Dr. Terry L. Deitz surrendered to the call to preach September 1, 1985. He attended the West Lenoir Bible College in Lenoir where he received his Associates Degree in Theology. He began pastoring his first church, Howard's Creek Baptist Church in Lincolnton , NC ,in the fall of 1991 and pastored for almost a year. He accepted the call to pastor the Temple Independent Baptist Church in Kannapolis, NC in February 1994 and has been the pastor for 30 years. He received his Bachelor's, Masters, and Doctorate degree from the Carolina Bible College in Concord, NC under Dr. Ronnie Simpson.