Archive | June 2020

Leroy E. Ricks, Sr – Founder New Berean Baptist Church

On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, Pastor Leroy Edward Ricks, Sr. was called to his eternal rest in the Heavenly realm by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Leroy Ricks, Sr. was born on August 12, 1951 in Norfolk County, VA (South Norfolk section of Chesapeake) to the late Doris Bell Ricks.
He graduated from Crestwood High School in 1971. While at Crestwood, he excelled at drafting and mechanical drawing. He loved the game of basketball. His work-ethic, tenacity, and dogged perseverance was forged on the hardwood. He championed the position of point guard for the Bombers earning All-City honors. Basketball was his second love, next to his love for his high school sweetheart, Vanessa Hinton.

After graduation, he work at Norfolk Dredging Company, GFM, and Norfolk Naval Air Station as an inside machinist. It was at the Air Station where he encountered Jesus Christ via a bible study. After he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior, he joined Calvary Evangelical Baptist Church under the leadership of Wilbur Jones and then under the guidance of Dr. Allen R. McFarland. While at Calvary, Pastor Ricks served as Sunday school teacher and then Sunday School Superintendent, Deacon and Associate Minister. In September of 1989, he and a few faithful men founded New Berean Baptist Church where he faithfully and tirelessly served as the Senior Pastor for 31 years. Great will be his reward!

In preparation for the calling, he attended Washington Bible College, Luther Rice College and Seminary, and later he graduated with a Bachelor of Biblical Education degree from Tabernacle Baptist College & Theological. His favorite scripture that related to his calling to preach was Galatians 1:15-16, which states: “ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood.”

He was predeceased by his grandmother, Cora Ricks, mother, Doris Bell Ricks-Hargrove, and eldest sister, Dorothy Jean Parker.
He leaves to cherish his beloved memory his high school sweetheart and wife of 49 years, Vanessa Ricks, three adult sons and daughters-in-love, Leroy (Nuke) E. Ricks, Jr. (Felicia) of Suffolk; VA., Dr. Lamont. E. Ricks (Tracey) of Suffolk, VA., and Lance E. Ricks (Ericka) of Suffolk, VA.; four granddaughters, Destini Ricks, Aniyah Ricks, McKenzie Ricks, Areyah Ricks ;a sister, Mary Clayton and brother, Percell Ricks (Selma); New Berean Baptist Church family, pastoral co-laborers in the ministry, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

A Father’s Worth

A Father’s Worth

Fathers are uniquely fashioned by the hand of God. All men have not been given this blessed role to father children and influence them for the Kingdom of God. Fathering children is an extremely demanding and integrated process beginning with procreating. It involves caring, nurturing, knowing, instructing, and maturing the child placed in your world of influence.

Fathers are to accept the role God has assigned to them by subjecting themselves to the authority of God over their lives. Fathers are to constantly and consistently seek, desire and reach out to their heavenly Father the same things he has been assigned. It is an honorable and blessed experience to be assigned this role. God wants fathers to use this opportunity to reflect Him, in the lives of young people. The fulfillment of God’s glory is for a father to be an earthly example for him and his kingdom.

Our heavenly Father has assigned us this role and he will give us everything we need to accomplish this assignment. He will begin working on us when we deliberately submit our will to his will. For us to be the fathers He wants, he will use the influence of his word, his Holy Spirit, and the examples of other godly men, assembled around us. He will mold us and shape us into the person we need to be with the tools necessary to be a blessing to our children. No matter the age of or time spent with our children, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think according to power that now works in us. Be of good courage.

Corporate Prayer

Saturday June 20th, 9-10:00 am

Join the Prayer Warriors of New Berean Baptist Church for our monthly Corporate Prayer time. It is a time for us to come together collectively, having all things in common as we consult the Lord our God for his wisdom and direction, blessings and instructions.

We’re asking as many as can and will come out for the special time to pray for among many other things:

  • Our Pastor’s health to improve, for healing and restoration
  • The Ricks family, hope, peace and comfort in the lives during this time
  • Sister Ricks to be healed and delivered physically and mentally
  • For the entire New Berean Church family to be grow in the things of God and honor him with our lives, our time, service and respective ministries. Let us be about our Father’s business in every aspect of our lives.
  • For salvation for those we know and love in our extended families, co-workers, friends and acquaintances.
  • For our Country and all the social, economical and political ills that we have and our role as preachers of the gospel and ministers of righteousness to the people in our area of influences.
Corporate Prayer Time

7 Things We Have In Christ

Pulpit Points – In today’s message, we will examine the scriptures to uncover 7 things that we have in Christ. When our world encroaches upon our peace and sanity, we can encourage one another with the certainty of what we have in Christ, regardless of the circumstances. Rather than succumb to the daily challenges assaulting our faith, we can turn to the truths of who we are and what we have in Christ.

Let us remember the “7 Things We Have In Christ” (pdf) and be encouraged by His Word, for His Grace is sufficient, and His Word is true.

Pastor DeWayne Cason – 7 Things We Have in Christ

Pulpit Points – Be Thankful

Click the Image

Be Thankful , in today’s Pulpit Points message, Pastor Ricks shares three reasons why we should maintain an attitude of gratitude. With so many things and events happening in our world, we can develop an attitude of ingratitude. God wants us to stay focused on Him the Author and Finisher of our faith more than the circumstances around us. As real as they can be at times, we are encouraged to know that our God is worthy to be praise for the things we now in Him.

Three things we are to be thankful for :

God’s Incredible GiftII Corinthians 9:5 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! “

God is Causing Us To Triumph in JesusII Corinthians 2:14a “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ..”

God Gives Us the Ultimate Victory in Christ – I Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”.

For the Believer, everyday is a day of thanksgiving. Although we have Thanksgiving as a national holiday, we are not limited to being thanks for the God of our salvation and the things we have in Him. Let us take the time everyday to count some of our many blessing and see what God has done.

Pulpit Points 2017