Reverend Dr. Melvin G. Rippy is currently the pastor of Friendship Baptist Church.
Reverend Dr. Melvin G. Rippy new birth experience took place in him January of 1990 at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Coraopolis PA. Where Dr. Rippy received his call into the ministry. His initial sermon was preached on November 15, 1992. Dr. Rippy was ordained February 15, 1998 under his pastor the Reverend Dr. Winston C. Ridley Jr.
Dr. Rippy has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Ministry from Geneva College, May of 1999. He has earned a Master of Divinity degree from Sam DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, May of 2003. Also, he has earned a Doctorate in Ministry at Howard University School of Divinity, May of 2010.
Dr. Rippy has been a servant-leader for four churches in the duration of his twenty-plus years in the ministry. He has served at First Missionary Baptist Church, Leetsdale, PA, 1999-2004 and Deliverance Baptist Christian Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 2004-2009. Dr. Rippy was the pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church, Wheeling, WV, from 2011-2018. Currently, Dr. Rippy is the pastor of Good Hope Baptist Church, 2018-present.
Currently, Dr. Rippy is an adjunct professor for Geneva College at the Center of Urban Biblical Ministry. Where he has taught Professional Development, Homiletics, History of the Christian Church and Wisdom Literature.
Dr. Rippy served as the president of the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Pittsburgh and Vicinity (2008-2012). Where he continued the spirit of a servant-leader to inspire over fifty pastors and ministers to carry out the theme of the Conference: “Preaching to Heal Our City.” Under the leadership of Dr. Rippy the Conference transformed the, “Exposition of Sunday School Lesson,” to the “Theological Enrichment Hour.” During this portion of the conference, our intent was to equip and challenge the Clergy to become more homiletically and hermeneutically sound. Also, under the leadership of Dr. Rippy, the annual citywide revival was transformed into an annual conference/revival to continue equipping and challenging the Clergy in their profession.
While, Dr. Rippy was employed at Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Center Township, PA where he served as a Spiritual Care Counselor (2005-2011), he was inspired to research the topic “Spirituality in Recovery.” After an extensive research, Dr. Rippy wrote and titled his doctorate dissertation, “Pragmatic Spirituality: The Effectiveness of Spirituality in the Addict and Alcoholic Recovery Process.”
Dr. Rippy is married to the former Vivian Gibson.
email: mgrippy@comcast.net
