Elder Darren Clinton has devoted his life to enhancing the Kingdom of Heaven by teaching and preaching the unadulterated Word of God. He is a man of epic proportion who God has devinely blessed with an unusual Godly wisdom and an array of gifts and talents. As pastor and founder of Perfecting Zion Institutional Church, he reached out to people of all nationalities and walks of life to encourage then to trust in the Lord Jesus and to fight the good fight of faith.

Pastor Clinton was born in Holly Hill, South Carolina to Lillie Bell Grant. To her he credits his integrity, self-reliance, and the great ability to love God’s people unconditionally.  He was blessed with three brothers, Deacon James Clinton, the eldest, Elder Derrick Clinton, his twin, and the late Ronnie Clinton. He has the esteemed honor of having his family diligently serve in ministry with him. Pastor Clinton matriculated in the public schools in Holly Hill, SC and furthered his education at Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science in 1993.  As an adamant believer in educational advancement, Pastor Clinton challenges his members to seize every opportunity for escalation in the educational arena. He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at Claflin University. 

With humble beginnings as an anointed musician, Pastor Clinton served under Bishop P.F. Chambers. Over the course of the years, he has also served as minister of music for several churches including: Mt. Olive AME Church of Providence, SC, Rockwell AME Zion Church of Charlotte, NC, and Greater Unity AME Church of Holly Hill, SC.  He has extensively traveled the east coast and the south east region of the United States as a young musician spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through word and song.  In 1996, he accepted the call to ministry and was later ordained in the AME Church.  During his tenure in the AME movement, he began the Minds Reaching Perfection Outreach Ministry which birthed the vision for one of the rapidly growing ministries in Orangeburg, SC. This great ministerial and business-oriented visionary founded the Perfecting Zion Institutional Church (PZIC).  

PZIC held its first church service in April of 2003, and has continued to gradually mature in fortitude, love, and number .After only five years in ministry, On June 24, 2008, PZIC held its

ground breaking service to celebrate the construction for the new edifice. The new structure will not only accommodate the evident growth in membership, but it will serve as a place of continual praise, a place of encouragement, a place where compassion and love abides, and a place where Pastor Clinton will continue to deliver the truth concerning the RISEN Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Clinton firmly believes in setting and upholding standards in all of Christendom, therefore the Perfecting Zion Institutional Church is a church that must follow the vision and unreservedly operate in the spirit of excellence and unity.