Bishop
Regretta E. Ruffin

Bishop Regretta Ruffin is a native of northwest Washington, D.C. She is the daughter of Deacon Julia M.
Burruss and the late Reverend Dr. William R. Burruss, Sr.

She received her Master of Science from the University of Maryland (1986), Master of Theology from
Richmond Virginia Seminary (1996), Master of Divinity from Virginia Union University (1999), Doctorate of
Theology from Eastern Theological Seminary, Phil., Pa. (2001), Doctor of Ministry from Richmond
Virginia Seminary (2007), and several other educational certifications too numerous to name.
Bishop Ruffin has been the Senior Pastor of the Greater New St Paul Baptist Church for over 34 years.
She is the Founder and Facilitator of the Metropolitan Area Lenten Journey and Fellowship, a journey of
like-minded Pastors and Churches that come together during the Lenten Season for more than 26 years
for prayer, fasting, and deliverance. She is A Founding Partner of the John C. Maxwell Team of Certified
Coaches, Teachers, Mentors, and Speakers, training Pastors and Leaders worldwide. Dr. Ruffin has
received several Governor Citations and Awards, including the Volunteer Service Award from former
President Barack Obama. She has served as President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Alexandria,
Virginia, and Vicinity for three terms, President of The Washington Metropolitan Ministerium for three
terms, First Vice Present of the Baptist Minister’s Conference of Baltimore and Vicinity, Recording
Secretary of the Baptist Convention of D.C. & Vicinity, and President of the Mt. Bethel Educational
Congress.

Bishop Ruffin was nominated to participate in the Strategic Pastoral Excellency Program with Lott Carey
Foreign Missions and was a founding member of the Lott Carey Pilgrimages for Women Pastors, traveling
and ministering overseas and worldwide. Being the documented trailblazer for many firsts, on September
29, 2023, she was consecrated as the first female Bishop of Washingto, DC in the Baptist denomination
to the office of Primate Bishop in the Lord’s Church.

Dr. Ruffin presently, serves as a transitional pastor for several churches in the Washington Metropolitan
Area, helping to assist through traumatic moments in the life of the church by comforting, building, and or
rebuilding ministries. She also serves as 1 st Vice President of the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of
Northern VA, she serves on the Board of Regents for Wayland Baptist Theological Seminary, Inc.,
Wilmington, DE, and is an Assistant Professor in Practical Theology at Regent University, Virginia Beach,
Va.

On March 20, 2004, God blessed her with the one whom her soul loves, and she became the wife of
Dr. Rodney E. Ruffin, the Senior Pastor of the Elim Baptist Church in Temple Hills, Maryland. And the
half has not been told nor revealed what God has in store for His servant!