This page was last updated: January 29, 2012

David Alan Ricks was born May 17,1977 in Pekin, Illinois.  In July of 1979 his parents, Gilbert and Vicki, moved he and his sister Becky to Ravenswood, WV where Brother Ricks was raised.

On a Saturday morning in March of 1989 a faithful bus worker from the Grace Gospel Baptist Church in Ripley, WV knocked on the front door of their home.  She invited David to ride the church van to church.  The next morning Brother Ricks rode the church van to the house of God where he heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time.  A couple of weeks later Pastor Jack Berry led Brother Ricks to the Lord on March 16th,1989.  Brother Ricks continued to be a faithful bus rider until he earned his driver license and began driving to church.

It was in 1996 while under the ministry of Pastor Dean King that Brother Ricks discovered the will of God for his life.  In June of that year Brother Ricks answered God's call to preach.  The Lord immediately began to open doors for him to preach on the radio, on street corners and in areas churches.  The bus kid became a preacher.

In June of 2000 the Lord turned this preacher into a walking miracle.  While on his way home from church another car struck his car head-on at high rate of speed.  After a combined impact of at least 140 miles per hour and with no seat belt or air bags to protect him  Brother Ricks was given a one percent chance of survival.  But God was merciful and spared his life to preach the Gospel.

Since then Brother Ricks has preached in over fifty churches across the East Coast and in Japan.

As a pastor Brother Ricks strives to love the people and to feed the congregation with helpful exciting and encouraging message from Gods word.  We invite you to listen to his sermons on our website.  Then come to Grace Baptist Church and meet Brother Ricks for yourself and maybe the Lord will turn this preacher into your Pastor!