Dr. Ricky Branham

Dr. Ricky Branham is a television minister, interdenominational evangelist, senior pastor, and author who has traveled all over since the age of sixteen, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ. His television program, Ricky Branham Ministries, is on many networks in the United States and continues to grow nationally and internationally. Ricky and his wife, Victoria, have three children: Ricky, Riley, and Vera. For more information, please visit his website: www.rickybranham.com

(Biography taken from Dr. Ricky Branham’s book: A Pathway To Experience God’s Presence)

 

The Call of Dr. Ricky Branham

From the Beginning

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

— Jeremiah 29:11

 

My mother, Ellen, noticed I had a calling on my life before I was born. She remembers that I constantly moved in her belly during church services as though I were praising the Lord. When I was around the age of two, my parents and I had a direct encounter with an angel from God and a demon. It happened when my mother was abruptly awoken out of her sleep and saw me standing at the entrance of their bedroom. I was rubbing my eyes, and she told me to come and get in bed. However, she unexpectedly noticed an angelic being standing behind me waving his hands. The angelic being was a male angel, and there was a bright light shining around him. He was translucent, wearing a long white robe with wide sleeves. Suddenly my mother noticed that it was not me standing there, but that it was my spirit. She woke up my father, but he did not see anything.

My mother started praying that I would come and get in bed with them if I was going to live. She prayed hard until she somehow fell back asleep. Without warning, she was awakened to me crawling in bed with them. The angel then appeared to her in the same spot again. She woke up my father again, but he still did not see the angel. Then I said, “Mommy, I see… I see… a man in white,” which surprised my parents because that was before I could even speak full sentences and before I knew my colors. My parents were amazed, and somehow, everyone fell asleep.

My father then dreamed that an angel touched the bed, and it began to spin. My father woke everyone up, and this time, my mother saw a man dressed in all black, with red eyes, and his skin looked like charcoal. He was clearly a demonic being. He stared at all three of us and then walked out of the trailer through the wall. My father did not see him, but he believed what my mother saw. My mother believed that this series of events meant that God had something special planned for me, but the devil was angry and wanted to stop it. It was shortly after that incident that my parents went through a divorce, no doubt an attack of the devil.

Both of my parents would later remarry other people when I was about eight. I went to church with my mother and stepfather, and with my father and stepmother when they went. I can recall most of those times. I can remember seeing the people, hearing the music, and listening to the preachers. I can even remember giggling at some of the strange and vibrant-colored suits some of the men wore that were popular at the time. The main thing I recall was how nice everyone was to me.

 

God Uses My Grandparents

As I got older, I started to spend more time with my paternal grandparents, Robert and Lena Branham. They were both originally from eastern Kentucky, and they both moved to northern Ohio when they were young. They were both raised in the ways of God. They met and married at a young age. They loved God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They loved going to church. I started going to church with them every opportunity I could because they exuded the love of God, and it drew me to them.

I went to church with my grandparents two to three times a week. They would get there early to open the church doors, to turn on the lights, and to make sure everything was just perfect and ready to go. My wonderful Sunday school teachers taught me the Ten Commandments, the Twelve Beatitudes, how Jesus loved me, and how enjoyable it is to serve God. I even participated in church plays, which was definitely not my strong suit. At some of the services, I would take a nap in my pew. Church provided for some of the best napping because it was the most peaceful place a kid could be. However, most of the time, I was a giant sponge soaking in everything I could about God. I began to understand what it meant to have a relationship with God.

My grandparents were a wonderful example of a happily married couple who put God first in every way. They were hard workers, kind, and selfless. I watched them, and I wanted to be like them when I grew up. They were a strong-in-the-faith family that loved the Lord. They let their light shine, just like Christ taught in the Gospels. I saw their good works, and so did others. They did not boast about their good works but rather just performed them in a loving way, which brought glory to God.

 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

— Matthew 5:16

 

God Speaks to Me Directly

In 1998 when I was fifteen, I began to slowly drift away from God. One night, when I was on my way back home after hanging out with friends, I felt something tell me to put on my seat belt. Before I knew it, I was in a bad car accident. I asked the EMT if I was going to live as I was being rushed to the hospital. The EMT plainly said, “I don’t know.” I was bleeding profusely from a face trauma. The hospital did a CT scan of my head, and then I was put in a dark, quiet room while they called my family in.

As I lay in that hospital room, I noticed that God was speaking to me. It was not an audible voice, but a still, small voice that was pressing on my heart and mind. It was hard to explain, but I knew it was God. God was knocking on the door of my heart, and He wanted me to let Him in all the way.

 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

— Revelation 3:20

 

God started speaking to me, telling me that if I would have died, I would have gone to Hell because I had turned my back on Him. That may sound like God was being harsh, but He was not. God told me in such a loving way that it caused me to want to change and be fully committed to Him like never before. I told God that if He would spare me, I would serve Him all the days of my life. In the stillness of that hospital room, all alone, I repented, confessed, and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Savior.

The doctor came back into the room to further examine me. The doctor said I could have died instantly based on the way my face struck the car on impact. He said I would need to see a plastic surgeon for reconstructive surgery on my nose and face. The doctor called my survival a miracle. I knew it was an act of God that I was alive. God spared me, saved me, and finished His healing work in me. My body healed in such a great way that I have never had to have any kind of reconstructive surgery.

 

Called to Preach

After my car accident, I started going to church again like never before. I went with my grandparents, with friends, with anyone else who would go, and by myself. I tried my best to be there whenever the doors were open. On April 7, 1999, at the age of sixteen, during a Wednesday night youth church service, I felt God speak to me directly again. God pressed on my heart and mind that I was called to preach. I knew it was God speaking to me again.

I hurried home that night to tell my mother the good news. She gave me the advice not to tell anyone but to wait and see if God really was calling me to minister. Shortly after that, evangelist and senior pastor Rev. Ralph Farmer asked me when I was going to preach for him at his church. That same day, a musician named R. B. Fallen asked me when I was going to preach. I asked R. B. how he knew that I was called to preach. R. B. smiled and said, “I can just tell.” I knew that God used Rev. Ralph Farmer and R. B. Fallen to confirm my calling.

On May 14, 1999, at Rev. Ralph Farmer’s church in North Fairfield, Ohio, I preached my first sermon to a packed country church with 105 people in attendance. The sermon was titled “Trust.” It lasted twelve minutes. One person repented, confessed, and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior. It was evident to everyone in attendance that I was truly called by God to preach. From that point on, ministers from all denominations began to contact me about preaching at their churches. Rev. Ken Gifford, a local minister, took me under his wing and helped to mentor me in a variety of areas regarding ministry. I continued to minister and grow in the faith, and I soon began my Christian studies. I was ordained in 2003, at the age of twenty, by Ripley Chapel, a nondenominational church. I became an interdenominational evangelist, filling in for all denominations, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

God Blesses Me with a Wife

In 2004, at the age of twenty-one, I graduated from North Central State College (NCSC) as a registered nurse (RN) to help supplement my income. In the fall, I started praying that God would send me the wife He had prepared for me. I read Christian books about love and prayed a lot on this topic. God was putting this desire in me for a reason. I had peace that God would send me a wife in His perfect timing.

Later in 2004, I started seeing this beautiful woman around town. She had a contagious smile, dark brown hair, and dark brown eyes. I saw her at the hospital while I took care of her father, I saw her at the tire shop of all places, and I saw her in other places around our local community. I knew exactly who she was. Her name was Victoria, and she had been a senior in high school when I was a freshman. I remember thinking in high school how beautiful she was. However, I was a freshman, so I did not even try talking with her. Also, I had worked with her before, in 2002, at Pepperidge Farm, on one of the packaging lines while we were on summer break from college. The funny thing is, I had worked right beside her, and we did not even talk. She was not a Christian when we worked together, so it was not God’s timing yet for us to get to know each other. God was preparing her first to become a Christian, and she did. By the time I started seeing her around town a lot, she had become a committed follower of Jesus Christ. I would later find out that she became a Christian when she heard television minister Dr. Creflo Dollar give an altar call. She got on her knees in her apartment, and right there on the spot, she repented, confessed, and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and personal Savior. It changed her life. She started going to church and growing greatly in the faith.

I made up my mind that the next time I saw her, I was going to ask her out. As God would have it, on December 20, 2004, I got my chance. I had gone to Cleveland, Ohio, with my friend Ryan, and I was supposed to be back in town for a family event by 6:00 p.m. However, the roads were not good, and there was no way I was going to get back in time. As I got closer to home, Ryan asked if we could stop at Barnes & Noble so he could purchase a book. I agreed because I knew I was not going to be able to make it to my family event on time. Almost as soon as I walked through the doors at Barnes & Noble, I saw Victoria there in the store. God quickly reminded me that I had promised myself to ask her out the next time I saw her. God was not going to let me forget or chicken out. I mustered up the confidence and asked her if she would like to go out sometime. I thought in my head there was no chance she would say yes, but I had to at least ask. She smiled and said she would. I could not believe it. We stayed and talked for over an hour at the store until she had to leave to get ready for work because she now worked third shift full-time at Pepperidge Farm. Ryan and I left Barnes & Noble and stopped at another store and then stopped to get gas. There Victoria was at the gas station. Victoria and I laughed, smiled, and waved. Four days later, on December 24, 2004, Victoria and I had our first official date at a Christmas Eve church service. We were married on August 11, 2007, with Rev. Ken Gifford performing the ceremony.

 

Pastoring and Family

Victoria and I went all over evangelizing. I regularly preached at Ripley Chapel, which was the first church to license and ordain me. They asked me if I would fill in for them long-term until they found a pastor. In January 2008, I started to fill in for them with the understanding that they would not call me “pastor.” I did not want to be called a pastor because I viewed myself only as an interdenominational evangelist. However, Ronnie Horsley, the head of the church board, introduced me to the congregation by calling me “pastor.” I continue to be their senior pastor to this day while still evangelizing interdenominationally. God has taught me so much about His character and how to be a servant since I have been a senior pastor. Furthermore, our church has supported our evangelistic ministry faithfully.

In 2009, Victoria and I were blessed with our first son, Ricky. In 2011, we were blessed with another son, Riley. In 2013, we were blessed with a daughter, Vera. God expanded our family and provided the perfect church setting for us to raise our children in the Lord. Our children continue to serve the Lord both in the church setting and in the evangelistic setting. We look forward to seeing God continue to use them in great ways for His glory.

 

Education

I continued my education by enrolling in the School of Ministry and the Church of God’s ministerial programs. I received the Church of God’s licensure and ordination as a minister. I also completed my bachelor of arts (BA) degree in organizational management and my master of business administration (MBA) degree from Malone University. Victoria completed her master of business administration (MBA) degree from Malone University as well. She also completed business certifications through the Harvard School of Business.

 

Television, Radio, and Social Media

I have always had the desire to be a television minister, ever since God called me to preach. The fourth message I ever preached, on July 6, 1999, was on television because I was an invited guest by Rev. Ralph Farmer. It was on WGGN-TV 52 in northern Ohio. That would be the only time I would preach on television until over twenty years later. I had stopped seeking God about becoming a television minister because I did not see it as something that was going to happen. However, God, in His infinite wisdom, mercy, and grace, did not forget about the dream He had placed in my heart so long ago.

God had prepared blessings for me and millions of people around the world using television, radio, and social media. It all began in March 2020, when I started diligently seeking God’s face and His ways like never before while alone in my prayer closet, also known as my bedroom. Diligently seeking God means to well and thoroughly desire to know Him and His ways by spending time with Him. As a result, I started experiencing the presence of God regularly. During one of these times in my prayer closet, God pressed on my heart and mind to begin a Facebook ministry because many churches were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was rather reluctant to begin this type of ministry, but I followed His leading and obeyed.

On September 30, 2020, I met with a preacher who was on television who had seen my Facebook sermons. He told me he liked how biblically based they were. The preacher asked me if I had ever thought about television ministry. He did not know that when I was sixteen and first started preaching, I wanted to be a television minister. When he asked me that question, something came alive in me and stirred again my desire to preach on television. However, I did not know how I could preach on television, considering I lived in a small community and pastored a small church. I went to the Lord and prayed about it in my prayer closet. I experienced the presence of the Lord, and He pressed on my heart and mind what to do next.

The Lord led me to the next step of contacting WGGN-TV 52, which I did. On October 21, 2020, exactly three weeks from when I was asked if I had ever thought about television ministry, I had a television contract with WGGN-TV 52 and was taping in their studio. My television program, Ricky Branham Ministries, first aired on November 25, 2020, at 6 p.m., on WGGN-TV 52 in Ohio. The title of my first television sermon was “Remember Your Testimonies.” My first radio program aired on WLRD 96.9 FM in Ohio on November 29, 2020. On February 2, 2021, my television program aired for the first time on WLLA-TV 64 in Michigan. On June 5, 2021, my television program first aired nationally through the GEB Television Network, which is owned and operated by Oral Roberts University.

My television program has since expanded to many more networks in the United States, and it continues to grow nationally and internationally. It airs in all fifty states and reaches a potential audience of over seventy-eight million people a week and growing. Search on your television for your local TV listing: Ricky Branham Ministries. God has amazed me with how He has wonderfully orchestrated everything regarding this television ministry. He has given me a great Christian agent, the perfect church for production, an amazingly talented producer, a quality closed-captioning company to work with, and the list goes on. The television networks have been an absolute pleasure to work with as we work together to spread God’s Word. All this has been wonderfully orchestrated by God for this small-town preacher. God has done it in such a way that only He can receive the glory. God’s blessings have literally chased me down!

I regularly seek the Lord to know His will in the areas of television, radio, and social media. He continues to reveal Himself to me to show me His will. I follow and obey His leading. As a result, I have experienced great blessings and many miracles, and so have others. I have been blessed to see many people around the world repent, confess, and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior. God is being glorified all over the world. My prayer is that I would see one million people come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior from the ministry He has gifted me with.

 

Master of Theology (ThM), Doctor of Ministry (DMIN), and Author

I had thought I was done with college, at least from the standpoint of pursuing degrees. I had originally wanted to obtain my doctorate, but then I thought maybe it was not meant to be, so I had given up on the idea. However, God clearly showed me He wanted me to go to college for my doctorate, and He opened the door for me to do so. I also knew it was God when the president of the college said I could write a book as my doctoral dissertation. God had already birthed in me an idea for a book, but I had no clue how it could ever come to fruition. God showed me by opening the door for me to write a book while earning my doctorate degree.

The book I wrote while working on my doctorate in college was Psalm 23: A Psalm for the Living. I graduated from the Christian Bible Institute and Seminary (CBIS) with a master of theology (ThM) degree and a doctor of ministry (DMin) degree in April 2022. After graduation, I submitted my book to a select group of publishers. An executive from Trilogy Publishing, a subsidiary of the Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN), reached out to me and said that he liked how I used so many Bible references in my book. He said he believes the more Scriptures an author uses, the less error there is. He and his team did a full review of my book and offered me a contract, which I accepted. WOW! Glory to God! I knew all this was of God because He had already told me that my main calling and avenue of ministry would be through television. Therefore, it made sense that God would use a Christian television network to publish my book. Furthermore, I had grown up watching TBN, and I am beyond honored to be a part of their family.

I noticed a theme with God: God does the impossible. He is a Doctor who specializes in the impossible. I had a dream to become a television minister when I was first called to preach, but I had given up on that. It seemed impossible. I had a desire to obtain my doctorate, but I had given up on that. It seemed impossible. I wanted to write a book and have it published, but I did not see how that could ever happen. It seemed impossible. God has made everything happen in His time. God does the impossible. He is a Doctor who specializes in the impossible!

 

Going Forward

I continue to minister all over, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ as a television minister, interdenominational evangelist, senior pastor, and author. Ricky Branham Ministries (RBM) desires to reach the lost, edify the saints, and minister to people of all ages and in all walks of life for the glory of Jesus Christ. God can do the impossible, and God desires to do the impossible.

 

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

— Matthew 19:26

 

My television program, Ricky Branham Ministries, has expanded to many more networks in the United States, and it continues to grow nationally and internationally. It airs in all fifty states and reaches a potential audience of over seventy-eight million people a week and growing. Search on your television for your local TV listing: Ricky Branham Ministries. I also frequently appear as a guest on many Christian television programs throughout the United States. On my social media pages, I post a lot of ministry content, so please follow, like, and share. Search: Ricky Branham Ministries on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

As an interdenominational evangelist, I travel all over and preach at all churches and ministry events that proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and personal Savior. I am the senior pastor of a nondenominational church, Ripley Chapel. I continue to serve and preach at my home church when I am not traveling. As an author, I hope that my books teach and inspire you to grow closer to God, to live in victory, and to see the impossible happen. I pray that I leave everyone with a message from God that is timely, memorable, and applicable. If you would like to have me speak at your church or ministry event, please contact Ricky Branham Ministries through my website: www.rickybranham.com or through my social media platforms.