Search

Rev. Anthony L. Riley has served as Senior Pastor of the Central Baptist Church of Saint Louis (www.cbcstl.org) since March 2019. He is the 14th pastor of this vibrant and engaged faith community, established in 1846, the 2nd oldest African American church in the region. Central is Making Disciples…Transforming Lives! In 2020, Pastor Riley lead Central Baptist Church to successfully pivot from an analog system to a digital so that the church could continue to live out her mission virtually. Central now reimagines her vision to serve this present age. We have secured over $500,000 in grants for drainage, beautification, traffic calming to enhance safety and become a leader in environmental responsibility. We have secured over $500,000 in capital investment through educational partners to leverage our multi-building campus to host access to exceptional emerging educational opportunities. We have received numerous grants to expand our Rites of Passage middle school cultural and leadership training program and Central Gardens to connect with creation, combat loneliness, increase mobility and address food insecurity.

We have dedicated the Freedom Suites Memorial, honoring Dredd and Harriet Scott (deceased members) and other free and enslaved persons who sued for their freedom. We hosted Missouri Dredd Scott Forgiveness Ceremony, and the American Baptist Churches USA Great Rivers Region Executive Minister Installation. Pastor Riley preached the 1st Annual Joint Session of the Congress of Christian Education and Convention of the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri as well as the 1st Brotherly Love Worship Experience of the Antioch District Missionary Baptist Association of the Missionary Baptist Churches Convention of Missouri. In 2024, Pastor Riley was invited to preach Late Night for the Progressive National Convention Annual Session.

Pastor Riley serves as the Chair of the Board for the COEUR (Community Organization to Engage Uplift and Restore) Foundation, a non-profit corporation whose mission is to improve the lives of middle youth and their families, thus strengthening community.

Pastor Riley serves as a member of the Clergy Advisory Board for the City of Saint Louis’ Department of Public Health. He is a member of the Ecumenical Leadership Council, the NAACP for Saint Louis City and Saint Louis County, the Urban League, the Clergy Coalition, and the Baptist Ministers’ Union. In July 2023, Anthony was appointed by the Mayor of the City of Saint Louis to serve on the historic City Charter Commission, tasked with revising the government’s 100-year old governing document. He has received numerous civic citations and leadership awards.

Prior to coming to Central, Rev. Riley served as the Executive Pastor (and Minister of Congregational Care) at The Luke Church in Humble, Texas, (the greater Houston area) where the Rev. Dr. Timothy W. Sloan is Senior Pastor.

At the age of 15, Rev. Riley accepted the call to ministry at the Calvary Baptist Church of Morristown, New Jersey under the guidance of Reverend Jerry M. Carter Jr., Ph.D., Senior Pastor. While at Calvary he served in several capacities including Staff Minister for Youth Ministry. Today, he serves as the Conference Director for Dr. Carter’s How Shall They Hear Preaching Conference, a premier and intimate space for proclaimers to work on their craft both regionally and nationally. Visit www.howshalltheyhear.net to register.

Dr. Riley regularly facilitates at the Issachar Church Growth and Development Conference for Ralph Douglas West Ministries and serves on the planning team for the African American Preaching Conference at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary.

At the 36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers and Laity and Rededication of the Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College, Pastor Riley was inducted in the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers.

Anthony, a native of Morristown, New Jersey was formally educated in the public schools of Morris School District in Morristown, New Jersey and matriculated from the Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, the Master of Divinity degree from the Princeton Theological Seminary and the Doctor of Ministry degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at the Virginia Union University.

Anthony is the author of In the Shadow of Grief: 21 Days of Discovering God’s Presence in Life’s Valleys. This timely devotional is designed to help the reader find God’s person, place and plan in the midst of their grieving process. The writing invites you to ask God tough questions, consider the connection between your emotional health and your leadership and find a wholeness with God. A great personal devotional, bereavement gift, or small group curriculum. It is available online at Amazon.com.

Anthony is the proud father of one child, Joshua Anthony.