My name is Pastor Richard Haley Jr. Thank you for taking a moment to explore the church website and find out more about AGBC. If you're looking for a church to call home and a place where you can grow in Christ, I encourage you to come visit. Our church personifies down to earth friendly people who desire to evangelize the lost and edify the saved. We have lots of families with children and every age group.
Life started for me in Colorado Springs, CO where my parents attended the Cornerstone Baptist Church pastored by Dr. Dean Miller. The first 9 years of my life were spent here until my dad was called to preach in Hutchinson, KS. So essentially I grew up in a preachers home. My father is Pastor Richard Haley Sr. After 17 years he is still going strong as pastor of Riverside Baptist Church in Hutchinson, KS.
Just because I was a pastor's son that meant I was saved, right? Wrong! I realized this fact for the first time when I was attending Indian Creek Baptist Camp in Kentucky. I realized that even though I knew how to be saved, I had never actually got saved! Although I did not go forward, I knelt down in my chair where I asked Jesus to save me so I wouldn't go to Hell!
Later I later had doubts about my salvation, but thankfully I was able to receive reassurance. What helped me most was when I finally realized salvation was not a feeling, but placing my faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit gave me peace through reminding me that as young man at camp I had believed on Jesus for salvation. Today I still have peace knowing I'm saved; not because of a feeling but, because I put my faith and trust in Jesus to wash away my sins! Thank the Lord for the blood of Jesus!
I don't have a specific time I can pinpoint when I knew that God called me to preach. This is likely because I remember multiple times when as a young person attending bible camp or youth conference I would respond to invitations about going into the ministry. Once I even surrendered to be a missionary! I have always felt the burden to serve the Lord full time and I knew God wanted me to serve Him. Even though I wasn't sure where or what, I was certain God wanted me to preach! There was something inside of me that knew God was looking for a willing man. Every time I heard preaching, I yielded to the Lord by surrendering to go wherever he wanted me too. Finally I came to the point where I just said "Lord I am yielded for whatever you want me to do!" Since then the Lord has led me to be a faithful bible college student, a youth pastor, a husband, a father, and now a Pastor.
Formal education and training for the ministry was received through attending the Texas Independent Baptist Seminary and School. This is a ministry out of Longview Baptist Temple, in Longview, TX which is pastored by Dr. Bob Gray Jr. I graduated with a Bachelors of Theology after four years of college.
Although I don't believe bible college is a requirement to be a pastor, it helped me and I would recommend it to anyone aspiring to a pastoral position. I received my ordination from the Riverside Baptist Church after I graduated from college and was immediately sent out into the gospel ministry!
During the last year of bible college I met my wife, Sarah Haley. We knew it was God's will for us to be married not long after we met. After much prayer, as well as counsel from my parents and pastor, we were engaged in May 2014 and married August 22nd, 2014. SInce then I have been happily married to the love of my life who is now the mother of our two children: Adalynn Elizabeth Haley, born June 9th, 2015, and Elayna Grace Haley, born April 4th, 2017.
At the time I was contently serving as a Youth Pastor. One day my father received a call inquiring if he knew anyone who would help fill the pulpit for a church in Wichita until a pastor could be found. My dad quickly volunteered me for the job. For the next couple of months I intermittently filled the duties of the pulpit at Amazing Grace Baptist Church. Although a couple of preachers came to candidate for the position, no one was voted in. Finally my Pastor received a call asking if I would consider taking the pastorate, I quickly said ‘NO!’ I wasn't ready to pastor a church. After all, I was comfortable where I was at and enjoyed serving as a Youth Pastor.
Not long after the Lord kept working on my pastor’s heart and my heart about the need Amazing Grace Baptist Church had for a pastor. During my quiet time I would pray and I could feel the Lord leading me to go, but I gave excuses of being too young and inexperienced. Through preachers I knew and men in the Bible, the Lord help me realize it's not simply your age God looks at, but your character! If I could provide the character God needed to use, then He would bless this ministry.
Additionally, I learned the church would fold financially if something did not change soon. Not wanting to watch the church close, and knowing this may partly be due to my hesitation in following what God was telling me to do, I submitted my candidacy for pastor. Not long thereafter I was voted in with 100% confidence. Now it's evident this was one of the greatest decisions of my life which and I can see how the Lord has blessed. What a joy it is to Pastor a great congregation of people who love the Lord and who have a genuine love for souls!