PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
REV. RICKEY ROUSE JR
Senior Pastor
Reverend Rickey Rouse, Jr., is a native of Virginia Beach, VA and product of the Virginia Beach Public School System where he graduated from Bayside High School in the year 2000. Reverend Rouse is currently enrolled at Andersonville Theological Seminary of Camilla, GA pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies and has completed two Associate Degrees in Business Management and Accounting respectively, earning both from Centura Business College. Reverend Rouse is currently employed as Operations Manager at Rick’s Concrete, Inc., a family business established by his father in June of 1999.
Reverend Rouse has served in numerous capacities in his Christian service such as Media Ministry Coordinator, Sunday School Teacher, Youth Ministry Assistant, President of the Pastor’s Aide Ministry,and Driver/Armor Bearer to his late Pastor, Rev. W. Samuel Walton and former Pastor, Dr. ThomasineReid during his time as a devoted member of Union Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, VA. ReverendRouse came to the Lord in what may be considered an unorthodox way. It was not while attending a church service or some other religious function, but while driving his late Pastor Samuel Walton to an appointment, he felt the Lord speaking to him in that very moment to “get serious” about his salvation. Born and raised in church all of his life, it wasn’t until then, the second week in August of 2008 at age 26, Reverend Rouse officially asked the Lord into his heart and made a conscious decision to live for Him. Shortly thereafter, he acknowledged his call to preach the Gospel to his beloved Pastor Walton, whom smiled and said that “he had been waiting!” Pastor Walton immediately began to pour into him words of wisdom and encouragement, reading materials, etcetera that would begin to prepare him for the journey ahead. To his and everyone’s surprise, Pastor Walton was unexpectedly called home to be with the Lord early on Sunday Morning, May 31, 2009.
On Sunday, September 4, 2016, Reverend Rouse found himself being led of the Lord to ultimately make the toughest spiritual decision of his life leaving his home church, the much-loved Union Baptist family and joining Mount Olive Baptist Church of Virginia Beach, under the dynamic leadership of Pastor Jason N. Knight. He has grown leaps and bounds spiritually and has continued to serve the Lord faithfully as the Young Adult Ministry Coordinator, a Youth Worker/Teacher, President of the Pastor’s Aide Ministry, and also as a Driver/Armor Bearer to Pastor Knight just as he had previously served his former pastors. On Sunday, January 21, 2018, he was formally licensed into the Gospel Ministry and ordained Sunday, July 18, 2021 by Pastor Knight and would go on to serve as a faithful Associate Minister at the Mount Olive Church where he led various ministry efforts as assigned by Pastor Knight. On Sunday, March 23, 2025, Reverend Rouse was called to serve First Baptist Church of Cape Charles, VA. With a renewed focus on community outreach, development and partnerships, First Baptist has already begun to breathe new life into the community which it has stood for over 140 years and is positioned to continue to make lasting impact for years to come. Reverend Rouse is active with The Tidewater [Baptist] Metro Ministers Conference, the Virginia Beach Fellowship of Churches, The Eastern Shore Virginia & Maryland Baptist Association and The Baptist General Convention of Virginia where he is a board member of “The Commission of Christian Faith Formation.”Reverend Rouse is married to Whitney Crowder-Rouse, DNP, (Doctor of Nursing Practice), and they currently reside in Chesapeake, VA with their fur-son, Tyson. More than anything, Reverend Rouse loves the Lord, the Lord’s Church and has a heart to serve God and His people in any way that he can! The 27th Psalm and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 are two of his favorite scriptures.