Darlene McCarty, known as "The Bee Lady", was born in Littlefield, Texas, to Rev. Loyd and Mary Walker, ordained ministers with the Foursquare Church. At the age of six, Darlene was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, which left her with a seriously damaged heart. The doctors said she would never live to see her 21st birthday. She could not play like normal children and even had to be carried up steps. At the age of 10, God miraculously healed her heart, which today is still in perfect condition. From the day that she was born as a five-pound premature baby and not expected to live, God has had His almighty and protective hand on her life.
At the age of 14, Darlene attended her first church camp in Roaring Springs, Texas. This was her first and only camp to be privileged to attend, but God had a purpose for that time. At the altar of this Assembly of God camp, God placed a calling upon her life that still burns deep in her soul. She stayed in the altar with a counselor until 4:00 a.m. having a conversation with the Lord. God was preparing her for what she was about to face in three months; an event that would affect the rest of her life. That devastating event took place on October 23, 1964, when her dad suffered a fatal heart attack at home, leaving her and her mom all alone. The local Baptist Church in this small community opened a trust fund for Darlene's college education.
After graduating from high school, she was able to attend Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, because of the kindness of her small community. She met her husband, Randel, while attending college and they were married June 6, 1970. While attending college, they took their first youth pastor's position in Athens, Texas. Since that time, they have pastored in Alabama and Tennessee.
In 1979, Randel and Darlene were asked to accept the position of President of College and Career Ministries for the Tennessee District of the Assemblies of God. For 13 years they lived in Nashville ministering to over 40,000 teenagers. Wherever they travel, they always meet someone that was associated with their ministry during those years.
For the past 49 years they have ministered in churches and crusades in Chili, Ecuador, Columbia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Africia, Bahamas, Jamaica, Mexico, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, Philippines, Russia and the United States. She and her husband continue to travel across the United States and other countries reaching out to the hurting with much compassion.
In 1990 they accepted the senior pastor position at Cathedral of Praise in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2005 they celebrated their 15th Anniversary at Cathedral of Praise and 35 years of ministry. Under their leadership, the congregation grew from 100 to over 700. In June of 1996, they visited Brownsville Assembly of God Church in Pensacola, Florida, and had a life-changing experience. On Father's Day of 1996, revival came to Cathedral of Praise like a mighty flood. The flow of the "River" brought renewing, repenting, healing, and lives being restored. God's glory has engulfed their church.
Darlene has received a mighty anointed touch from God that has changed her from a quiet, subdued woman that loved God to a radical fanatic for the Lord. A new boldness took her out of her comfort zone and forced her into a spiritual war zone doing battle with Satan. The mantle that God has placed upon her is evident to anyone sitting under her ministry. The Spirit of the Lord has called her to bring forth the Word to bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, release darkness for the prisoners, proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and comfort those who mourn.
Books:
Her first book, "Glory from the Honeycomb", has been read by several thousand. Reading this book will birth a new desire in your spirit to see God's glorious presence.
Her second book "One Minute of Praise" was released in October of 2006. As of 2009 this book has sold over 55,000 copies and is in it's second printing. Paula White writes: "Can One Minute of Praise change your life? You be it can! Sixty seconds of focused energy spent thanking, honoring, pleasing God-not asking, not questioning, not complaining-can change your situation. Can you spare One Minute of Praise to change your lf? You can't afford not to!" Your praise will silence your enemy, break his jaw bone, and shatter his teeth. God will take your praise, tear all your enemies apart, making chaff of your mountain, then toss it in the air! Lives are being changed; women are set free by the powerful message written in this book.
Darlene's third book was released in November of 2017, "The Invitation - to Intimacy with God". This book is a devotional written by fifty anointed women who will inspire you all year long. Topics include peace, prayer, forgiveness, temptations, and you, each brief but rich . Each devotion includes Scripture verse and a prayer prompt to guide you through you buy day. This book offers you a year of reflection and peach with the Father how longs for you to know how incredibly loved you are. (Published by Thomas Nashville).
In April 2021, a revised and updated version of One Minute of Praise was released from Trilogy Publishing (TBN). Grammy-Winning Recording Artist and Songwriter Lauren Daigle wrote the foreword saying “This book forever changed my life. One Minute of Praise was a friend to me, providing comfort among the loneliest of hours. It may have simply been one minute, but that moment multiplies into a lifetime of seeing God’s fingerprint sprinkled throughout my journey."
The HoneyComb Collection
God birthed a unique ministry in her in 1997 about “Bee All God Created You To Bee”. “The Honeycomb Collection” was formed consisting of a line of jewelry that has been worn by Women and men all over the world using them as a witnessing tool, sharing Jesus to a lost generation. These pins open conversations that open doors to share with others their faith in God. Timid people become bold, shy people become a conversationalist. All this by wearing a beautiful pin with a few rhinestones that receives a compliment such as: “That is a beautiful pin you are wearing”. And you say, “Thank you, I wear this as a reminder to Bee All God Created Me To Bee! And being to share with them the scripture and meaning of your pin.” Each pin has a name, scripture and application. Something so small, but so powerful!
Leadership & Conferences
In November of 1997, she hosted her first “Eat Thou Honey” Ladies’ Conference at Cathedral of Praise where she and her husband are senior pastors. It began with a few hundred and now has over 1,300 in attendance. Five Spirit-filled speakers, filled with power and anointing, minister to hungry women each year. Speakers such as Brenda Kilpatrick, Judy Jacobs, Lila Terhune, Ruth Heflin, Peggy Richards, Dr. Juanita Bynum, Dianne Sloan, Suzanne Hinn, Varle Rollins, Beverly Bilbo, Karen Wheaton, Pastor Darlene Bishop, Tommy Tenney, Martha Munizzi, Valerie Boyd, and Pastor Paula White have been a part of this conference.
On January 14, 1999, Grace Christian Fellowship of Memphis, Tennessee, honored women in leadership such as: Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Free Lance Writer, Authors, Ministers, etc. These women of Memphis were nominated for their strength and ability to build future success, mentoring people who need it most, and helping others overcome defeat. Darlene was a recipient of this “Life Changing ‘99 Award”.
Pastor Darlene has ministered with Bishop T.D. Jakes, Serita Jakes, Pilar Sanders, Dr. Wanda Turner, Elder Debra Morton, Darlene Bishop, Paula White, Charlyn Singleton, Judy Jacobs, Reba McQuire, Shirley Arnold, and Heidi Baker to name a few. This year she has also had the privilege to minister at The RAMP for Karen Wheaton, appeared on TBN in May as a guest of Prophetess Juanita Bynum and in June as a guest of Pastor Paula White, ministered at a Pastor’s Conference in the Philippines, and preached at a Women’s Conference in Russia with over 5,000 in attendance, was a guest speaker at Juanita Bynum's "Women on the Frontline" ladies conference in Tampa, Florida, plus many other ladies conferences across the nation.
Which Brings Us to Today...
Darlene and Randel pastored Cathedral of Praise in Memphis, Tennessee for 29 years. In October of 2019 they accepted the position of Assistant Superintendent for the Tennessee Ministry Network for the Assemblies of God and have relocated to Hendersonville, Tennessee (Nashville area) They have been married for 51 years and have two children, Tyra and Tiffany and they are the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren: Mackenzie, Chase Walker Whitehurst (born December 22, 2003 and passed away April 24, 2006), and Mia who belong to Tyra and her husband Jason, who serves as missionaries in Indonesia. Tyra is a school teacher and Jason is a chaplain. Tiffany and her husband Paul are seniors pastor at Calvary Assembly of God Church in Stafford, Texas. They have three sons Cole, Carson, and Cooper and 2 daughters, Camdyn and Carrigan.