BOARD MEMBERS
Phillip Cook
Phillip was born in Shelby County Alabama on April 30, 1965. In 1976 his family moved to Jemison, Alabama. Phillip graduated from Jemison High School in 1983. He married his wife, Lesa, in 1984. They have one son, Clay. Phillip went to work as a Stone Mason for a large company in Bessemer, Alabama. In 1994 he opened his own Tile Business and in 2000 opened a Marble & Granite Shop. Currently, He manages his own Residential & Commercial Properties.
In April 1988 Phillip was under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. (Thank You Jesus!) He followed up with believer’s baptism and joined Mineral Springs Baptist Church. He was ordained as a deacon in 1996. He has served as Brotherhood Director, Sunday School Director, and taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training Classes. Phillip has a love for sharing God’s word through local & foreign missions. This has lead him to serving locally with the county’s jail ministry and taken him as far as trips to Nicaragua & Guatemala. He has been involved with the Chilton Baptist Builders since 1996 and is currently serving on the board of directors. This group travels the U.S. and constructs new church buildings. He currently attends Enon Baptist Church in Montevallo, Al. where he serves as a deacon and works with the kid’s ministry and bus ministry.
While at Mineral Springs Baptist Church several couples began riding motorcycles and a short time later started a F.A.I.T.H. Rider chapter. Phillip served as the event coordinator and now is honored to serve as the State Coordinator for Alabama.
He must become greater, I must become less. John 3:30
THOMAS ARMBRISTER
Tom joined the staff of London Bridge Baptist Church on January 29, 2001, as the pastor of administration. The Lord provided him the ability to serve in this capacity through his experience in the U.S. Navy; as a technical rep for Atlas Powder Company; as a regional VP for heavy equipment sales in the mining industry; and as general manager of Pump Engineering in Chesapeake, VA. After six years as administrator, Tom became the assoc. pastor of adult education, and five years later the sr. assoc. pastor.
Tom is married to an absolutely wonderful woman and true partner in ministry, Sherry. They have two sons: Michael married to Tracey with twin boys, Alex & Owen living in Marion, VA. John who lives in Spartanburg, SC; and a daughter Carrie, married to Matthew Carver, living in Asheville, NC.
Tom was always in church from birth, and accepted Christ as Savior at age 7, but didn’t surrender to Christ as LORD until God put him behind the curtain (literally) during a Christmas Pageant at LBBC in 1996.
Tom attended Va. Tech and served in the Corps of Cadets, majoring in biology (pre-veterinarian medicine), minoring in psychology, with supplemental courses in bio-medical engineering.
Tom’s life verse is Phil. 1:6, Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Hobbies are: motorcycles (obviously) and fly fishing
DAVID BURTON
President and founder of David Burton Ministries. Established September 1, 2015.
DavidBurtonMinistries seeks to enhance and encourage local churches, Baptist associations and SBC state conventions in the New Testament strategies of Evangelism and Church Health.
He served the past 26 years in the Evangelism Division of the Florida Baptist Convention and the last 13 years served as their Director of Evangelism and Lead Strategist. During the last 8 years of ministry The Florida Baptist Convention lead the nation in total state baptisms.
David graduated from Union University, in Jackson, Tennessee, and graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, with a MDiv.
Prior to serving with the Florida Baptist Convention, David pastored and served other staff positions across the nation.
David is married to Kathy and they have two married children, Josh and Katie.
He has preached or taught in every US state except Oregon. David has also traveled to over 12 nations with most recent ministry emphasis in Haiti. He has preached in thousands of churches and led hundreds of revivals over the years across the nation and around the world.
Writings would include articles and manuscripts for the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Lifeway, North American Mission Board and several state convention papers. He is also designed and develop numerous personal evangelism/soulwinning tools now being used around the world.
David is available to travel in order to preach, teach, strategize and consult with local churches, associations, state conventions and individual pastors as requested.
MICHELE NEWSOME
Michele and her husband Buddy Newsome founded F.A.I.T.H. Riders Motorcycle Ministry in 2002 while attending First Baptist Church at the Mall in Lakeland, Florida. Michele and Buddy were married 19 years until his passing in November 2015. Michele and Buddy have 3 grown children, 5 adopted children they sponsor in Moldova and one beautiful granddaughter.
Michele M. Newsome serves as the Director of The Porch Light, which is a safe home for minor girls who have been rescued from sex trafficking. The Porch Light is a ministry of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. She is responsible for the oversight of the victims, staff and volunteers of the program’s safe home, as well as education and prevention efforts.
Michele graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Saint Leo University and served in law enforcement as a police officer and detective for 24 years. She worked as a patrol officer, school resource officer and as a detective investigating crimes against children that include emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Michele retired from law enforcement after her tenure in the Office of Professional Standards Internal Affairs Unit.
A graduate of Webster University, Michele has her master’s degree in mental health counseling. She is a registered intern working toward licensure. She has a history of working with victims of sexual abuse, offenders and those with sexual addictions.
Michele enjoys traveling and serving orphaned children in Moldova by partnering with Justice and Mercy International to sponsor orphaned and abandoned children into transitional living. Transitional living affords these children hope and the opportunity to succeed while keeping them from entering a life of crime and trafficking.
Michele is passionate about loving people, sharing Christ and making an eternal difference through motorcycling ministry. She wants “No One Left Behind” and for F.A.I.T.H. Riders to “Keep Braggin on Jesus.”
ROBERT RHODES
I was born in 1965 in Santa Barbara, CA. I married my wife, Sherry, in 1988 in LaFayette, AL. We have 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren. I surrendered my life to Christ in 1990 and was called into the ministry the same year. I began pastoring in 1994 and am currently in my third pastorate at Cottonton Baptist Church in Cottonton, AL. I have been a part of FAITH Riders since 2011 and have been a part of starting chapters in my last two churches. I am enjoying serving as the FAITH Riders National Chaplain and look forward to helping disciple others to evangelize the lost through this ministry.
MARCUS MERRITT
Dr J Marcus Merritt Director of Doctor of Ministry Program. Director of Ministry Relations and Asst. Professor of Pastoral Ministry.
Previousley served as the Director of Church-Minister Relations for the Georgia Baptist Convention.
From 2006-2009 Marcus served as the AL State Coordinator for F.A.I.T.H. Rider’s Motorcycle Ministry. He has also trained hundreds of volunteers at Sturgis and Daytona Beach to use the 3-Minute Testimony.
Previously, he served as a missionary with both the Alabama Baptist Convention (ALSBOM) and the North American Mission Board (NAMB).
Marcus has also served as senior pastor of churches in Georgia and Alabama; and holds a doctor of ministry degree from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Marcus and his wife, Michelle, have three children and six grandchildren.
WARREN ABRAHAM
Warren Abraham was born Dec 8, 1959 and grew up in Mt Arlington NJ. After high school he attended Rutgers University College of Engineering and graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. While at Rutgers he was accepted into the Air Force's College Senior Engineering Program which led to his commissioning as an officer in the United States Air Force. In 1985 while serving at Eglin Air Force Base in Ft Walton Beach FL he met and married Rebecca (Becky) Graham from Selma AL. That same year Warren was accepted into a master's degree program at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton OH where he graduated with a master's degree in electro-optics.
Warren and Becky both retired from the Air Force with 21 and 26 years of service, respectively. In 2000, Warren recognized that while he had felt his need for Jesus as his savior earlier in life, he had not made him his Lord. That realization led him to submit to His lordship and he was baptized at First Baptist Church, Alexandria VA. His life focus changed and he began serving through his church and establishing his walk with Jesus. He participated as a member of several foreign mission teams, helped with and planned outreach events, and developed a love for evangelistic/discipleship activities. In 2005, Warren bought a motorcycle and started riding again after a 20 year hiatus... he's been riding the 'Silver Bullet" ever since!
As the Lord redirected their retirement plans, Warren and Becky settled in Dothan AL. While looking for a church home, God led them to Memphis Baptist Church in 2007. Their F.A.I.T.H. Riders Chapter was just what Warren was looking for...a ministry that was on mission every day and was intentional about sharing the gospel and helping people grow in their faith. He and Becky joined the church and the Memphis Chapter in early 2008 and enjoyed celebrating its first anniversary. Shortly afterward, Becky bought her trike "Trixie" and Warren has since lost his back-seater.
Warren and Becky have been married for 34 years and have been in Dothan for close to 13. They now serve in a variety of lay positions at Memphis Baptist. Foreign missions are important to them both and are interspersed with F.A.I.T.H. Riders activities. Warren became the second director of the Memphis Chapter several years ago and serves in that capacity now, He continues to seek opportunities to share the gospel and help lead others in their walk with Jesus.
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