Debbie Strickling-Bullock
Rev. Dr. Debbie Ardella Strickling-Bullock, affectionately known as "Dr. Debbie," is a licensed and nationally ordained Christian minister endowed with exceptional gifts for ministry and service. A dedicated servant leader in the Baptist church for over 50 years and a baptized believer since the age of 12, Dr. Debbie is passionate about fostering an environment that nurtures personal and spiritual growth. Her ministry is rooted in preaching the gospel, inspiring transformation, and winning souls for Christ with steadfast dedication.
Dr. Debbie graduated summa cum laude, earning a Master of Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Dr. Debbie has been honored with the distinguished Ella P. Mitchell Preaching Award for excellence in homiletics and Christian education. In addition, she holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, a Master's in Human Resources Management from Wilmington University, and a Bachelor's in Business Administration from San Francisco State University. Dr. Debbie is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources by the Human Resource Certification Institute, a Career Development Facilitator and Instructor by the Centre on Education and Work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a Facilitator for DDI Learning Systems and the AchieveGlobal Corporate Leadership Development Program.
With over 40 years of professional work experience, Dr. Debbie has held key leadership roles in healthcare, corporate, and academic settings. Her academic contributions include research on career advancement strategies, facilitated mentoring for the upward mobility of African American women in executive leadership, and leadership succession planning for faith-based organizations. Her expertise has been featured on national platforms through workshops with the Society for Human Resource Management, the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources, the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., and the International Association of Ministers' Wives and Ministers' Widows, Inc.
Dr. Debbie is an accomplished classical pianist with perfect pitch, a dynamic choir director, gospel music composer, and prolific author, having penned two books, "It's All Good: When Lessons Lead to Blessings" and "It's All Good: Every Round Goes Higher," and song recording, "Turn to Jesus," which is featured on the Arvis Strickling-Jones Live in Concert record album. In her multifaceted role, she currently serves as the Executive Pastor at Canaan Baptist Church of Delaware and leader of the Sisters of Canan Women's Ministry and the Higher Ground Educational Scholarship Ministry, Chair of the Corporate Board of Directors of the Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., a Flight Attendant for American Airlines, a member of the Baptist Pastors and Ministers Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity, and the coordinator for the Hartley-Strickling and Dew-Kelley Family Reunions.
Dr. Debbie was born and raised in San Francisco, California, to Rev. James Abram Strickling, Sr., D.D. (deceased), of Marianna, Arkansas, and Annie Ruth Hartley-Strickling of Crystal Springs, Mississippi. She is the youngest of 11 siblings. Dr. Debbie shares her life with her husband of over 38 years, Dr. Christopher Alan Bullock of Wichita, Kansas, Pastor of the Canaan Baptist Church of Delaware; their two sons, Benjamin Ellis and Daniel Alan; and three grandchildren, Daniel Christopher, Isabella Joenelle, and Isaiah Benjamin.