Born in Hampton, VA, but nurtured in the First AME Zion Church in Knoxville, TN, where his grandfather was the organizing pastor, Bishop Starnes gave his life to Christ at age 15 and entered the ministry at age 17. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC, a Master of Divinity Degree from Hood Theological Seminary, also in Salisbury, and a Doctor of Ministry Degree with a Concentration in Evangelism from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL.

He has pastored eight churches in five states. In the last church, he was the organizing pastor. He has been an Adjunct Professor at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL and at Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury. In 1996, he was elected the Director of the Bureau of Evangelism for The AME Zion Church, where he served for twelve years, until his election to the episcopacy in 2008. He has served as the presiding bishop of the Southwestern Delta Episcopal District and the Mid-west Episcopal District. He is currently the Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and is the presiding bishop of the Piedmont Episcopal District, which includes the following Annual Conferences: the Blue Ridge Conference, the West Central North Carolina Conference, and the Western North Carolina Conference, as well as three Annual Conferences in Jamaica: the Middlesex Conference, the Surrey Conference, and the Cornwall Conference. He is chairman of the denomination’s Church Growth and Development Board, as well as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Livingstone College. For several years, he served as the Secretary of Evangelism for the North American Section of World Methodist Evangelism and as the North American Officer on the World Methodist Council Steering Committee. He is currently the chairman of the Evangelism Committee of the World Methodist Council. He is a member of the UNCF National Faith and Education Initiative Advisory Council, the Collaborative for Black Theological Education and Black Faith Heritage Board, and a trustee of the Foundation for Evangelism. His books include Not Ashamed of the Gospel; An Evangelism Training Manuel; 21 st Century Christians Under Construction: A Discipleship Training Manuel; and For the Perfecting of the Saint: A Handbook on Small-Group Discipleship.

He is married to Sis. Camille Cullom Starnes, a minister of the gospel, the Missionary Supervisor for the Piedmont Episcopal District, and the Dean of Missionary Supervisors. They have three children, seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild.