Since August 1991, the Rev. Dr. Aidsand Wright-Riggins III has served as the executive director of American Baptist Home Mission Societies. Additionally, he is chief executive officer of Judson Press, the publishing arm of American Baptist Churches USA. His passion has led American Baptist Home Mission Societies to commitments of encouraging discipleship, engaging in mission and transforming the soul of a nation. He says, "We are to be an incarnate community that affirms that Jesus Christ is Lord. In the midst of our cultural, theological, racial and ethnic diversity, we want to exhibit unity as a household of faith."
Preaching the Gospel, establishing churches, making disciples and ministering to people in need are fundamental to the heritage and charter goals of American Baptist home mission. For Wright-Riggins, these ministries are essential to following Christ. He describes the full scope of American Baptist Home Mission Societies' mission as including evangelism and emancipation, spiritual formation and social justice, church planting and community transformation.
"I am unapologetically evangelical, unashamedly ecumenical and unabashedly committed to the emancipation of all people from personal and public sin and selfishness. If we can walk in the reality that we are found, free, full and forgiven," Wright-Riggins says, "faithfulness and fruitfulness will be the legacy of our lives and ministry."
Wright-Riggins is married to the Rev. Betty Wright-Riggins, a member services representative for The Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board. He is a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Penllyn, Pa., where he is active in men’s ministries. He enjoys jazz, gospel and "old school R&B."
EDUCATION AND HONORS:
- D.Min., The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Va.
- Postgraduate and doctoral studies, Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, Calif. and Palmer Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pa.
- M.Div., American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley, Calif.
- BA, Comparative Religions, California State University, Fullerton, Calif.
- Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Benedict College, Columbia, S.C.; three other honorary doctoral degrees awarded
EXPERIENCE:
- Pastor, Macedonia Baptist Church, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Director of Peace with Justice Ministry, Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles
- New church planter, New Community Baptist Church, Lynwood, Calif.
- Dean, The Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies, Los Angeles
- Adjunct professor, Philosophy and Homiletics, University of La Verne, La Verne, Calif.
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Ordained: May 7, 1975
- Became Executive Director of American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Churches USA: August 1991
HOME MISSION HIGHLIGHTS:
- American Baptist Home Mission Societies networks with and provides resources for partners in mission to make disciples, equip leaders and engage churches and organizations in bearing witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ in personal and public life.
- The American Baptist Home Mission Societies home mission network includes 5,800 American Baptist churches, 1,100 endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors, 500 new church planters, Neighborhood Action Christian Centers and hundreds of commissioned home missionaries.
- NEW LIFE 2010 is an initiative of American Baptist Home Mission Societies focused on helping American Baptists plant 1,010 new churches, reach 1,000,010 new disciples, and vitalize a multitude of caring ministries by the end of the year 2010.
|
.jpg)