District Elder R.A. Staley is a native of Far Rockaway, New York and holds a degree in Organizational Management from Nyack College. He is married to Lady Lauren L. Staley, and the father of two blessed children, Nia Simone and Aaron Rasahn. He was ordained an Elder by the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ (COOLJC) in 2007. After serving as the Assistant Pastor of his home church, the Refuge Church of Christ, for almost a decade, his Father in the Gospel Apostle Leroy Joseph Sr.  appointed him Senior Pastor in June 2022. In 2025, Pastor Staley was elevated to the office of District Elder of the Brooklyn Diocese of NY.

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Staley developed a love for community through service in his church where he has served in many different capacities over the years, ranging from sound technician, musician, and youth leader. He is a high school business teacher in the NYC public school system, who has spent more than a decade in youth and community development in Far Rockaway.

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Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” District Elder Staley has become a trusted voice in ministry and leadership. He serves as a community organizer, national evangelist, and respected leader within COOLJC, having served as Director of the Young Ministers Alliance, Chaplain to the International Board of Presbyters, and currently as a member of the leadership team for the International Convention Committee.

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In 2021, he released his first book, Look & Live: A Living Tribute to My Father in the Gospel Bishop Leroy Joseph Sr. In 2024, he expanded his ministry through music, releasing his debut album, Overcomers’ Night Live.

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Whether preaching, teaching, writing, or leading, District Elder Staley remains driven by one mission: to strengthen the remnant of believers committed to the Lord Jesus Christ, introduce a new generation to Him, and bridge the gap between them.