Central Baptist Church, 2842 Washington Blvd., will welcome its new senior pastor, Reverend Anthony L. Riley, to the pulpit to begin his pastoral leadership on Sunday, March 17.
He is leaving a position as executive pastor at The Luke Church in the Greater Houston, Texas area with responsibilities for leadership to staff, associate ministers and diaconate. He also led strategic initiatives and managed a multi-million dollar budget.
“I am NOT going to say goodbye because me and my wife will be coming to visit you,” one congregant posted on The Luke Church’s Facebook page. “We are going to miss you a lot but God said it’s time to move.”
“Thank you very much for the love and spiritual support you gave to me and my family during one of our most difficult times,” another congregant posted. “Your prayers and words of encouragement were very much appreciated and will not be forgotten
“You have been such a blessing to us!” another congregant posted. “You will be missed. Thank you for speaking into our marriage, and we shall never forget what powerful words you spoke over us.”
Riley will be Central’s 14th senior pastor in its 173-year history. He fills the role most closely associated with Rev. Robert C. Scott, who led Central Baptist from 1999-2016 and is now the senior pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rev. Traci D. Blackmon said of Scott that he “helped establish that church as a prophetic manifestation of the Gospel in a neighborhood where the radical love of Jesus was desperately needed, not only on Sundays, but through the week.” When he left Central Baptist, it had some 1,500 congregants on the roll, with 750-900 people attending church on Sundays between the two services.
“Reverend Riley is a gifted leader and teacher who has a deep love of Jesus Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit is evident in his life,” Central Baptist said of its new senior pastor in a statement.
In 2017, Riley published his first book, “In the Shadow of Grief: 21 Days of Discovering God’s Presence in Life’s Valley’s.” This devotional journal brings together relevant Scripture readings, brief Bible studies, hopeful affirmations, and leadership principles to create a transformative daily encounter with the Word of God.
His formal education includes a Doctor of Ministry from Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College.
Riley is the proud Father of one son, seven-year old, Joshua Anthony.
“His proclamation is he loves God, believes the Bible, has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and loves all of God’s people,” Central Baptist stated.
“The Central Baptist Church Congregation is eager to welcome their new senior pastor and his son as they embrace the future God has planned.”
Central Baptist Church is a purpose-driven church creating purpose-living disciples engaging in five-star ministry for building the kingdom of God. The ministry of Central Baptist Church is grounded in the life, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and return of Jesus Christ. As a historic urban African-American Baptist Church, Central’s approach to kingdom building is biblically based and holistic. Central faithfully serves humanity and develops disciples spiritually, physically, emotionally, culturally, socially, and financially
Its motto is “Making Disciples…Transforming Lives.”
