Dr. Robert Prince
Lead Pastor
Dr. Prince has served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Waynesville since February 2003 coming from First Baptist Church of Vernon, Texas. He has a B.A. from Baylor University in Waco, Texas and a Masters of Divinity and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He has taught for Southwestern and New Orleans Baptist Seminaries and Wayland Baptist University, and has had articles and sermons published in various journals. His hobbies include exercising, watching old movies and golf.
Johnathan Sumner
Pastor for Worship Ministries
Johnathan Sumner is a native of California and in 2017 earned a B.A in music from Concordia University in Irvine, CA. His emphasis was in church music. Following that, in 2022 he earned a Master of Divinity/Master of Music from Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas. In addition to his educational credentials, he has good practical experience in leading worship and choirs in Lutheran and Baptist churches. His worship leadership has been in both traditional and contemporary forms.
Seth Wright
Pastor for NextGen Ministries
Seth is from Belton, South Carolina. He most recently served as full-time Director of Youth Ministries at Bethesda United Methodist Church in Easley, South Carolina. In addition to serving at that church, he served as Youth Pastor as Christ Church 4Given in Greenwood, South Carolina, and as Lead Pastor at Illuminate Church in Greenwood, SC. Seth earned an A.B.A in Business Management from Greenville Technical College, and a M.Div. and D.Min. at Andersonville Theological Seminary. He is spiritually mature and is passionate about working with youth and excited for the opportunity to work with children.
Joyce Brooks
Ministry Assistant
Joyce Brooks has served as one of our ministry assistants since 2008. She brings to her work a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with people and resources. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management and has worked for several local and international nonprofits. Joyce is native to the Waynesville area and has one son who is a Naturopathic Doctor in Vermont. She is a member of Grace Church in the Mountains where she serves as a lay Eucharist minister and a licensed Eucharist visitor.
Faith Woods
Financial Secretary
Faith Woods has served as our financial secretary since 2019. Faith and her husband Brian are the proud parents of Gracie (NCSU) and Jonathan (Haywood Early College). She is a lifelong resident of Haywood County and a member of First Baptist Waynesville since 1981. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from UNCG, and she has both taught and served in accounting positions over the last 26 years. She loves anything numerical and is thrilled to be able to serve her church in this capacity!
Mary Ann Cooper
Organist/Accompanist
Mary Ann Cooper has served as our organist/accompanist since 1998. She holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in organ performance from Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, TX. In addition to serving as a church musician, she has taught Kindermusik, private piano, and public school music. She is a published composer. Mary Ann and her husband Robert have two daughters: Amy, who is a full-time instructor of music history courses at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, and Kristen, an executive administrative assistant and communications assistant at Radius Church in Lexington, SC. Kristen and her husband, Dustin King, are the parents of Mary Ann’s most beloved grandson Evan and granddaughter Charlotte!
