Bishop Terence A. Merritt, M.D., was born in Waycross, Georgia, and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. While in elementary school, he was labeled a slow learner. However, after giving his life to the Lord at the age of eight, his academic performance dramatically improved. By fifth grade, he had been placed in the gifted program.

He went on to become the first African American valedictorian of his high school’s 50-year history and was named the top graduating male among all 14 high schools in Pinellas County. Dr. Merritt earned a full academic scholarship to the prestigious Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude.

He pursued his medical degree at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, also on a full academic scholarship. During medical school, he served as a lieutenant in the United States Air Force Medical Corps. After completing extensive clinical work in psychiatry, he graduated with a Doctorate in Medicine. He later served as Director of Cardiovascular Medical Services in the medical department at Bristol Myers Squibb.

Alongside his medical career, Dr. Merritt nurtured a passion for real estate. He was a partner in Elite Properties and MBC Ventures and later became the sole owner of CANAAN Properties.

Dr. Merritt was raised in Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in St. Petersburg, Florida, where his spiritual foundation was established. Recognized early for the hand of God upon his life, he began preaching as a teenager and was later licensed as a minister while attending Morehouse. As a freshman, he launched “Abundant Life,” a Bible study that impacted students at Morehouse and Spelman, many of whom are now in ministry. During his first year of medical school, he was ordained as an Elder in the Church of God in Christ.

In 1998, he was appointed the first AIM Chairman of the Washington, D.C. Jurisdiction of COGIC, serving until Bishop Sherman Howard’s passing in 2004. In 2002-2003, he was Vice Chairman of the AIM 2003 Local Committee (Baltimore). From 2004 to 2012, Dr. Merritt served in the Jurisdiction of Brazil as Superintendent of the Fifth District under Bishop Samuel Moore. Under his leadership, the oldest church in the district was purchased, and eight new ministries were birthed. He personally funded all mission work during that time.

In January 2010, Dr. Merritt founded LIFE Church (COGIC) in the Candler Park neighborhood of Atlanta. God has greatly favored LIFE Church:

• • In 2013, the church acquired a 25,000-square-foot facility in Southwest Atlanta. 
  • In 2016, the ministry expanded with the purchase of a shopping plaza next to the main campus. 
  • In 2022, LIFE burned the mortgage on the LIFE Plaza and completed a debt-free balcony expansion to the main sanctuary.
  • LIFE Academy Child Development Center, a daycare and after-school facility, will be completed in fall 2025.

Over the past 14 years, LIFE Church has welcomed more than 1,000 members, including online members in 16 U.S. states and two foreign countries. Ministries birthed at LIFE include:

• • Men’s & Women’s Ministries
  • Intercessory and Marriage Ministries
  • Youth and Teen Mentorship (Y’Church)
  • College and Young Adult Ministry (Merged) at the Atlanta University Center and other surrounding schools
  • Prison Ministry, Outreach Ministry, Food & Clothing Ministries
  • LIFE Community Development Corporation

LIFE Church has become known as a place where “miracles are common,” with many lives being radically transformed through the power of the Gospel. It is truly a present-day ACTS Church.

In addition to pastoring, Dr. Merritt serves in the Jurisdiction of North Central Georgia COGIC as an Administrative Assistant to Bishop Joseph E. Hogan, Sr., his pastor during his college years. He also serves as District Superintendent of the Zoe District, which he established in 2013.

In 2020, Dr. Merritt was appointed to the Executive Board of the Joint College of African American Pentecostal Bishops and later became its Chief Financial Officer. In 2021, under Presiding Bishop (and Chief Apostle) J. Drew Sheard, he was appointed to the Board of COGIC Charities, where he now serves as Chair of the Scholarship Committee.

His ministry and leadership have been recognized on multiple platforms:

• • Inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College (2014)
  • Honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama (2016)
  • Author of the book “LIMITLESS”
  • Featured in national media for his impactful ministry

A gifted teacher, preacher, and intercessor, Bishop Merritt has ministered across the United States and internationally.

In January 2025, Dr. Merritt was consecrated to the office of Bishop with Auxiliary Designation, a profound honor marking his elevation as a Prince in the Lord’s Church.