speaker-info

Ricky Garner

Pastor

I currently serve as Campus Pastor at Bethel Bible Church (Hope Campus) in Tyler. I am a native of Tyler, TX. After graduating from John Tyler High School in 1983, I served 4 years in the U.S. Air Force. In 1987 after receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force I moved to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

After a number of years in corporate America, in 2000 I accepted God’s call to ministry. I subsequently served as associate pastor and assistant pastor at Christian Faith Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX until 2006 when I was led by God to plant Unity Baptist Church, also in Fort Worth. I served as Senior Pastor of Unity Baptist Church until 2014 when I returned home to Tyler. Most recently I served as assistant pastor at New Days Community Church in Tyler for 4 years before accepting the position at Bethel. I have been blessed to preach, teach and serve in many venues both nationally and internationally including Kisumu, Kenya; Karuizawa, Japan; Athens, Greece and Freetown, Sierra Leone.

I am a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, inc. I currently serve in various volunteer capacities in the Tyler community: Youth Mentor- Gospel Village; School Board Member – Grace Community School; Board of Trustees – Promise Academy; Board of Directors –The Boys and Girls Club of East Texas (The Mentoring Alliance); Board Member- Young Life Tyler; Advisory Board Member – Cenikor Foundation; Advisory Board Member-The Texas African American Museum.

I am a graduate of Texas College with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. I also hold a Certificate in Biblical Studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and am currently enrolled at Dallas Theological Seminary in the Master of Arts in Christian Leadership program.

I have been married to my wife Jane for over 34 years, we have 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

 

My Sessions