OUR PASTOR
Senior Pastor Darius G. Pridgen Pastor Darius G. Pridgen is a man that has been chosen by God to lead and change a
generation. Serving as Senior Pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church with three services; two
locations, the East and Downtown, located in the great city of Buffalo, New York. His pastorate
began in 1994 with 25 members and is now 4,000 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 this 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. Pastor Pridgen says, "The sandwich shop is
really just an extension of the church and provides opportunities for marketing the gospel of Jesus Christ".
Following with other firsts, Pastor Pridgen was the first Pastor ever elected to the Buffalo Board of
Education in 1999. His continued care for the well being of others led him to be tested during his
morning worship service for HIV/AIDS, which resulted in 400 people being tested for this epidemic.
His love for people gained him recognition in Gospel Today 2003 for one of the "Most Loved
Pastors" in the country. The Buffalo News in 2004 sited him as an Outstanding Citizen of
Western New York. In 2005, Adelphia recognized him as 1 of WNY's Most Fascinating People, followed by the Diversity Award from
Leadership Buffalo and most recently Buffalo State College honored him with the Young Alumnus Achievement Award, Class of 1988. In
2007 Pastor Pridgen achieved many accomplishments and appointments; he was inducted in the Sigma Beta Delta International Honor
Society, installed as New York State Overseer for the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship under the leadership of the International
Presiding Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. and through recommendation of Denise O' Donnell, Commissioner of New York State Division of
Criminal Justice Services to Governor Elliott Spitzer, he was appointed to both the federal and state Juvenile Justice boards. In 2008 the
Tom Joyner radio show recognized him with the "Hardest Working Pastor" award.
This visionary who continues to follow God's direction is in the final stages of building a multi-duplex sanctuary for worship services of the
True Bethel congregation. His calling to provide people with opportunities for economic development led Pastor Pridgen to purchase a
national franchise which is housed on the campus of the East Ferry location, opened in 2004 providing opportunity for job development for
those in the community along with spreading the gospel of Christ. He continues to care for others through True Bethel Charities, an arm of
True Bethel Baptist Church which ministers to those through their Taste of Faith food pantry, TB Clothes Closet clothing pantry and
Nehemiah Arms, transitional housing. In the spring of 2005 True Community Development Corporation opened administrative offices on
the campus of True Bethel Baptist Church to provide economic development and individual growth through educational and job readiness
programs to those in the surrounding communities focusing on the development of teenage parenting, a growing epidemic in our country.
His education began in the Air Force and continued where he completed and received his Bachelor of Science degree from Buffalo State College. Pastor Pridgen also possesses a
Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership.
Understanding that his priority in ministry is serving others, he is fully acceptant that his calling 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 and simply misunderstood. |
