Meet Our Staff

Pastor Rick is new to full-time ministry. Earlier in his career, he spent fifteen years as a state securities regulator, including more than a decade as General Counsel for the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner. Then, he and his family moved to Washington D.C., where he worked for the association of state securities regulators before being appointed in 2014 to be the first director of the Office of the Investor Advocate at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

While working full-time, Rick was active in his church and in a variety of ministries. He has served as an elder, worship leader, small group leader, and Sunday School teacher, as well as a volunteer at parachurch organizations such as the Gideons International, Topeka Youth for Christ, and Casa Chirilagua in Alexandria, Virginia.

After his role as the Investor Advocate, Rick spent three months backpacking 1,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, where he enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation and sought His leading for the remainder of his career. In 2024, he and Michelle returned to their home state of Kansas, where they immediately became active in serving at Central Park Christian Church and ultimately embraced the calling to serve as Lead Pastor. They have been married 35 years and have six adult children.

Michael Kates became our part-time Director of Children and Youth Ministry in August 2026. Michael teaches 8th-grade United States History at Robinson Middle School in the Topeka Public Schools and has taught for nine years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in History from the University of Northern Iowa and received his teaching license from Fort Hays State University.  He is currently pursuing a reading specialist endorsement from Fort Hays State University.  

Michael serves on multiple district leadership teams, including the Equity Council, Curriculum and Assessment Team, and the Minority Leadership Academy. He also serves as a Field Educator with the Kansas Department of Education, providing professional learning to teachers statewide.

Outside of his teaching responsibilities, Michael is active in the community, serving on the Boards of KTWU, and the Spencer Museum of Art. Additionally, Michael is the Lead Historian and Curator of the Black American Blueprint Collective. As a proud United States Marine Corps veteran and teacher, he believes in the transformative power of education and is committed to ensuring that all students see themselves represented in the curriculum.

Michael has been recognized for his commitment to education, earning nominations for the Gilder Lehrman Institute's National History Teacher of the Year Award in 2022, 2024, and 2025. He received the 2024 Spirit of Brown Award from the Topeka Community Foundation and the Vivian Scales Teaching Award from Living the Dream for his dedication to education. He was also the 2026 Topeka Public Schools Secondary Nominee for Kansas Teacher of the Year. 

Michael is married to Suzanne, a TPS Rovering Nurse, and is the father of Michael Kates Jr., a junior at the University of Kansas, and stepchildren Christian and Gabby. He believes in God's power to transform students' lives and in leading through service to others.