Rick is a third generation Adventist, having grown up in the home of an Adventist teacher. When Rick reached his high school years, his parents chose to send him away from home in Orlando, FL to Little Creek Academy near Knoxville, TN. Very quickly Rick fell in love with the mountains and lakes of this region. He also met his lifelong sweetheart, Denel, during this time. Rick received his BA in Theology from Southern Missionary College in 1983. He then attended the Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, graduating in 1986. He interned in St. Petersburg, FL before moving to his first pastoral district in Kissimmee/St. Cloud FL. In 1990, Rick received a call to pastor in Waynesboro,VA in the Potomac Conference. He then moved to New Market, VA where he pastored the church at Shenandoah Valley Academy from 1996-2001. Rick realized a dream come true when he was called to return to East Tennessee to pastor the Knoxville First church. In January of 2006, he joined the ministerial department as Director for the Northern Region.
Rick and Denel are blessed with two beautiful children. Kaley is a student at Southern Adventist University and Joel is a student at Georgia-Cumberland Academy. Rick's hobbies and other interests include both snow and water skiing, hiking in the Smoky Mountains and traveling.
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