Our Pastor

Rev. Ruffin was licensed to preach in December 2017 and was admitted to the Washington Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in March 2019.  In July of 2022, Rev. Ruffin was appointed to Living Water AME Church.  He was also appointed to serve as the Pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Virtual Church on May 6, 2022 where he was previously assigned as Co-Pastor in July 2020.  Prior to this appointment he served on the ministerial staff of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Fort Washington, MD (2017-2020) under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning Jr. and Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Browning where he had been active member since 1998.  He also served as a Trustee, as well as a member of the Stewardship and Finance Commission at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church. 

Rev. Ruffin brings over 40 years of public experience to the service of God’s people.  The Men’s Ministry, Beyond the Walls Ministry, New Members Ministry and Pre-Marital Institute Ministry are the areas of ministry that God has called him to advance.  He is a retired Civil Servant of the Department of Defense where he served as the Director of Logistics for the Naval Sea Systems Command.

Rev. Ruffin is originally from Richmond, VA where he attended Trinity Baptist Church and first accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 11.  He is married to Hope Victoria Ruffin and the proud father of Elizabeth, Justin and Gilbert III.

Rev. Ruffin received diaconate orders through the Board of Examiners in April 2021 and completed his Master of Divinity Degree from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, OH in May 2021.  He was ordained an Itinerate Elder of the AME Church in July 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Virginia Commonwealth University. 

As the Lord continues to bless him in ministry, he boldly proclaims Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"