About Pastor
Our Pastor
Dr. Ricky D. Turner, a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was born the sixth of ten children, seven brothers, two sisters and raised by his beloved mother Mrs. Luvera Agnew. Mrs. Agnew went home to be with the Lord in May, 2008. Dr. Turner loved growing up in a large family and developed a strong foundation for family and togetherness. He and his siblings were raised by a strong, God fearing mother who was guided by faith and who instilled in them to trust and believe in God.
While in Oklahoma City, Pastor Turner was employed as a bank officer at Liberty Bank and also with the Federal Reserve Bank of Oklahoma City. After being recruited by Commerce Bank in Kansas City, Missouri, to the position of Vice President of Operations, he relocated his family to Kansas City, not realizing what God had in store for him. Soon after arriving in Kansas City, he was approached by a member of the Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church. Oak Ridge was seeking a shepherd for their flock due to the passing of their Pastor Reverend Wallace L. Downs. Shortly after the union of Dr. Ricky D. Turner and Oak Ridge, Dr. Turner humbly resigned his position at the bank in 1998 to pastor The Oak Ridge Missionary Baptist Church.
During his tenure and by the way of the Holy Spirit, the membership of Oak Ridge has grown into one of the largest churches in the Kansas City, Kansas area through his exciting preaching and teaching of God’s word. Over the course of Pastor Turner’s pastorate, his dedication to God’s word, the church and the unsaved has been obvious to both the membership of Oak Ridge and the larger church community. He is known as a pastor who “tends to his flock.” Among the gifts and talents which God has blessed Pastor Turner, none are more meaningful to him than preaching and teaching. He has been blessed to carry his ministry across the country and seeks to carry the Word of God wherever he goes.
Pastor Turner is a firm believer in education. He led the church in establishing the Wallace L. Downs Scholarship Ministry in honor of the former pastor. This ministry seeks to provide educational assistance to every qualified young person who is a member of Oak Ridge who wishes to excel and further their college education. Also by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he was led to establish a church operated and funded summer enrichment program entitled “Lift Them Up”. In 2013, it became the Oak Ridge Youth Development School, a community based program under the Oak Ridge Youth Development Corporation, a 501c3 organization.
Dr. Turner holds an Associate in Human Services from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; Bachelor of Arts in Finance and Christian Education, Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK; Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and Doctor of Ministry from Palmer Theological Seminary, Wynnewood, PA. He has also been privileged to have studied at the prestigious Oxford University, Oxford England.
In 2004 and 2005, Pastor Turner led the awesome task of being one of the chairpersons for the first Kansas City, Kansas “Unity Day Celebration,” bringing all area churches of all denominations and races together to celebrate our “Oneness in Christ.” In addition to his pastoral duties, Pastor Turner serves on the Board of Directors of Providence Medical and St. John Hospitals and the Board of Directors of The United Way of Kansas City, Kansas. He is the past president of the Kansas City Kansas Baptist Minister’s Union and was recently appointed the Sixth Vice President of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, the educational and teaching arm of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Pastor Turner also participates and supports various other community involvements in the civic area. He has a great passion for the youth of the community and provides outreach to local Kansas City, Kansas schools.
Dr. Turner is the husband of Tinalisa and they are the proud parents of Austin, Shilicia and Addision.