Dr. Rickey L. Houston

Current pastor of Bethel Metropolitan Baptist Church of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

The Reverend Rickey L. Houston was born in Cherokee, Alabama and graduated from Cherokee Vocational High School in 1977. He attended college for one and a half years before enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1979.

His first duty assigned was MacDill Air Force Base where he served as an administrative clerk. During his tour of duty at MacDill, he attended the University of Tampa in the evenings and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Management.

In 1986, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He served in various locations throughout the United States and around the world as a Contracting/Purchasing Officer and Commander.

On September 1, 2004, he retired from the Air Force after 25 plus years of service in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel in view of a calling to pastor. Pastor Houston was licensed to preach on November 8 th, 1987 at the church where he grew up-- Zion #1 Missionary Baptist Church , Barton , Alabama . He was ordained on January 15, 1989 at Mount Gillard Missionary Baptist Church , Montgomery , Alabama . Pastor Houston also holds Master of Business Administration, Master of Ministry (Pastoral) and Doctor of Ministry (Pastoral) degrees.

He is married to the former Helen D. Forward of Tampa , Florida , a graduate of Hillsborough High School , Class of 1977. They have been married for 23 plus years and have four daughters, Nicole, Nikkita, Naomi and Natalie.