provides spiritual leadership to several churches, ministries, and ministers across the country. A native of East St. Louis, Illinois, Bishop Triplett graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. While attending Bradley University, he served as a member of the nationally recognized forensics team. He also studied at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida.

He was consecrated as Bishop by the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship in 1998, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr., International Presiding Bishop. He is a frequent guest speaker in churches and conferences across the United States along with Daytona Beach area schools, colleges, and universities. He has been featured on Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN), TBN The Holy Land Experience, Gospel Today, Upscale, and Florida Trend magazines.

Bishop Triplett is not only a gifted speaker, preacher and teacher; God has blessed him to be an extraordinary songwriter. He began composing during his early teen years, but it was not until his young adult years that he started taking his writing seriously and after much prodding start exposing his music to his congregation, community choirs and ultimately to gospel music lovers at large. His first recorded single “Soldiers in the Army” was featured on New Birth Baptist Church of Miami, Gifts of Praise.

The stirring composition, “I’m Grateful” can be found on the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Bow Down release. His spiritual father, Bishop Larry D. Trotter, recorded two Triplett songs, Great Change and Sweet Holy Spirit on his “What’s To Come Is Better than What’s Been” project. The up-tempo church devotional tune, “We’re in Your House”, is feature on the Ebony Praise compilation project.

Triplett shows the depth of his worship with “In Awe of You” featured as the title cut and hit single for VGR Entertainment recording artist IZZY distributed by Jordan Entertainment Group and Koch Records. “Praise Party”, co-written with IZZY, gets your head bobbing. His song “Can I Get a Witness” is featured on the United Covenant Churches of Christ Mass Choir album. Bishop Triplett released his first live recording Derek Triplett featuring Hope Fellowship Chorale Praise You With My Life in the spring of 2008.

Bishop Triplett’s love and knowledge of gospel music have prompted him to participate in gospel music media throughout the course of his ministry. For many years, he was the black gospel program director at WAPN 91.5, Holly Hill, Florida, and hosted, a live radio broadcast entitled Praise Party with Pastor Triplett where he showcased the best in gospel music. In 2011, he was co-host for the Word Networks backstage at the Essence Music Fest special broadcast interviewing premier gospel artists such as Fred Hammond, CeCe Winans, and Marvin Sapp.

Bishop Triplett is no stranger to Christian television. Along with the Word Network, he has been featured on TBN Praise the Lord, and the Impact Network. He is also an executive board member of the Gospel Heritage Foundation, Dr. Teresa Hairston founder, and chair. He also serves the Daytona Beach community in numerous civic capacities. He presently is a member of the Daytona Beach Rotary Club, The Civic League of the Halifax Area, Daytona Beach Black Clergy Alliance (past president), and was the recipient of the 2008 Halifax Area Chamber of Commerce Marvin Samuels Service award.

He is the proud father of Destanni and Donovan Triplett.