Meet the Pastor
Pastor Rick Rouse – Lead Pastor/Teaching Pastor
pastor@akronfree.org
Hi, I’m Pastor Rick Rouse and I’m the Lead Pastor of the Akron Free Methodist Church. I'm primarily responsible for the overall leadership of the church and teaching on Sundays. I have a passion to see people connect with God and find what God created them to do with their lives.
Basic Stuff: – My wife Pam and I moved to Akron in 2001 to lead an existing church in becoming effective at reaching their community. We were married in 1976 and lived in Boston, Kansas City, and Western New York. Pam moved in next door to me when I was 12 years old, so we are real-life childhood sweethearts! We have 2 children; Siobohn (who has 2 beautiful daughters), and Mark, who is married to Rebecca (they have a newborn baby girl). Being grandparents has been one of the best experiences of our life. My draw to Akron came in 2001 when I first visited the church that was declining in attendance, needed encouragement and that could still impact their community for God. Since then, God has helped us create an environment where people who are distant from God can connect with Him.
Birthday – September 26, 1955
Education – BA in Social Work from Eastern Nazarene College. Attended Nazarene Theological Seminary.
Interest and Favorites
- Places – Alleghany & Letchworth State Park, beaches on the Gulf of Mexico and North Carolina
- Books – Leadership (John, Maxwell, Andy Stanley); Church Systems (Nelson Searcy); Church Growth (Gary McIntosh)
- Sports Teams – Yankees, Bills, Sabres
- Hobbies – golf, walks in the woods, carpentry
- Movies – Pay It Forward, anything with Tom Cruise or Harrison Ford
- Dislikes – Going shopping just to browse, being stuck in traffic
- Life scripture – “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creature; the old is gone and the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17