Rev. Barrett Owen, Senior Pastor

Preaching & Teaching

Barrett uses biblically-based sermons to inspire and challenge the body to relate their faith to everyday life. His mixed-use of narrative and expository style sermons are interesting, relevant, and challenging.

Thank you for your prayers and patience through the process of discerning who to call as the next pastor of FBC; in retrospect every step of this long journey was part of God’s timing. I am overjoyed by the congregation’s response to Barrett and his family, and look forward to the leadership he will provide our church. I remain confident that “The best is yet to be.” – Stephen Jeffcoat, FBC Pastor Search Committee

Leadership

Barrett has demonstrated an ability to lead others throughout his years in ministry. He has shown that he can lead both young and seasoned staff members, as well as lay leaders, in establishing a strategic vision in the churches he has pastored. He has the ability to think broadly and engage people to participate, especially in approaches to missions, outreach, and in spreading the gospel. He will be a leader for many years to come among traditional churches seeking to adapt to the changing dynamics of the 21st century.

Reverend J. Barrett Owen is a pastor, writer, and teacher. His passion is influencing the intersection between divinity, culture, and the church. – FBC Pastor Search Committee

Pastoral Care

Barrett values and is gifted in pastoral care moments. He believes this is a vital aspect for a healthy church, and believes people need to feel their pastors can shoulder and walk with them through both their joys and pains.

When I first met Barrett I found him to be a charismatic storyteller full of energy and ideas. In meeting with him to prepare for call weekend I was overwhelmed by his genuine respect and enthusiasm to work with our incredible staff. Watching Barrett meet the congregation I love and adore was even better than I imagined! I am thankful for the abundant feeling of excitement and hope and so grateful to be a member of a church where I can clearly see God at work. – Heather Sutton, Pastor Search Committee

Mission & Outreach

Barrett has consistently demonstrated his love and concern for people in his community as he seeks to be the hands and feet of Christ in very practical and impactful ways. Barrett values the importance of missions, as shown by his personal engagement both locally and globally in his past and current churches. He has led international and stateside mission trips for youth and adults. He believes all baptized believers should participate and co-labor with Christ in helping to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth.

Barrett truly has a heart for the lost and the hurting and for ministering to those both inside and outside of the church. – FBC Pastor Search Committee

Education & Involvement

VIEW BARRETT’S PROFILE

VIEW CHURCH PROFILE

Barrett received his Bachelor of Arts in Christian Leadership from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, a Master of Divinity in Congregational Ministry from the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University in Atlanta, GA, and a Master of Theology in Homiletics from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Decatur, GA.

Barrett roots himself in the local community through civic activities. He has participated as a member of the Waynesboro Senior Center Advisory Council, an area YMCA Board Member, a Rotary Club Board Member, and the Chaplain for the Waynesboro Generals (a local, college baseball summer league team). Barrett has consistently demonstrated his love and concern for people in his community as he seeks to be the hands and feet of Christ in very practical and impactful ways in each city he has lived. He is a member of the Board of Visitors at the McAfee School of Theology, and a Board Member for Good Faith Media (formerly Baptist Center for Ethics).

Past Experience

For the past 6.5 years, Barrett has been the much loved Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Waynesboro, VA. Prior to that, he served as the Bi-vocational Pastor for 5 years at National Heights Baptist Church in Fayetteville, GA where he also served as the Associate Director of Admissions for Mercer’s McAfee School of Theology. While in seminary, he served over 2 years as Pastor at Union Baptist Church in Pine Mountain, GA. Barrett even has experience in higher education and served as adjunct professor of theology and writing at McAfee.

Get to Know Noelle Owen

Noelle is a warm and welcoming person. She is an ordained Baptist minister who currently works as the Parent Program Assistant of the City of Waynesboro’s Office on Youth. Her primary role is to teach court-appointed parenting courses for the surrounding area. She recently accepted this position after serving over three years as a Hospice Chaplain for their local hospital. Noelle has also earned two masters degrees. She received a Master of Divinity from Mercer’s McAfee School of Theology, as well as a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Piedmont College at Mercer University.

While living in Atlanta, Noelle worked as the Director of Families Preservation Services at the United Methodist Children’s Home in Decatur, GA. She oversaw a housing program for homeless families, provided community counseling, coordinated a financial aid program, and taught court-referred parenting classes. There she acquired the necessary hours to be licensed by the state of Georgia as a therapist, as well as be certified to teach parenting courses.

Meet the Owen Family

Noelle and Barrett met at Belmont University while serving on a University Ministries team that mentored undergraduate students. They were acquaintances then, but as fate would have it, both of their ministry callings brought them to Atlanta for seminary. It was there they started dating, got engaged, and then married on March 5, 2011. Since then, they have served in various congregational, academic, and nonprofit settings, supporting each other’s callings to a life of ministry and service.

On Christmas Day 2013, their son Henry was born. He is a smart, engaging, energetic 8-year-old who loves sports and reading. On July 1, 2016, their daughter Georgia was born. She is an artistic, funny, and friendly 5-year-old who loves imagining and crafting.

Barrett and Noelle served as foster parents during their time in Virginia and feel a continued calling to help families reconcile. They desire to foster more children in the future as part of their ongoing personal ministry to others.

In their free time, Barrett and Noelle hike, run, and read. They are Atlanta Braves fans and love eating at new restaurants, playing board games, touring museums, traveling, and simply hanging out with friends. Barrett enjoys playing golf and attending sporting events.

“This weekend was a wonderful culmination of 14 months of intense prayer and steady work in our seeking God’s direction for the selection of a Senior Pastor candidate. We know that the focused and fervent prayers of the congregation were instrumental in helping us and the Owen family arrive at the same place at the same time. Your frequent words of encouragement to us were very encouraging and truly impactful over the this past year.” –FBC Pastor Search Committee

Reflections from the Pastor Search Committee

Sunday felt like the celebration of our congregation continuing to be faithful to God and trying to do “the next right thing” these past 2.5 years.  So many decisions have been made along the way.  Thank you for showing up this weekend and letting the Owen family know that their time in ministry with FBC Wilmington will definitely  be “worth it”. – Janna Lennon, FBC Pastor Search Committee

My heart is full.  The weekend was beautiful and special.  God’s presence was evident from the wonderful weather for the many activities on Saturday to meet our candidate to the overwhelming love and acceptance by our staff and congregation of our new Senior Pastor and his family on Sunday morning. It was truly an outstanding day in the life of FBC.  I am so excited for our church and looking forward to the days ahead. – Linda Collins, FBC Pastor Search Committee

It was a very emotional moment for me as I stood on the platform and saw the entire church body stand up and vote to welcome Barrett and his family. It was a very moving visible affirmation of what we as a committee believed – that Barrett was the right pastor to help lead our church into the exciting next chapter of our spiritual and earthly journey. – Randy Ivey, FBC Pastor Search Committee

I had in my mind what I thought Sunday would look like and what we actually experienced far exceeded that! The worship was amazing because our GOD is amazing! Thank you, church, for supporting us with your prayers throughout this process! –Bob Thornton, FBC Pastor Search Committee

This weekend was, as we all know, the culmination of many months of hard work and prayer by so many. The events of Friday, Saturday and Sunday required a lot of planning and many moving parts. It all came off without a hitch and Barrett knocked it out of the park. The highlight was today’s service. It was full of life, light and spirit like I’ve never seen or felt at FBC. I was sure there would be good attendance but hanging from the rafters…WOW! The music, the message, the entire service was off the chart and then a unanimous, joyful and excited vote for Barrett and family. I am in awe…this is most assuredly God working in our lives! Fran and I are beyond excited for the future of FBC, Wilmington and God’s work here. God is amazing; God is good! – Tom Alexander, FBC Pastor Search Committee

Thank you to everyone who supported our team throughout this process! It was encouraging to have the support of the congregation, and the call weekend was a true celebration of trusting that God was at work through the process. I could not be more excited for Barrett and his family to join our church and our community. – Patrick Griffin, Pastor Search Committee

Thank you for your prayers and patience through the process of discerning who to call as the next pastor of FBC; in retrospect every step of this long journey was part of God’s timing. I am overjoyed by the congregation’s response to Barrett and his family, and look forward to the leadership he will provide our church. I remain confident that “The best is yet to be.” – Stephen Jeffcoat, FBC Pastor Search Committee

Our call weekend was an absolutely wonderful celebration where our sweet church members, ministers and staff could get to know the Owen family better. I felt so much love and hope over the whole weekend and am so excited for the future of our church!  I am so thankful for our team and have such a deeper love and admiration for each of them!! I am so incredibly proud and thankful for our tremendous staff who kept us going through the interim, while also navigating Covid: what a tall task which they passed with flying colors.  During our search process I could feel the love and prayers of our congregation and at times during worship, I would look around and with tears in my eyes, think, WOW, they trust in me.  What a humbling realization. So, thanks FBC for praying for us, being patient during our process, allowing God the time to work in the lives of congregants, staff, and the Owen family!  God’s timing and hand have been a marvel and I have sat in complete mystery and awe at the work of our God!  Get ready precious FBC, because we are about to take off!! – Katie Evans, FBC Pastor Search Committee