About the Pastor

Pastor Rich Teeters

An interview with the Rev Rich

(FYI: the “Rev Rich” nickname was “officially” given to him when a caddie, years ago dubbed him such. It stuck. 

Rich initially fought it and corrected people. 

“Just call me Rich, or Pastor if you need a title.”

Over time he lost that battle. He’s now embraced it to the point of having that moniker on his golf ball!)

You’ve been around a while.

Do you care to comment about that?

• Rev Rich (RR):

Not really. Let’s just say my prayer is that I’m aging like a fine wine. Hey, I’ve been blessed with good genes, try to eat right (emphasis upon “try”) as well as get in lots of walking

and exercise.

Do you think this Pastor “gig” is going to work out for you?

• RR:

Ah…the jury’s still out on that. I graduated from Southeastern Bible College (Birmingham, AL) in the spring of 1977. I accepted a call to Pastor my first church that Fall also in Birmingham, AL. Since then I’ve been a Pastor in CO and now NJ. I also had a stint working with the International Fellowship in the middle of one of those transitions.

What was that about?

• RR:

Actually it also involved being a Pastor…just in a different way. I helped set up orphanages in the former Soviet Union, involving extensive travel there. We (my wife and I) were also involved in facilitating the annual National Prayer Breakfast as well as leading a prayer group of ambassadors in the U.N.

You mentioned your wife. How long has that been going on? 

• RR:

Charlene (she’s a ‘southern belle’ from Alabama) she and I have been married over 50 years.

I think she’s up for being “canonized” as the next “official Saint.”

And yes, for reasons that no one understands, she still loves me.

We also still have fun together!

Do you have a secret to reveal to have a lasting relationship?

• RR:

Yes we do! It’s a very short answer. The Grace of God. 

How about your family?

• RR:

We are blessed with a son and a daughter. Both are married to incredible people and have given us 4 grandchildren. We are grateful to be a part of all of their lives.

Can we talk about your failures?

• RR:

You know that song, “regrets, I’ve had a few…but then again too few to mention…”

That is NOT me! I’ve had too many to mention but once again…the Grace of our Lord overwhelms all of that! 

Do you have any hobbies?

• RR: 

Too many! Golf is at the top of the list. Love the game…though that love is not often returned. Enjoy all sports as well. I’m a big Alabama football fan as well as the NY Yankees and NY Rangers.

Tell us about the church you currently Pastor.

• RR:

The Church of Amazing Grace in Summit, NJ. We (as in some friends that pushed me at the time) started the church in 2018. 

In all of my “church adventures” I really wanted to create a church that would welcome anyone…no matter their background. It would be a church with very little structure and as little organization as possible. We’re just a bunch of broken people led by a very broken Pastor all clinging to a Savior who redeems and restores.

A good summation of our church 

is found repeatedly on our website.

Our Mission is to provide a place where skeptics,

doubters and believers

(along with a few recovering nihilists)

can question and yet seek inspiration for their faith-journey.  

Did you write that?

• RR

I did! It took me about 45 years to write that. Slow writer I guess.

We are a church that’s all about Jesus 

and proclaiming His redemption.