The Rev. Dr. Darrell LaRue Armstrong is only the third pastor in the last 122 years, of the historic Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton, one of NJ’s oldest black houses of worship, founded in 1880.

A devoted father of two amazing and accomplished college students, Pastor Armstrong is deeply committed to employing evidence-based practices to build stronger and resilient families as a strategy for preventing child abuse, neglect, and family disintegration.

His professional and ecclesial body work over the last 40+ years shows his deep commitment to family engagement and neighborhood revitalization, which is fueled by his personal childhood experiences in foster and kinship care in South Central Los Angeles.

He has served as a consultant and board member for various justice and equity organizations committed to not only building safe, stable, and nurturing families in the communities in which they live, work, play, and pray.

His service includes, but is not limited to leadership on the following boards: Princeton Theological Seminary (2010-2022), The College of NJ (2002-2006), and Prevent Child Abuse America (2010-2020).

From 2006 to 2009, he served as Director of the Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships for the NJ Department of Children and Families, overseeing more than $100 million in prevention programs.

From 2016-2022, he served as the Chief Administrative Officer to the United Nations for the BWA/Baptist World Alliance.

And most recently, from 2024-2026, he served as Board President of APSAC (Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children), the country’s largest agencies providing multi-disciplinary training to professionals serving maltreated children.

His policy training at Stanford University (BA in Public Policy), theological training at Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div), and therapeutic and clinical training at The College of New Jersey (Ed.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy), has made him a respected voice in the national and international family strengthening movements.

Rev. Armstrong currently serves as Religious Affairs Chair of the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, providing leadership in faith-based engagement and social advocacy.

Among his many honors, Rev. Armstrong carried the Olympic Torch in 2001, for the 23rd Olympiad held in Salt Lake City, Utah, dedicating his run to America's children in foster care.