Rev. Dr. Welton Fields, Jr.
President/CEO
 


Rev. Dr. Welton Fields, Jr. is a native of Logan, WVwhere he accepted Christ at the age of 12 and was baptized at Ebenezer Baptist Church.  He has a tremendous passion for God’s Word coupled with a love for mankind and especially for “the household of faith.”  He has a contagious spirit of generosity that flows through every facet of his ministry.

He accepted his call to preach God’s Word while serving in Vietnamin 1968.  In the same year he was licensed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and ordained in December, 1970.  By the Grace of God, he has labored in the Gospel Ministry for forty-one years with thirty nine years devoted to pastoring.  Before accepting the call to pastor The Southern Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Washington DCin December, 1987, he pastored in the state of West Virginiafor eighteen years.
 
Rev. Fields holds a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Divinity from Andersonville Baptist Seminary.  While attending Andersonville Baptist Seminary, he received the prestigious award of Seminarian of the Year, in honor of excellence in scholarship and service while pursuing academic goals.   In 1998, Reverend Fields had conferred upon him a Doctor of Philosophy degree by Faith Bible Collegeand Seminary. He is a preacher of the Gospel, and an anointed teacher.
 
During his twenty-one year tenure at Southern Friendship, he proclaims that the hand of the Lord is upon us.  Conversions, congregational ministries and community outreach endeavors have grown tremendously.   Numerous ministers have been licensed to preach and several ordained under his tutelage; and many Deacons ordained to address the needs of the ever-growing congregation. Beyond the Wednesday Bible Class, he started a Noon Day Bible Class, a quarterly leadership workshop, and a Diaconate Ministry.  The Church has a strong Youth Department and an Athletic Program that reaches all ages.
 
His vision is uncompromisingly clear, with one central principle; to build and develop a kingdom of empowered people for God; holding firmly to the commissioned mandate in Matthew 28:18-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations”.  Under his leadership, in July 2002, Southern Friendship purchased a 94,000 sq foot facility on 13 acres.   This new location is providing opportunities to grow and develop new ministries, programs and partnerships serving the immediate community and the community at large, while advancing the Kingdom of our God. 
 
Reverend Fields is indeed a servant of God.  He served nine years as General Secretary of the National Capital Baptist Convention and four years as Vice President-at-Large.  He is an instructor for the National Capital Baptist Congress of Christian Education, Past Faculty Member with Faith Bible Collegeand Seminary, and a Member of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Washington, D.C. & Vicinity.
 
He is married to Mary K. (Lewis) Fields and they have three children: Andrea, Brian and Nicole and 6 beautiful grandchildren.