About the Pastor

Rich has been blessed with strong relational and public speaking gifts, giving him the ability to relate to many types of people across many age groups, from all walks of life. These gifts have been tested and honed over 4 decades of ministry, providing Rich with the patience and understanding necessary to build and grow early stage churches grounded in the principles of Jesus, to, in his own words, “create places where all are welcome, because we are all broken, just like the world we live in”.     

His life of ministry began during his final year of Southeastern Bible College at Faith Chapel of Huffman (Birmingham, AL) starting as youth pastor, within 1 year he became senior pastor. After 6 years at Faith Chapel, Rich left the warm Alabama winters to start a new church in the cool mountain air of Vail, Colorado. As a founder and senior pastor of Vail Bible Church, Rich spent the next 15 years growing the church to more than 700 people, as well as starting a Christian school for grades 3-8, but again he heard the calling for another change.   

In late 1999 friends recruited Rich for a new opportunity with CR Ministries and associated with the International Fellowship of Washington DC. This new ministry included a national tape ministry, conducting a monthly Prayer Group in the United Nations in New York plus various prayer groups throughout the DC area. While this was fulfilling work, shortly after 9/11 Rich felt God directing him back to lead a full time ministry.   

In early 2002 the pastor from Alabama (by way of Ohio) found himself in NJ, in the enclave of Summit at Renaissance Church, a new and growing church, where everyone from the local barber to Broadway stars as well as many from Wall Street and NY’s financial community, would gather and call their spiritual home. In the nine years he was Senior Pastor, the church had grown from 20 people to 700.    

But even as Renaissance grew, and as with many of us, Rich faced challenges that impacted his personal life. In 2014 he resigned his position with Renaissance to focus on his family, his personal issues and navigate this troubled season with God’s help.   Now, as he begins a new season, with humility and continuing to seek redemption in God’s word, he hopes to again build a place that can be a beacon for truth and grace where all people can come and engage in their walk with Christ, wherever they may be on their journey.  Welcoming all with grace, mercy, and a loving spirit is indicative of God’s abundant provision available to each one of us.