Our Leadership

What does your job involve?

• Leading and loving people
• Preaching and teaching God’s Word
• Seeking vision from God and casting vision before God’s people
• Ministering to both the church and the community

Where were you born and raised?

• Born in Birmingham, Alabama
• Raised in Evansville, Indiana

When and how did you come to know Christ?

• I was raised in a Christian home and was always involved in church.  But in November of 1969, during our church’s annual fall revival, I became acutely aware of my need for Christ as Savior.  Being good wasn’t enough. I needed Jesus.  At that point I asked Jesus into my heart and began a life-long journey of following Him. From that moment, and progressively ever since, He has changed my life. 

What was the first job you ever had?

• My brother and I cut grass throughout middle school and high school.

What is your wife’s name and how did you meet?

• Karen and I met during the summer of 1978 while I was doing an internship at the church where she was raised. I was a freshman in college and she was a senior in high school.   Two years later, in July of 1980, we were married.  She is the love of my life and my partner in ministry.

How did you get into church ministry?

• I was actively involved in church activities during high school. I began leading worship in the church where I was raised at that time. Through the encouragement of my Pastor, I made a decision to pursue ministry as a career and enrolled in college with that goal. After meeting and marrying Karen, and upon completion of my Bachelor’s degree, I began serving a church as Youth Minister and Worship Leader. A few years later, while serving in that same capacity in another church, I felt a specific call to preaching and pastoral ministry. Through different positions at various churches I have been privileged to preach “Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

Where else have you served?

• Birmingham, Alabama
• Tullahoma, Tennessee

What brought you to First Baptist?

• I was serving as Associate Pastor in Tullahoma, TN when a family from the church moved to The Villages. When the Pastor here announced his retirement, that family contacted me--first about “filling in” for a Sunday during the transition and only thereafter, about actually applying for the position. Over the course of just a few months, the Lord opened the door for Karen and me to move to The Villages, become a part of this great church, and serve as its Pastor.

What do you like most about your current position?

• It is an awesome and humbling opportunity to be in a ministry situation where God’s work is so evident. Weekly, even daily, there is unmistakable and irrefutable evidence that God is at work in this place. To see it and be a part of it is a tremendous blessing. Specifically, I like the people with whom I am privileged to serve—the staff, the Deacons, the ministry leaders, the church family, the community—and within each group, dear friends.  
• I love what I get to do—love and lead, preach and teach, seek God and receive His vision, minister to this church and community in the name of Jesus Christ.

What are some of most memorable moments you have had in ministry?

• Having a part in both of our children coming to faith in Christ and, then, baptizing them.
• Seeing people experience real, spiritual life-change—in personal encounters and large group settings; in dramatic moments and through longer periods of time.
• Experiences of God in worship
• Mission trips
• Journey to the Holy Land

What is your favorite Bible verse?

• Philippians 3:10-11 – I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

What do you like to do in your free time?

• Visit grandchildren
• Play pickleball and golf (play at it!)
• Read
• Bike and, on occasion, jog
• Go to the beach
• Sail—I’ve taken lessons and done it just enough to long for more

What does your job involve?

• Equipping, training and encouraging people to lead worship through choir, praise teams, handbells and drama
• Leading and teaching people to worship in Spirit and Truth both privately and corporately
• Planning, coordinating and rehearsing for all worship services
• Coordinating and equipping AV techs and instrumentalists 

Where were you born and raised?

• Born in Hawaii
• Raised in Headland, Alabama

When and how did you come to know Christ?

• I was raised in a Christian home and under sound teaching in a Bible-believing church. When I was 11, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I was a sinner and in need of a Savior. I gave my life to Jesus Christ and was baptized on Easter Sunday morning. 

What was the first job you ever had?

• Pianist at First Baptist in Abbeville, Alabama.

What is your wife’s name and how did you meet?

• I met Denise when I was playing for a wedding. Denise was serving the strawberries at the reception table. I asked her out that night, and we were married a year later.

How did you get into church ministry?

• I began in ministry when I was 11 years old playing for my local church.  I became the full-time pianist at First Baptist in Abbeville, Alabama when I was 14. Upon entering college I took over the bi-vocational music director position at a local church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In late 1999 God called me to go full-time as a Worship Pastor.

Where else have you served?

• Bi-vocationally at 4 churches in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• Full-time at churches in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Greeneville, Tennessee and Sylacauga, Alabama

What brought you to First Baptist?

• It was totally a “God thing.” A member of this church, who formerly was in my church in Tuscaloosa, called me about the opening and from that point on God orchestrated each step of the process with full clarity!

What do you like most about your current position?

• The bond of the staff and especially the heart of Pastor Bob.  It is exciting and a privilege each week to sit down with the Pastor and plan all the worship aspects of the ministry.

What are some of the most memorable moments you have had in ministry?

• Those times when the choir and worship team are leading and the Holy Spirit invades the service and the true honest worship in Spirit and Truth overtakes the congregation
• Times when I have seen lives touched and changed for eternity

What is your favorite Bible verse?

• I have an amazing life story in which God has made Romans 8:28 come alive – We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

What do you like to do in your free time?

• Play Pickleball
• Read
• Play Word’s with Friends
• Travel
• Ride in the golf cart

What does your job involve?

• It is my job to lead the membership of FBC At The Villages to fulfill its mission through the ministries of Assimilation, Fellowship and Recreation and Congregational Care.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Brandon, Florida.

When and how did you come to know Christ?

When I was a teenager a friend invited me to church. After attending church for a year, the Holy Spirit convinced me that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. I repented of my sin and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 

What are some other jobs you have had prior to entering the ministry?

• Regional Merchandiser, Lego Systems, Inc. (Toy Company)
• Director of Timing & Scoring, International Motor Sports Association (IMSA)

What is your wife's name and how did you meet?

I met Christa while attending church. I saw her singing in the choir and just had to meet her. I went to the restaurant where she worked as a server and sat in her section until she finished her shift. I took her home to meet my parents that very evening. We dated for five years and then married.  

How did you get into church ministry?

I surrendered to God's call to enter vocational ministry at thirty years of age. God led me to vocational ministry through incremental steps: I first served as an Adult Sunday School Teacher, then served on a few church committees, and then served as a Deacon. Through much prayer and godly counsel I recognized that God was calling me to abandon all other pursuits to serve the Kingdom of Christ. 

Where else have you served?

• FBC Brandon in Brandon, FL (2006-2017)

What do you like most about your current position?

The Spirit of God among the people of FBC At The Villages is infectious and inspiring! I love connecting people to Christ, connecting Christians to the mission of the church, and connecting the church to the community. 

What are some of the most memorable moments you have had in ministry?

• While on mission in Brazil, I had the awesome privilege of being used by God to lead a woman to reject her worship of Satan and embrace salvation in Christ. 
• I hold many memories of ordinary people stepping out in faith and doing extra ordinary things with God.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

Galatians 2:20 has become a defining verse of scripture for my life: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

What do you like to do in your free time?

• Court my wife
• Invest time with my sons
• Read
• Travel

What does your job involve?

My primary responsibilities revolve around working with three fantastic teams. I work with the Congregational Care team to meet the physical and spiritual needs of this family when they arise. I work with the Mission Team in the endeavor of leading the church to engage in the Great Commission locally, regionally, statewide, nationally, and internationally. I also get the privilege of working with the Children’s Ministry team in order to engage the next generation with the invitation of Christ in the discipleship journey. 

When and how did you come to know Christ?

As a boy, at six years old, due to the love Christ conveyed to me through my mother and father. I am forever indebted to Him and them.

What was the first job you ever had?

The first job I had was when I was around 10. I was a self-employed man back then. I trapped turtles and sold them to a distributor for restaurants.

What is your wife's name and how did you meet?

My wife Kristen and I met through a mutual friend I served with in the Army. I owe him a debt I doubt I’ll ever be able to repay.

How did you get into church ministry?

Through men that discipled me. I went to college to study literature, but through two theology professors, Christ brought into my life I couldn’t resist the call to follow Him into ministry.

Where else have you served?

I’ve had the privilege of serving in the Campus Ministries department and the Missions department of Palm Beach Atlantic University, and I formerly served as Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Hypoluxo, FL under Dr. Mike Griffin.

What brought you to First Baptist?

When my time at Seminary was coming to a close I called the pastor I grew up under (Dr. Ronnie Walker) and asked him if he knew of any churches that may need a pastor. He told me that they at First Baptist wanted to start an internship. The opportunity to work with seasoned pastors, to grow under their guidance, to learn from and be discipled by them . . . well, it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I guess over time I grew on them, so they kept me around.

What do you like most about your current position?

The opportunity to be with people in some of the most difficult and dark times of their lives. When illness or tragedy or death comes, there is something truer and more honest in those moments than a million others combined. All the crazy hustle and bustle and concerns the world lives for, the whole circus ceases to matter, and there is nothing more and nothing less than the Love of God to lead us in those moments.

What are some of the most memorable moments you have had in ministry?

I’d saying getting to perform my sister’s wedding ceremony is at the top of the list.

What is your favorite Bible Verse?

1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins.”

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to read and attempt to write. I enjoy the outdoors, whether hunting, fishing, or gardening. Nothing quite tops a day laying around the house watching movies with my wife though.

What does your job involve?

• It is my blessing to serve the church by assisting in the fulfillment of its missions to make disciple-makers.  Specifically, I assist the Senior Pastor in the areas of leadership and strategy, and by assisting the Pastor of Ministries in the areas of discipleship, missions, and prayer.

Where were you born and raised?

• I was born in Okeechobee, FL. My dad was a pastor and had the blessing of serving a church in our hometown during my formative years and throughout high school. 

When and how did you come to know Christ?

• I was first introduced to Christ as a child. However, it was not until I was a young adult that I made a full conscious surrender of my life to Jesus as Lord. In an uneventful and intimate way the Lord just impressed on me the need to be genuine with myself and with Him. I did so in January 1975 and have enjoyed the peace of His grace ever since. 

What was the first job you ever had?

• My first job was as a bag boy for Raulerson's Grocery in Okeechobee, FL. I was an eighth grader in school. 

What is your wife's name and where did you meet?

• My wife is Alice (Sellars) Walker. We met at Buffalo Grove Baptist Church, Jefferson City, TN when I went to Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, in September 1966.

How did you get into church ministry?

• I got into church ministry by way of sensing God's call when I was a teenager. I resisted the call for many years but finally surrendered. My first experiences were in part-time or volunteer capacities, serving as a Sunday School teacher then as a substitute for pastors when they were away for vacations.

Where else have you served?

• I have served churches in North Carolina as well as other locations here in FL.

What brought you to FBC At The Villages?

• I was asked by the Pastor, then ultimately the Leadership Team, Personnel Team and Deacons to prayerfully consider joining the staff in the capacity of Pastor of Ministries. Having served in other ministry roles in area churches, I have enjoyed a long-term friendship with other pastoral staff persons and church members. We are not strangers here.

What are some of the most memorable moments you have had in ministry?

• I have enjoyed the satisfaction of assisting in the planting of a number of churches in the Marion County area, as well as out of state and internationally. It is gratifying to see God work in ways much bigger than we can initially see. 

What is your favorite Bible verse?

• John 4:34- "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." I try to identify with Jesus' commitment through this verse.

What do you like to do in your free time?

• I enjoy reading biographies of spiritual leaders of the past, plus some of the prominent leaders among our nation's founding fathers. Additionally, Alice and I enjoy walking, yard work and time with grandchildren.

What does your job involve?

• Encouraging and assisting church leadership to meet the goals of their ministry.
• Providing opportunities for members of the congregation to be blessed by serving.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Great Falls, Montana. I was raised in Smyrna, Tennessee. My dad was military so junior high was in Tucson, Arizona. High school and college were completed in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When and how did you come to know Christ?

In February 2000, my wife and I moved to Belleview, Florida to live near her parents. First Baptist Church Belleview embraced us and offered opportunities to serve and grow. God opened my ears to hear of His wonderful plan of salvation and in June I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior. I was baptized at age 48, born into a new life. 

What was the first job you ever had?

My first job was with my brother, Timothy, when I was 8 years old, selling flower seeds door to door. We responded to an ad on the back of a comic book and started our own business.

What is your wife's name and how did you meet?

Cheryl and I met in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1994. She sold me my condominium. She is a skillful negotiator and we soon became good friends. We were married on March 11, 1995. God has truly blessed me. 

How did you get into church ministry?

In 2002, Crossroad Community Church was looking for workers to assist with a church re-start in Lady Lake, Florida. Working with Pastor J.C. Mitchell, my wife and I led worship, taught Sunday School and served on various committees. God was truly growing both of us. 

Where else have you served?

• Plant City, Florida as Director of Evangelism
• Buka Island, Bouganville, Papua New Guinea, as Regional Center Manager
• MAPANG Missionary Home, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, as Manager

What brought you to First Baptist?

Cheryl and I were invited to the Christmas presentation in 2016 by our friends and enjoyed the fellowship of the congregation.

What do you like most about your current position?

The best part of my current position is the people I interact with. Sweet brothers and sisters in Christ and those seeking for the answers, make this job fun in the most unexpected ways.

What are some of the most memorable moments you have had in ministry?

• Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and seeing lives change
• Encouraging others to share their story and watching the Holy Spirit move through them.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

John 15:5 (Jesus is speaking) "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."

What do you like to do in your free time?

• Bible study
• Gardening
• Play cards with family
• Fishing