OUR STAFF

JOHN S. FOLES

Senior Pastor

John Foles and his family came to Bethel Baptist Church in August of 2006. John is married to the former Tommie Gail Burgess of Maben, MS, and God has blessed them with three wonderful children: Leah, Kara, and John II. He holds both a Bachelor's Degree and Masters of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, LA.

MIKE DENNY
Student Pastor / Pastoral Assistant

Mike Denny has been the Student Pastor and Pastoral Assistant since March 2022. He was called into full time ministry in 2012 and brings over 20 years of experience and knowledge of student ministry, leadership, and serving in the church. Mike is continuing his education at Liberty University with a degree in Christian Leadership. He has been married to his wife, Heather, for 22 years. They are proud parents of their 4 boys: Landon, William, Owen and Ryan. They enjoy traveling, camping and anything outdoors.

JAY FREEMAN
Worship Leader

Jay Freeman became saved at the age of six years old at Vacation Bible School. He graduated from Moody High School in Moody, Alabama in 2012 and received a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a concentration in Music Technology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2016. Jay and his wife, Julie, have been members at Bethel Baptist Church since September of 2021, and welcomed their first son, Wyatt, in January of 2022. Jay leads worship music in the Sunday morning and evening services, rehearses with several music ensembles throughout the week, and also manages audiovisual aspects in the church, including audio, livestream, presentation software, and church website management. His primary objective is that everything he does serves to praise the Lord, in the spirit of Psalm 150.

COLLEEN LATHAM

Children's Director

Colleen Latham was saved at 27 years old, baptized, and The Lord graciously allowed her and her husband, Sam, to have five amazing children over the ten years that followed. Her children’s journey from toddlers to teenagers to young adults has been the most wonderful, challenging, and treasured time of her life, and she is so grateful to have been able to share this time with the Bethel Baptist Church family since joining in June of 1999. Colleen has served as Children’s Director since March of 2010, and is grateful that she gets to teach, work with, and share the love of God with the sweet children at Bethel. She tries to parent and minister using the principles of Ephesians 6:4, to “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” and the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.

JO THOMASON

WeeCare Director

Jo is married to Robert Thomason and they have five children and fourteen grandchildren. She loves all the babies at church and melts whenever they call her "Granny Jo". In addition to her work with Weecare, she teaches the K5 class during VBS and loves going on mission trips. Outside of church, Jo volunteers with Operation Christmas Child and Backyard Blessings.

CLARISSA BLACKMON

Church Secretary