Dr. Simmons is originally from Eden, North Carolina where he and his wife, Sandra both grew up and attended Spray Baptist Church. He was ordained there in 1969 and they were married there the same year. He and Sandra have been married for 48 years and have 2 children and 5 grandchildren. He has held 6 pastorates and 1 interim pastorate during his career before coming to New Bethel Baptist Church as Interim Pastor in April, 2018. He earned the B.A. Degree from Carson-Newman University in 1970, the Master of Divinity Degree with Languages from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1973, and the Doctor of Ministry Degree, also from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1978. While serving his last full-time pastorate before retirement at Buies Creek First Baptist Church in 2015, he taught as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Religion at Campbell University.
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A Message from our Interim Pastor:
I consider it a privilege to serve as Interim Pastor and minister with the church family at New Bethel Baptist Church. When the church began over 200 years ago, it understood that its mission was to reach out to the people of its community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Though the community has changed and expanded, the church’s mission remains the same, to share the love of Jesus with others through both word and deed. We are a small church with a big heart for permeating our community with the love of Jesus. We seek to be true to the Gospel and believe that God’s word, as found in the Bible, is relevant for every generation.
If you are searching for a church home where you will be welcomed, a place where the Bible is taught, and a place where you can grow spiritually and be involved in ministry, I invite you to come to New Bethel Baptist Church. If you are seeking to find answers to some of the perplexing questions you may be asking or seeking a place where you can call home, come and worship with us. I simply invite you to come and see for yourself who we are and what we are about.
Pastor Michael
Zachary was born and raised in Garner, North Carolina, where he grew up at New Bethel. Zachary went to The College at Southeastern where he graduated in 2015 with a B.A. in Christian Studies and Pastoral Ministry. In 2017 he received a research M.A. in Ethics, Theology and Culture from The Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Zachary is currently considering higher education and praying over opportunities to pursue a Ph.D.
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A Message from our Student Minister:
While statistics and numbers change and vary on the specifics, it is a daunting reality that most students abandon their religious background at some point during their college years never to return to the faith. The world is a difficult place for a Christian. Today students are challenged both academically and morally in every facet of life: in their classrooms, by their friends, at their first jobs, and even in the home.
It is my belief that God has called this generation for such a time as this! My passion is to equip our students to think critically about the world and how we ought to engage in it. Jesus, who is Lord of the entire created order, commanded that above all we are to love God and love others—this is the goal of our Student Ministries at New Bethel.
If you are interested or have any questions about any of our Student Ministries: @newbethel_kidz or @newbethel_youth, please let me know.
Grateful,
Zachary
