Staff
Pastor Hilton started serving in August of 2007. He has been married to his lovely wife Amy for 12 years and God has blessed them with three precious children. He is a graduate of Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, NC with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and also has received his Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as an Associate Pastor of FBC in Roanoke Rapids, NC for 3 years and as Pastor of Dawson Baptist Church in Enfield, NC for 10 years. He is a North Carolina native, born and raised by wonderful God loving parents. His father is a retired Southern Baptist pastor. Pastor Hilton's passion is to reach people with the gospel of Christ and equip the saints to do the same.
Pastor Ivey Adams started here on April 1, 2008 as our Associate Pastor of Care. His ministry is concentrated on ministering to the sick, shut-ins, and families who have experienced the passing of a loved one. Pastor Adams has a pastor’s heart and whenever you see him, he is representing Bethel Baptist Church as one of our pastors. We will not see him on Sunday because he is presently serving as Interim Pastor at First Baptist Church in Pulaski, but he will be available during the week. Ivey and his wife, Dolly, were members of Bethel from 1970-1976 while Ivey served as Director of Child Care at the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home. They returned to Bethel in 1999 upon his retirement from the pastorate at Beulah Baptist Church in Rocky Mount. Since retirement Bro. Ivey has served as interim pastor in several churches.Pastor Adams graduated from Troy State University, Troy, Alabama and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. He has also studied in the child care field at University of North Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University.
2008 marks the 6th year Evelyn has served as Bethel’s part-time Music Director. Membership in the Celebration Choir, including the ALIVE Praise Team, has grown to 59 members and we how have a three-octave handbell choir, Spirit Bells.
Together, Evelyn and her husband, Mike, have six children and six grandchildren. Mike, a 40-year GE retiree, has been a member of Bethel since 1955 and Evelyn since 1991 when she served as Interim Music Director for a season during Reverend Stuart Carlton’s ministry.
Evelyn retired from Appalachian Power Company after 30 years of service as Administrative Assistant to the Director of Human Resources Operations. She has served as director of Appalachian Power’s Employee Chorus; Music Director for the Daleville Church of the Brethren, and Director of a ladies ensemble, “Rejoice”.
Evelyn is also a Southern Gospel Concert and Recording Artist. Mike and Evelyn began Evelyn Conner Ministries in 1989 when they felt that God was calling them to become witnesses through testimony and song. They have presented Gospel Music Concerts in Churches all up and down the East Coast and as far west as Mississippi, working as a team . . . with Mike engineering the sound. Evelyn has also written and presented several programs utilizing her comedienne side:
She participated in the North American Country Music Association International (NACMAI) Hall of Fame and Awards Show in Pigeon Forge, TN, and was blessed to receive the following awards:
Female Vocalist Of The Year - New Gospel
Female Entertainer Of The Year - New Gospel
Evelyn has also been one of the featured artists to sing at the Southern Gospel Music Fanfair which is held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, each year.
Evelyn’s work and concert experience has enabled her to utilize all styles of music from bluegrass to classical at Bethel in an effort to minister to all age groups. Testimonies, monologues, skits, and audience participation, are often incorporated into the various services in an effort to win others to Christ and bring about revival and rededication.
While Evelyn Conner Ministries has been a large part of the Conner’s lives, they have dedicated themselves to the mission and spiritual growth being experienced at Bethel Baptist Church.
All honor, praise and glory goes to Jesus Christ, our Savior and King!
Chris Clowser is our Interim Director of Student Ministries. Chris and his wife Sheilia have been members of Bethel for 16 years. Their children, Samantha and Cameron, have both grown up and been baptized here at Bethel, and Chris was ordained as a deacon here. Sheilia has been active in both the Children and Youth ministries for the last 12 years and is currently teaching our middle school Sunday school class. Chris started as an adult Sunday school teacher, but he has been actively teaching in the Youth department for the last 13 years. The whole family has been trained and certified (including counseling classes) in order to qualify as a special needs foster care home.
Chris says, “I honestly believe that God is calling me to full-time Youth ministry and that I can no longer ignore His calling for my life. Even though God has already blessed me with spiritual mentors here at Bethel, I plan to further my formal theological education to help develop and strengthen our Student ministries. I have complete faith that God will continue to equip me as His servant as I look to remain in the center of His will. I would like to thank our church family for your prayers, faith, and continued support as my family and I embark on this new and exciting chapter in our lives. Thank you for the privilege and responsibility of leading our Student ministries as we strive to grow in God.”
Kelley is a lifelong member of Bethel Baptist Church. Having grown up here at Bethel she feels exceptionally blessed to be called to serve here on staff. Kelley & her husband David have been married 10 years. David is a hardworking guy that also finds himself very busy here at Bethel. They have a fun and very energetic 3 year old son, Gavin.
Kelley's passion has long been in the Preschool ministry. Volunteering in Preschool since she was a young teenager she has a heart for young children. She truly believes there is no age too young to hear about Christ and his love for us. Kelley often states "Teaching preschoolers about God and the love he has for us is a most important life lesson. They learn so much from singing, playing and leaders showing love. The Preschool Department is where it all begins!"
She's very excited about our growing Weekday Preschool program here at Bethel. Kelley spends many hours researching and studying how to make it the best Preschool in the area. "I truly believe the Lord is calling Bethel to open it's doors to our local Preschoolers to teach them about the love our Savior as well as their ABCs".
1 Timothy 4:12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Linda Johnson - Administrator
Jamie Highfill - Financial Secretary
Frank Wade - Sunday School Director
Judy Stockton - Instrumentalist
Margie Byrd - Instrumentalist
Raymond Howell - Volunteer Praise Team Leader
Sheila Barger - Volunteer Church Hostess
