ABOUT PASTOR RYAN

Ryan moved to western Massachusetts his junior year in high school after his family relocated from Ansonia, Connecticut.  He briefly played football at Boston University before transferring to Elon College, North Carolina, where he studied political science and sociology.  After college, he worked and traveled on boats throughout the Caribbean before returning to this area to pursue a calling in ministry.  He attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and planted a church in Manchester, New Hampshire, before returning to his hometown to pastor the church he grew up in during high school.  After nine years at his former church, Ryan briefly retired from ministry to take care of his ailing son who was battling both leukemia and complications from meningitis.  This time period was pivotal in developing him as a father, husband, and pastor.  

 

After his son’s successful recovery, Ryan once again planted a new ministry called Encountering Ministries.  As it started to grow, First Baptist Church of West Springfield took notice and asked him to consider serving as the senior pastor for their congregation as well.  With much deliberation and prayer, Encountering Ministries and First Baptist merged to create the newly formed Red Oak Church.  At this time, he also coached football as an assistant at Springfield College.  Currently, Ryan also serves as the curriculum director and a teacher for The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts School of Ministry.  

 

In addition to ministry and coaching, Ryan is an avid and active musician (with three albums to his credit), a published author, and enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding, boating, and practicing Jiu-Jitsu.  However, the aspect of his personal life he enjoys the most is spending time with his wife Nikki, and their three sons Luke, Caleb, and Eli.