In Every Season
A Summer of Preaching
For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.
A Time To Remember, A Time To Renew, A Time To Reach
Rev. Amy McClure, Preaching May 22
Rev. McClure is Associate Pastor Children, Senior Adults, Pastoral Care
The Reverend Amy McClure has served as one of the Associate Pastors since March 2015. One of Amy’s favorite passages of scripture is Isaiah 43, which reminds us of God’s redeeming power in our lives and that God calls us by name. In her role as an Associate Pastor, Amy provides leadership in the areas of Pastoral Care, Senior Adult Ministry, and Children’s Ministry. One of Amy’s passions is inter-generational ministry, where people of all ages partner together to be the Church and share the Gospel.
Amy holds a Master of Divinity from Campbell University Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She enjoys connecting with people from all over and loves being part of the beloved community at First Baptist Church on Fifth.
Rev. Dr. David Hull, Preaching May 29
Rev. Hull is Transition Pastor of First Baptist Church of Laurens, South Carolina.
David was the Pastor of First Baptist Church in Laurens from 1986-1993. He has now returned to serve the church during a pastoral interim. After more than 40 years of working as a pastor, David has retired from full-time ministry and lives in Winston-Salem, NC with his wife Jane. In addition to serving as Transition Pastor, he is a consultant with the Center for Healthy Churches. A native of Louisville, KY, David is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. David and Jane have two children, Emily and Andrew, who spent much of their childhood in Laurens. Today, David enjoys life with his three grandchildren who live nearby in Winston-Salem.
Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard, Preaching June 5
Rev. Leonard is Founding Dean and Professor of Divinity Emeritus, Wake Forest University School of Divinity
Leonard’s research focuses on Church History with particular attention to American religion, Baptist studies, and Appalachian religion. He is the author or editor of some 25 books including Christianity in Appalachia (1999); Baptist Ways: A History (2003); The Challenge of Being Baptist (2010); Can I Get a Witness?: Essays, Sermons and Reflections (2013); and A Sense of the Heart: Christian Religious Experience in the U.S., (2014). In March 2015 he delivered the William James Lecture on Religious Experience at Harvard Divinity School and in February 2017 he gave the William Self Lectures on Preaching at McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University. His newest book, The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to Church History: Flaming Heretics and Heavy Drinkers, was published by Fortress Press in July 2017. Leonard is on the board of the Journal of Disability and Religion, The Baptist Quarterly (England), the Day1 Preaching Network, the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, and the Governing Board of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. His sabbatical research focuses on a new book, tentatively entitled: “Security or Idolatry?: A History of Religion and Firearms in the U.S.” Leonard writes a twice-monthly column for Baptist News Global, is an ordained Baptist minister, and a member of First Baptist Church, Highland Avenue (American Baptist Churches, USA) in Winston-Salem.
Rev. Leonard earned his BA, Texas Wesleyan University; MDiv, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; PhD, Boston University
Rev. Mary Kaylor, Preaching June 12
Rev. Kaylor is Minister for Youth; Associate Coordinator for Missions & Church Resources, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina.
Rev. Mary Kaylor joined the First on Fifth staff as Minister for Youth in November 2020. She comes to the position with experience in both congregational and nonprofit ministry. One of Mary’s guiding phrases in life and ministry is “find your voice and use it.” God created each person with a unique voice and calls each of us to use that voice to spread God’s love throughout the world. Mary is has been honored to work with the youth of First on Fifth and cheer them on as they discover, claim and use their God-given voices in the congregation and in their larger communities.
Mary holds a Master of Divinity from the McAfee School of Theology, a Master of Business Administration from Campbell University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Campbell University. She was ordained to ministry by her home church, First Baptist Church, New Bern, NC. Mary serves full-time as associate coordinator with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina working in the areas of missions and church resources. She enjoys exploring new places and spending time with friends and family.
Rev. Dr. Richard Groves, Preaching June 19
Rev. Groves is a writer and the retired pastor of Wake Forest Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC.
Richard Groves retired after serving 23 years as pastor of the Wake Forest Baptist Church on the campus of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has taught at Tufts University and Wake Forest. He is a regular opinion contributor to the Winston-Salem Journal, Baptist News Global, and the Greensboro News and Record.
Before coming to Winston-Salem, he was a pastor in Cambridge, Massachusetts and
Waco, Texas. During his ministry, he taught in departments of religion and philosophy
at Baylor University, Tufts University, Wake Forest University, and Salem College.
After his retirement, he taught as an adjunct faculty member at High Point University.
Then he retired again.
Currently, he writes bi-weekly op-ed columns for the Winston-Salem Journal and also
the Greensboro News and Record.
Dr. Groves is the author of a collection of sermons (Living in the Mystery). He edited a
book of speeches by William Louis Poteat, president of Wake Forest in the early
20th century (published by Wake Forest University). He also edited two 17th century
works on religious liberty, including The Bloody Tenent of Persecution by Roger
Williams (both published by Mercer University Press).
Dr. Groves served in numerous capacities in the community during his ministry in
Winston-Salem, including the Mayor’s Committee on Race Relations, the Human
Relations Commission, People of Faith Against the Death Penalty, Preservation
Forsyth, and the Urban League.
Dr. Groves and Wake Forest Baptist Church received awards from various local
organizations, including the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award for " bridging the gaps in
race relations from the Winston-Salem chapter of the Urban League; the United Way
Community Problem Solving Award; the Human Relations Award from the Winston-
Salem Chronicle, and the Faith Community Kaleidoscope Award from PFLAG for its
stand regarding the role of gays and lesbians in the church.
In August 2020 the Winston-Salem Journal, Spark Magazine, and Senior Services
recognized “seniors who have made significant contributions of time, service, and
talent to the local community.” Dr. Groves was one of the honorees.
Dr. Groves is married to Nikki Byers, retired executive director of Imprints Cares and
currently interim minister of missions at First Baptist Church on Fifth. Their blended
family numbers twelve adult children and 13 grandchildren.
Rev. Dr. David Gushee, Preaching June 26, July 10, and August 14
Dr. David P. Gushee (PhD, Union Theological Seminary, New York) is an ethicist, pastor, author, and advocate. He is the Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University, and Chair of Christian Social Ethics at Vrije Universiteit (“Free University”) Amsterdam/IBTS.
Gushee is the elected Past-President of both the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Christian Ethics, signaling his role as one of America’s leading Christian ethicists. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of more than 25 books and over 175 academic book chapters, journal articles, and reviews. His most recognized works include Introducing Christian Ethics, Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust, Kingdom Ethics, and The Sacredness of Human Life. With his Changing Our Mind and After Evangelicalism, he charts a theological and ethical course for post-evangelical Christians, a course he more personally relates in memoir, Still Christian. Altogether his books have sold over 100,000 copies and been translated into a dozen languages.
Over a full 28-year career, he’s been a devoted teacher and mentor as Professor Gushee to college students, seminarians, and PhD students. He’s also led activist efforts on climate, torture, and LGBTQ inclusion, and continues to be a keynote speaker at churches, forums, and universities.
For the general media, Gushee has written hundreds of opinion pieces and given interviews to scores of major outlets and podcasts. Along with his friend Jeremy Hall, he also co-hosts a popular podcast called “Kingdom Ethics.”
David and his beloved wife Jeanie live in Atlanta. He is a classic novel reader, world traveler (soon, again, he hopes), and tennis player, and awaits a call from his beloved Atlanta Braves to resume the baseball career he abandoned in college.
Rev. David Williamson, Preaching July 3
David Williamson, Associate Pastor Worship, Arts, Administration
336.722.2558 x1003
david@firstonfifth.org
The Reverend David Williamson has been Minister of Worship and the Arts at First Baptist Church on Fifth since 1998. One of David’s best-loved Scriptures among many favorites is Psalm 139 which reminds us of God’s intimate presence in our lives. David’s ministry focus, Worship and the Arts grew out of his desire to use art as a tool for spiritual formation and worship. His leadership has helped bring about special arts-related programmings like the Open Doors Art Classes and exhibits featuring photography, sculpting, and oil painting. During his ministry at FBC, David has conducted numerous special musical performances such as the annual “Feast of Carols” Christmas concert. For the past ten years, David has served as the Chorus Master of the Messiah Community Chorus for Winston-Salem’s annual presentation of Handel’s Messiah performed at Reynolds Auditorium.
David earned a Bachelor of Music from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and a Master of Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
Learn more about the Arts Ministry at First on Fifth.
Rev. Dr. Lynn Brinkley, Preaching July 17
Rev. Dr. Lynn Brinkley is associate director of Baptist Women in Ministry. She joined the staff in January 2020. Lynn previously served as director of church, alumni, and student relations at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina, where she had been on staff since May 2007. Since 2012, she was an adjunct Instructor, teaching in both Campbell University’s Divinity School and the Christian Studies Department. Lynn earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in May 2014, a Master of Divinity degree from Campbell University Divinity School in May 2008, a Master of Science degree from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in May 1997, and a Bachelor of Science and Sociology degree from North Carolina State University in May 1992.
Active in the Baptist community, Lynn is the vice-president of the ministers division for the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, serves on the board of Baptist Joint Committee, and is currently co-chair of BJC’s executive committee. She serves as associate minister at First Baptist of Fayetteville, North Carolina and was ordained on May 4, 2014. Lynn was a board member of the Baptist Women in Ministry of North Carolina, and from 2015 to 2018, she served on Baptist Women in Ministry’s Leadership Team
A frequent guest preacher at churches of diverse denominations, Lynn is also the author of Manners and Money: A Manual on Preaching Etiquette.
Rev. Lynn Rhoades, Preaching July 24
Rev. Lynn Co-Founder and Executive Director, Authoring Action
Along with administrative oversight, program development and vocal coaching, Rhoades provides emotional and spiritual support for Authoring Action teens and their families. An artist in her own right, Rhoades’ love of performance art and passion for the health and well-being of young people joins her commitment to social justice as a leader of Authoring Action. Lynn is a member at First Baptist Church on Fifth.
Rev. Dr. Mike Queen, Preaching July 31
Rev. Dr. Jason Coker, Preaching August 7
Rev. Dr. Jason Coker is the National Director, Together for Hope and Field Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Mississippi
Friends, you are in for such a treat, as you have the opportunity to learn from a host of voices this summer. From professors to pastors, non-profit champions to fierce advocates, national leaders to historians, and beloved friends among us, these 11 guest proclaimers will enliven our summer worship with the richness of their perspectives. Each will take a piece of that “in every season” theme: some turning our eyes behind us in “a time to remember,” others calling for the Spirit’s refreshing in our present “time to renew,” and some summoning us into God’s bold future and our “time to reach.”
Anchoring each of these movements in preaching and teaching will be Dr. David Gushee, nationally-renowned ethicist, theologian, author and professor. We’ll have the opportunity to hear from Dr. Gushee three times this summer. Each visit of his will begin with a churchwide Sunday school, where in conversation with his dear friends and former students, Jake and Abigail Cook, he’ll explore three of his books and their pressing topics in ethics. Enjoy time together from 9:30-10:30am on the following Sundays to deepen your understanding of what it means to bring one’s Christian faith into the world.
June 26: Conversations on Changing Our Mind: The Definitive Edition of the Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBT Christians with Response to Critics
July 10: Conversations on After Evangelicalism: The Path to a New Christianity
August 14: Conversations on Dr. Gushee’s newest material, Defending Democracy
We hope you will join us for worship this summer.
