Leadership

Dr. J. Eric Mathison

Dr. Mathison was born and raised in Cartersville, Georgia. He was licensed to the ministry in 1974 and was ordained in 1978, at the age of 19, by Peeples Valley Baptist Church where he grew up. Dr. Mathison is a graduate of Shorter College in Rome, Georgia, and has earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry Degrees from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. His previous pastorates include Friendship Baptist Church in Cartersville from 1979 to 1985, Norton Park Baptist Church in Smyrna from 1985 to 1995, and First Baptist Church, Avondale Estates, GA from 1995 to 2003. He has been serving as Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Waycross, GA since January, 2003.

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Mark Williams

Mark Williams has served as Minister of Music at First Baptist Church, Waycross, GA since October of 1991. Mark was born in Norfolk, VA and raised in Bradenton, FL where he graduated from Manatee High School in 1984. He was licensed to the ministry in 1986 and ordained in 1991 by the Pleasant Grove First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas when he was attending seminary.

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John Wheeler

Rev. John Wheeler has been serving as the Minister to Students at First Baptist Church since June of 1998. John was raised in Greenville S.C. where he graduated from Riverside High School in 1987. He graduated from Lander University in Greenwood, S.C. with a B.S. in Exercise Science and Athletic Training in 1992. He answered the call to Youth Ministry and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he graduated with a Masters in Christian Ed. with an emphasis in Youth Ministry.

John is married to Lesley Wheeler and they have two beautiful daughters; Emma and Sara.