Community Prayer Breakfast
Rickey Bolden was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. The seventh of ten children, he was raised in a single-parent home after his father died at an early age. While growing up, Rickey witnessed violence in many forms. He experienced the murder of one family member, the long-term incarceration of another, and the attempted suicide of yet another. He himself was shot in the leg as a 14-year-old for throwing a snowball at a passing car. His family had a very difficult time staying immune from the violence and drug culture that pervaded his neighborhood. To escape the environment, Rickey turned to sports. By high school Rickey was an All-American in football and an All-Metroplex in basketball. He was awarded a 4-year scholarship to Southern Methodist University, Three of his four years at SMU, the football team was in the top 5 in the nation. In 1984, Rickey was drafted in the 4th round to the Cleveland Browns. In his second season, Rickey transitioned from Tight End to Offensive Line, where he started for five seasons. In his fourth season in the NFL, Rickey responded to God’s call and enrolled in Ashland Theological Seminary. In his seventh NFL season he retired to pursue his call into full time ministry. He graduated from Ashland Theological Seminary then moved to Washington D.C. to pastor of Washington Brethren Church, later renamed to Southeast Christian Fellowship. The church experienced growth under Rickey’s leadership. It quickly became a light in the southeast D.C. community and developed ministries that impacted it. After 9 years of pastoring the church and serving the community, Rickey resigned from the church to serve the nation’s leadership on Capitol Hill. In August 2005 he became Senior Pastor at New Community Church in LaGrange, Georgia. In 2013, he resigned from New Community Church and moved back to Washington D.C. Rickey now serves our nation’s leadership by hosting weekly Bible Studies with a number of Congressmen. He also works with community and business leaders throughout the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Rickey has been married for 34 years and has five children. He continues to travel and speak throughout the world sharing the love of God through racial reconciliation.
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