MEET OUR LEADERS
Faith is the center of Bishop Adrian Starks’ life and calling. He is quick to say that his love for the Lord and for the Word of God defines him more than any title or accomplishment. Raised in Brooklyn, New York, in a home known for its faith and love, his earliest years were shaped by a deep reverence for scripture, music and hard work. That foundation matured into a strong biblical worldview that continues to guide his ministry today.
Starks now travels and ministers internationally, committed to proclaiming the Gospel and making Jesus Christ known. Recognized as a visionary leader, he seeks the guidance of the Holy Spirit beyond the immediate moment, trusting Godly wisdom for what lies ahead. He is especially passionate about coupling the proclamation and demonstration of Christ’s love. He seeks to communicate the present-day relevance of scripture, committed to helping others see how God’s Word speaks into every aspect of modern life.
His ministry is marked by a burden for humanity and a desire to align people with the purposes of God revealed in scripture. He serves with humility, without partiality, reaching across lines of race, gender, ethnicity, and social status. At the heart of his work is a calling to inspire hope, bring restoration, honor the humanity of all and create meaningful, positive change.
An alumnus of North Carolina A&T State University and Wake Forest University, Bishop Starks is also an author, songwriter, and vocalist. He attributes every gift and opportunity in his life to the grace of God. Beyond the pulpit, he remains active in community leadership, serving on multiple boards and advocating for marginalized and underserved populations. Leadership development and accountability are central passions for Adrian Starks, and he views them as inseparably tied to the next generation as much as the present one. This conviction fuels his ongoing commitment to mentor and shape the leaders of tomorrow.
He shares his life and ministry with his wife, the former Shandi Barksdale. Together they are the proud parents of five daughters: Kristen Simone, Sydney Nicole, Carmen Danielle, Courtney Noelle, and Victoria Janae.
Shandi Barksdale Starks is a visionary leader, intercessor, strategist, and culture-shaper whose influence bridges faith, business, and executive leadership with uncommon precision.
She lives by a bold conviction: God’s plan is intentional, strategic, and tailor-made for every life. Anchored in the truth of Matthew 6:33—“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”—Shandi doesn’t merely teach Kingdom principles; she architects her life around them.
Raised in the Episcopal tradition, her spiritual foundation was established early. Over the years, that foundation has matured into spiritual authority. Today, alongside her husband, Adrian Starks, Senior Pastor of World Victory International Christian Center, she helps lead a dynamic, multi-generational ministry committed to empowering believers to walk in victory.
Yet Shandi has never confined her gifts to sacred spaces alone.
She serves as a trusted thought leader and Executive Director of People and Culture at Wake Forest University, where she shapes organizational strategy, cultivates leadership ecosystems, and champions people-centered excellence at the highest levels. She is respected not only for her spiritual insight, but for her executive clarity, systems thinking, and transformational leadership.
A graduate of the School of Business at North Carolina A&T State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, Shandi blends financial intelligence with visionary execution. Her business acumen extends into entrepreneurship, where she has strategically climbed the ranks to operate within the top two percent of the global health and wellness network marketing industry. She understands scale. She understands systems. And she understands stewardship.
But her greatest power is spiritual.
Shandi is a prayer warrior and intercessor who prays boldly, courageously, and scripturally—calling heaven to invade earth. She does not shrink back in spiritual battle. She stands in authority, contends for breakthrough, and believes without compromise that freedom is the inheritance of every believer. Her passion is to see people spiritually awakened, emotionally whole, financially empowered, and mentally liberated from every limiting force.
She is also the proud mother of five accomplished daughters—Kristen Simone, Sydney Nicole, Carmen Danielle, Courtney Noelle, and Victoria Janae—each a living testament to her legacy of faith, excellence, and intentional motherhood. Family is not separate from her calling; it is the evidence of it.
Shandi Barksdale Starks embodies the modern virtuous woman—spirit-led yet strategic, nurturing yet formidable, prophetic yet practical. She moves seamlessly between boardrooms and prayer rooms, executive sessions and altar calls, business strategy and spiritual warfare.
She is not simply building platforms.
She is building people.
She is not simply leading organizations.
She is advancing the Kingdom.
As her service of humanity continues, her story is still being written…
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