OUR PASTOR

Pastor Darius G. Pridgen is a man that has been chosen by God to lead and change a generation.   Serving as the Senior Pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church with (3) services- two locations; the East and Downtown in the heart of the city of Buffalo, New York.  His pastorate began in 1994 with 25 members and is now 3,000 members and counting.  His willingness to do whatever the Lord tells him to do without fear or hesitation has changed the lives of people locally and throughout the world.

In the fall of 2004, Pastor Pridgen and his congregation were recognized nationally for the opening of the first Subway franchise on a church campus.   The purchasing of this franchise has provided people with employment and the surrounding area with economic development.    Following with other firsts, Pastor Pridgen was the first Pastor ever elected to the Buffalo Board of Education (1999).  His continuing care for the well being of others led him to be tested in his morning worship services for HIV/AIDS, which resulted in 400 persons to be tested for this epidemic.  His love for people gained him recognition in Gospel Today 2003 as one of the "Most Loved Pastors" in the country.  In 2004, the Buffalo News sited him as an Outstanding Citizen of Western New York.  In 2005 Adelphia recognized him as one of Western New York's interesting people.

The visionary who continues to believe that if God says so it is so, is currently in the process of building a multi-duplex sanctuary for worship services of the True Bethel congregation.  True Community Development Corporation established in 2003 under Pastor Pridgen's leadership will begin the plans for a "Young Parents Campus" to include housing that will provide a full range of services to youth and young adults who find themselves with the responsibility of raising a child and do not have adequate support systems.  A combination of extended resources will be available to mold them and allow them to become a vital person in the society in which we live.

Pastor's Pridgen's education began in the Air Force and continued at Buffalo State College where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree.  He is currently pursuing his Masters in Organizational Leadership.  He understands that Jesus was a great leader and a businessman for God.  He knows that his call is to care for people.  He once said. "If I can change the way we talk, maybe I can change their minds."  His awards and recognitions are countless, however his biggest reward is seeing lives changed which were once broken, mistreated or simply misunderstood.