Rick Shabi was ordained an elder in 2000, and relocated to northern Florida in 2004. He attended Ambassador College and graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in Business, with a major in Accounting. After enjoying a rewarding career in corporate and local hospital finance and administration, he became a pastor in January 2011. Since then, he and his wife Deborah have served in the Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida, churches. Rick served as the Treasurer for the United Church of God from 2013–2022, and was named President in May 2022.