WS Chronicle

The 68th Forsyth County Baptist Training Institute, hosted by the Rowan Baptist Forsyth County Missionary Union, launches the 2022 virtual session, “Our Mission in Serving the Present Age.” Please join the class and worship at 6 p.m. each weeknight beginning Monday, April 25, through Friday, April 29. This year, Rev. Frederick L. Barnes, Jr., pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, will serve as host pastor and share an inspirational message each evening. 

Instructors of adult classes will focus on discussions to engage each group as they study “To Serve This Present Age – Social Justice Ministries in the Black Church,” authors Danielle L. Ayers and Reginald W. Williams. 

Classes are sponsored by the Forsyth County Missionary Union: president, Lynda Breeden; vice presidents, Gloria Morgan-Flowers, Carolyn Kerns and Carolyn Thompson; and co-sponsored by the Baptist Ministers’ Fellowship: president Rev. James Fullwood; the Ushers’ Union: president, Mr. Bobby Clinkscales; the Sunday School Union: president, Mr. Marcus Neal;, and the Health & Wellness Guild: president, Min. Rochelle Martin. Classes will meet for the deacons and trustees. 

All churches and friends in the community and surrounding areas are invited to participate nightly. Join this Zoom event by phone, computer or tablet. More information such as the connections to access the Baptist Training Institute and event details can be found in our flier. To request a flier, email fcbaptisttraining.info@gmail.com.  

The instructors and classes are as follows:

The Pastors and Ministers class will be taught by Rev. Ronald Speas, pastor of New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. Rev. Speas, active in Christian ministry for more than 25 years, has taught in various venues, including the N.C. General Baptist State Convention, Yadkin Valley Baptist Association, High Point Educational, the Missionary Baptist Association, and the Forsyth County Sunday School Union. He is second vice moderator of HPEMBA and vice president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Winston-Salem.

The instructor for the Trustee Class, Ms. Marilyn James, is a graduate of Forsyth Technical Community College.  She is a member of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church and a member of the Galilee Board of Directors. There she serves as a trustee and provides biblical training for the Trustee Ministry. She also teaches in the Forsyth County Sunday School Union.

The instructor for the Sunday School Union class for superintendents and teachers, Minister Velma McCloud, serves as associate minister at Piney Grove Baptist Church. She is a member of the Missionary, Intercessory Prayer, and Prison ministries. She serves as an advisor to the Young Adult Ministry and is a Sunday school teacher.

The Usher’s Union Class will be led by Mr. Rodney McCormick, a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. There he serves as the president of the Senior Usher Board, superintendent of the Sunday school, and director of the vacation Bible school. Currently, he is the assistant dean for the General Baptist State Convention of N.C.  He is a graduate of N.C. A&T State University and the University of Kentucky.  

The Health & Wellness Guild (formerly known as the Nurses’ Guild) will be taught by Ms. Sharon Roberts. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in organizational management and a master of arts degree in management from Ashford University. Ms. Roberts is a member of New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church where she serves on the Health Ministry and  is president of Alms for Christ Missionary Ministry. She is currently employed at the Forsyth County Department of Public Health as a community fitness and wellness  coordinator, adult health educator, and the N.C. Minority Diabetes Prevention coordinator for Region 3. She is the current vice president of the Forsyth County Union Health and Wellness Guild.

The Deacon’s class will be taught by Deacon Christopher Brooks who also led the class last year. He describes himself as a born again believer in Jesus Christ. Currently he serves as the chairman of the deacons at the Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Walkertown. He is a Sunday school and evening Bible study teacher.

The Senior Missionary instructor is Ms. Sheila Sullivan of New Jerusalem Baptist Church. She has been an institute instructor for several years. Ms. Sullivan has earned degrees from Winston-Salem State University and Vintage Bible College and Seminary, where she has earned continuing education training credits and certificates in missions, Christian education, youth, young adult, senior and women’s ministries.  

The instructor for the Missionary Young Adults is Dr. Cynthia Dixon, who accepted the call into ministry in December 1994. She is an associate at First Waughtown Baptist Church. Dr. Dixon is committed to discipleship. She has served faithfully in many capacities including youth church teacher, missionary, Bible study instructor and vacation Bible school instructor. She is the founder and CEO of Cynthia Dixon Ministries, Inc. A  graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Dixon earned a master’s in divinity from Shaw University, a master’s from Gardner-Webb University and a doctorate from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. She is employed by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system in the career and technical department. 

The youth are especially invited to attend this Zoom event on Thursday and Friday night. The youth instructors are  eager to share these dynamic topics.

The Missionary Youth Messengers class (ages 15-20) will study “You Are My Witness – Sharing Jesus in the 21st Century.” This class will be led by Dr. Jeremiah Shipp, a member of Love and Faith Christian Fellowship Church in Greensboro.  At Love and Faith CFC, he serves as a ministry director providing leadership, training, and many support ministries within his church family. Dr. Shipp completed formal education at Tennessee State University, obtaining a bachelor of business administration, master’s of arts degree in biblical studies from Carolina University in Winston-Salem, and doctor of education from Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas. He states, as he teaches and preaches the Word of God, he strives to see people saved, delivered and equipped for the work of ministry.

The Missionary Youth in Action class will welcome participants 9-14 years of age, as they study “The Fruit of the Spirit.” The instructor, Rev. Michelle Hudson, is an associate minister of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church who serves in the youth ministries and as the chairperson of the young adult missionaries. She has a bachelor of arts degree in political science from N.C. State University in Raleigh. Rev. Hudson teaches in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system and acts as the youth supervisor of the Forsyth County Missionary Union.  

“Developing the Heart of a Servant,’’ for missionary youth up to age 8, will be taught by Rev. Clara Goode, an associate minister of Morning Star Baptist Church. She has been in the children’s ministry for over 40 years. An instructor at Vintage Bible College and Seminary, Rev. Goode directs seminars entitled “Leading a Child to Christ,’’ “Teaching Children in the 21st Century,”  and various other workshops. She teaches in the High Point Educational and Missionary Association Youth Tract and the General Baptist State Convention Youth Division. 

The Baptist Training Institute Director Nancy Green, a member of Red Bank Baptist Church, welcomes returning and new participants from Forsyth County, Rockingham County, Alamance County and surrounding areas. For the connections to access the Baptist Training Institute, email fcbaptisttraining.info@gmail.com.