Richard Ricks 
309-698-1864
revrick4@comcast.net
You may also find me on LinkedIn. (I do not do FaceBook for professional connections because of security and privacy challenges.)
Associate Minister assigned to Areas I and III,
Congregational Ministries, AV Technologies, Web Team Leader (CIW Certified), Evangelism, Calling and Caring Instructor
The number is 4…4 Baptist families. I was baptized then joined a Baptist General Conference Church. After a move, my family was part of a Conservative Baptist Church. During seminary I joined a Southern Baptist Church. I was licensed and ordained in a Southern Baptist Church. My ordination was recognized by American Baptists bringing me full circle to the Family my grandfather served as pastor in the first half of the 20th century.
Though all the Baptist “families” I have been part of have held to one or more of the following with emphasis, I found the American Baptists to incorporate and give witness to all of these to Christians of other traditions, other Baptists, and to the world at large. These are:
Indigenous mission, neither promoting our culture nor compromising the Gospel; partnership with the whole family of God incorporating the synergy of ethnic, gender, social, and denominational differences; opportunity to serve with all – women and men - gifted and called to pastoral and other offices of professional ministry; intentional and tenacious teaching and modeling of historic “Baptist Distinctives” such as the “priesthood of the believer,” “believer’s baptism,” “independence with association,” and “soul liberty,” and no governmental establishment of religion.
It is good to be an American Baptist.