Vernell Ricks was a native of South Carolina; she lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from early teen until 1974. She was educated in the Public School System. She is the next oldest of ten children.

Vernell is the wife of Eric F. Ricks, Pastor and Founder of Faith Deliverance Worship Center formely known as Deliverance Evangelistic Church of Burlington, New Jersey and President of Faith Center Inc. They have been blessed to be married since 1962. In 1965, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and served faithfully under the pastorate of the Reverend Benjamin Smith Sr., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where her spiritual gifts of teaching, helps and service were discovered and developed.

In 1975 Vernell and her husband followed the leading of the Lord to move to New Jersey for the work of ministry. After moving to New Jersey and working beside her husband to establish the church, the gift of Administration began to operate in Vernell's life. Some of her other ministering gifts to the Body of Christ are teaching, exhortation, the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom and prophecy.

As an ordained minister of God, she serves as an associate minister of Faith Deliverance Worship Center in Burlington, New Jersey. Vernell is also presently serving as Church Administrator, teacher, preacher, and Biblical Counselor.

She ministers at conferences and retreats for women and does marriage seminars and classes along with her wonderful husband, Eric. Because of Vernell's many years of experience as a "Pastor's wife" she has been able and willing to minister to wives of pastors from various churches and denominations. She has traveled to Haiti, Jamaica, and Ghana, West Africa ministering the Word of God.

Vernell has taken many Bible courses, attended seminars, workshops, conferences, along with her personal Bible study and prayer, in order to be equipped for the work of ministry. She is a Certified Nursing Assistant, and she utilizes those skills as she ministers to the sick and shut-ins, as the Lord leads. Her spiritual emphasis is found in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."