Troy Merritt, Jr. is a native Nashvillian. He is a 1966 graduate of Pearl High School. He received both the Bachelor of Science (1970) and Master of Arts (1973) degrees from Fisk University. In 1990, while serving as pastor of historic Avery Chapel in Memphis, he received the degree of Master of Divinity, Cum Laude, and the Alston Award as the Outstanding Black Student, from Memphis Theological Seminary. He has also studied at American Baptist College, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Tennessee State University.

The Reverend Merritt has worked with at-risk youth in a variety of city and state government programs as well as in private not for profit mental health centers. Positions held include: teacher, counselor, counseling supervisor, program director/coordinator, for the various programs. He has taught graduate level courses and trained many teachers in the area of classroom and behavior management. Also, as a trainer of department supervisors/managers, and a policy compliance monitor, he traveled across the State of Tennessee serving prison and juvenile facility staffs.

Reverend Merritt accepted the call to preach at Lee Chapel, Nashville under the Reverend Charles A. Jones in February, 1978. He was ordained a Deacon, by the late Bishop Howard T. Primm in 1979 at Greater Bethel, Nashville, and appointed to two churches. In 1981, he was ordained an Elder at Lee Chapel, Nashville, by the late Bishop William F. Ball, Sr. He has been privileged to pastor Sulphur Spring, Cunningham, Tennessee and Mt. Zion, Bellsburg, Tennessee (a circuit); Ebenezer, Clarksville, Tennessee; Avery Chapel, Memphis, Tennessee; St. John, Frankfort, Kentucky; Salem, Nashville, Tennessee; and St. Paul, Columbia, Tennessee.

Service to the church includes: Director of Christian Education (1990-2002), Dean Tennessee Conference Board of Examiners (member since 1992, Assistant Dean 2000-2002) 2002-2004, Dean South Nashville District Board of Christian Education (1992-2004), Boards of Examiners, member – West Tennessee, Kentucky, Tennessee Conferences (1985-2004).

Since October 2004, Reverend Merritt has served as Presiding Elder of the South Nashville District having been twice appointed to this office by Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Presiding Prelate of the 13th Episcopal District.

Reverend Merritt is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the NAACP, Fellowship of Christian Educators (FCE), Tennessee Counseling Association, Nashville Education Association, the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship (IMF) Nashville, and the Presiding Elders Connectional Council of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Reverend Merritt is married to the former Brenda Rhodes, who is the Assistant Dean of Student and Academic Affairs at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. They have three (3) children: Deanna Merritt Ross, a 4th grade teacher in Memphis, Tennessee; Troy Rhodes Merritt, a respiratory therapist and licensed real estate broker in Nashville, Tennessee; and Justin Andrew Merritt, a sophomore student at the University of Memphis, majoring in Business Administration and Finance.