Lance Riley

Pastor Lance Riley was called into the gospel ministry at the tender age of 16 years old under the leadership of the late Dr. Lonnie Dawson of the New Mount Calvary Baptist Church. Subsequently, he preached his first sermon on September 16, 1997 and became a licensed and ordained minister in the State of California. While his adolescent years and early ministry was riddled with overcoming the grief of losing both his Mother at 14 and his Step-Father at age 18 years old, he has transformed his pain into a compassion and humility to serve others.

Educated in Compton and Paramount school districts, Pastor Riley is a lifelong learner in constant pursuit of research, facts, and data about every aspect of human life. Mentally, he is inundated with information that he is always willing to share to add truth to any conversation. Formally, he received Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Education from Bible Believers Theological Seminary.

After much prayer and guidance, Pastor Riley founded the Anointed Place Christian Fellowship in 2007. Eventually, the Lord’s infinite wisdom deemed fit for Pastor Riley to be called to the pastoral leadership of the North Long Beach Christian Fellowship to assist with the pastoral retirement of Pastor Walter Carter. In 2014, North Long Beach Christian Fellowship merged with The Neighborhood Church of Long Beach under the leadership of Pastor Robert Francisco. While merging churches and cultures wasn’t an easy feat, the perseverance of God’s people and the shared vision to see the kingdom progress resulted in a triumphant ministry. On April 8, 2020, Pastor Lance Riley was officially named the Senior Pastor of The Neighborhood Church of Long Beach, the first African American Senior Pastor in the church’s 80-year history.

Under Pastor Riley’s pastoral leadership, The Neighborhood Church is fueled by the word of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. The congregation intends to move by vision and the anointing of God, knowing that only the anointing can destroy the yoke of bondage. The Neighborhood Church has strengthened the Children’s Ministry and Sunday School. Both areas have grown spiritually and numerically.

Pastor Riley has never met a stranger. He embraces everyone he meets, finding some commonality or way to connect. His quick-wittedness, sense of humor and intentionality in living a well-balanced life is pinnacled in the ways he finds time to enjoy his family and close friends. The work of the kingdom is paramount, but so is prioritizing his family. It is a trait that his wife – Lady Ta’Neisha Riley – and his two children – Prince - Alexander Riley and Princess - Zayen Riley appreciates.

Separate from the pastoral ministry, Pastor Riley has dedicated his life to serving people and loving people to wholeness. So much so, he works feverishly and selflessly to provide transitional housing for underserved individuals who are justice involved, on a journey to recovery from substance abuse and the effects of mental disabilities. Pastor Riley’s life, family structure, and ministry personifies his favorite scripture – Psalm 91, “If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” He relies on this promise and serves others with the same promise.