Pastor Richard E. McDonald earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Regent University, Master of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Religion, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Wake Forest University. He is a proud alumnus of Wake Forest, and a native of South Carolina, raised in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Pastor Richard E. McDonald is currently the Male Mentoring Coordinator at Fayetteville Technical Community College where he directs the Y.E.S. (You + Effort = Success) Mentoring Initiative for male and female students. In addition, he is a liaison partner with the STEM Department at Fayetteville State University for the ASPiRE Initiative, matching minority male students to STEM program majors and careers. Pastor McDonald is also an Adjunct Instructor at Central Technical Community College, teaching Psychology, Religion, and Information Literacy courses.
Having received the call of God to preach the Gospel at an early age, Pastor McDonald cleaves close to the foot of the altar for the Hand of God to direct in the way that he should go. In 1996, Bishop Otis Lockett, Sr. confirmed the call of God on his life and gave him his first opportunity to speak before a congregation at a Youth Day service at Emmanuel Fellowship COGIC in Siler City, North Carolina.
He was ordained as an Elder in the Churches of God in Christ in July 2008. Pastor McDonald served faithful at his local church before receiving the pastoral mantle. He served as Armor Bearer to the Late Bishop Otis Lockett, Sr., former President of the Singles Department; has served as a Youth Leader, Prayer Mobilization Leader, Care Team Leader, Service Coordinator as well as putting his hands to assist in whatever needs to be done for the “excellence” of the ministry.
Pastor McDonald is the pastor of Bethel Christian Center Church COGIC in Florence, South Carolina; a thriving ministry that seeks to see the Kingdom of God established in this region and surrounding areas. Pastor McDonald continues to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ without compromise as he sets his attention to finish the course that has been set before him.
