The vision of Higher Learning Ministries began January 1, 2000 while Dr. Samuel Wright, Jr. was in prayer during watch night service when God called him to Pastor. In that same year Dr. Wright accepted a position as an Economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, DC.

It first appeared that God’s will for him was to take over a church that was already established, but God slowly began to reveal his actual plan for his life. In January 2001, God began opening doors by allowing Dr. Wright to start a Bible class with two other individuals. By January of the following year, the class had grown to over 600 attendants, thus revealing what God had placed within him. God’s will for Dr. Wright was to start a new church with people who wanted to go to the next level in Christ.

After much prayer and consultation with God, Dr. Wright started Higher Learning Ministries. On October 6, 2002, the vision became reality as HLM had its first Sunday Celebration service!

Pastor Samuel Wright, Lady Belinda Wright, their three children, along with two other families and friends were among the attendants of that first Sunday Celebration service. The service was held on the third floor of the Glen Croft Professional Building on the Southside of Richmond, VA. After one year, HLM needed more space and the opportunity to move to the first floor at the same location provided more class room and office space as well as a larger sanctuary.

In 2011, HLM purchased a church building in the historic Battersea area of Petersburg, VA. Pastor Wright was elevated to the position of Suffragan Bishop in 2018 by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., and assigned to the Council of Zimbabwe Africa.

HLM’s mission is to meet people where they are and take them to the next level in regards to their relationships with God, spouse and/or family members, their finances and individual potential. This is done through teaching and preaching the Word of God, being examples of Christ and showing love.