Hello in the name of our exalted Lord Jesus Christ! I am John Riley the pastor at Riverside Baptist Church. I met my wonderful wife Priscilla while attending Virginia Tech. We were married in 1979 and the Lord has blessed us with four children and five grandchildren. I was saved by the grace of God in 1989 and Priscilla & I have enjoyed serving the Lord these many years together. 

Through the years I have served in various leadership capacities at the churches we have been privileged to attend. Preaching God’s inerrant Word has always been close to my heart. By God’s grace I have had many opportunities to preach in the course of serving in Christ’s church. The Lord placed on my heart (through Priscilla’s urging) to finish my degree in Biblical studies after my retirement from aircraft maintenance in 2019.

Shortly after I finished my degree a need to fill the pulpit at Riverside Baptist Church arose due to the unfortunate circumstance of the then pastor Stephen Dorton having a severe stroke. It was hoped that I would fill in for Stephen until he recovered and was able to resume his duties as pastor. Unfortunately, Stephen did not recover sufficiently to resume his ministry at Riverside Baptist Church. As a result, Riverside Baptist Church called me to be their pastor in January of 2023. 

Priscilla and I have been truly blessed to serve in a church filled with people who love the Lord, love one another and love the world. 

Were you to come to Riverside Baptist Church, you would be welcomed with smiling faces and warm hearts ready to love and serve you. My focus since coming to Riverside Baptist Church has been to preach and teach the Word of God. We as a church are also focused on reaching the next generation. We are exerting our energies towards evangelistic efforts here at church, in the community and the entire world. I thank my God Whom I serve that I, along with Priscilla, have been privileged to serve God & His people at Riverside Baptist Church!