Staff
Dr. Mark Gaskins has been our Senior Pastor since August 2005. He came to JHBC from Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina (a Baptist university), where he served as University Chaplain. Prior to his ministry at Wingate, he served several churches in North Carolina as pastor.
Mark and his wife Jo Ann are both natives of Tabor City, North Carolina. They have twin teenage sons, Jeffrey and Jonathan. Mark’s favorite way to spend his free time is with his family. He also enjoys reading and playing golf (he’s a lot better at reading!).
Mark’s ministry as our senior pastor is grounded in the conviction that pastoral ministry must be guided by two primary concerns: the word of the Lord and the welfare of His people. Mark focuses on these concerns through his preaching and teaching, by providing pastoral care and spiritual guidance, and by leading the church in fulfilling its mission.
Through the years, Mark has been involved in Baptist life beyond the local church, especially in the area of Christian higher education. He holds degrees from Campbell University (B.A. in Religion), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Wake Forest University (M.A. in Religion), and Gardner-Webb University’s M. Christopher White School of Divinity (D.Min.).
Gilbert McDowell - Pastor Emeritus
Rev. Gilbert W. McDowell, pastor emeritus, served Jonesboro Heights Baptist Church for 28 years as pastor. He came to JHBC in 1964 from Pilot Baptist Church, Zebulon, N. C. where he served from 1955-l964. From l964 until l992 he led the church through two building programs of the present education building and sanctuary. He served on the Ordination Committee of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association and remains active in the church life.
Rev. McDowell graduated from Greenwood High School, Greenwood, South Carolina. Received his Batchelor’s Degree from Furman University, Greenville, S. C. and his Batchelor of Divinity Degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
He and his wife, Nancy Powell McDowell have three sons. Steve & wife, Tanya of Cary, N. C. . They have two children, Ashley and Zachary. Stan & wife, Karen of Charlotte, N. C. They have two sons and a daughter-in-law, Mark & wife, Kate, and Joey. Bert and his wife Mary live in Cumming, Ga. and have one daughter, Maggy.
He has many interests that have kept him busy over the years. His love for family, friends, gardening, sports, and reading (especially history) has always been a priority. His love for God’s word and understanding of people endears him to the present day congregation of JHBC. He and Nancy were honored in 2003 when the new fellowship area was named for them…McDowell Hall. He has continually led people to “deeper depths and higher heights” of God’s love.
Ronnie Byrd - Associate Pastor for Music & Education
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Rev. Ronnie Byrd has been the Minister of Music and Education of JHBC since October 6, 1991. He came to Jonesboro Heights Baptist Church from Antioch Baptist Church in Mamers, North Carolina, where he served as Minister of Music, Education, Youth, and Children. Prior to Antioch he served on the Methodist Charge for several years. As well as serving the church he has also taught voice and piano privately. Presently, he is Adjunctt Instructor for Central Carolina Community College where he has taught for over twenty years in Music Appreciation.
Ronnie enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with family and friends.
His passion is for any of the creative arts, especially music, which can be woven like a tapestry into the Ministries of the Church. He enjoys the massive evangelistic ministries of musical productions for the church that includes the church family and community.
Ronnie graduated from Campbell College in 1974, with a degree in Music Education with a Major in Voice and a Minor in Piano. He also graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1978 with a Master's Degree in Music, concentrating in Choral Music and Conducting.
Ronnie has also taught music in the public schools and served as Associational Music Director for both Little River Baptist Association and Sandy Creek Baptist Association.
Richard Wood - Associate Pastor for Family Ministry
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Rev. Richard Wood joined the staff of JHBC as Associate Pastor of Family Ministry in March 2011. Before coming to JHBC, Richard served as youth minister and associate pastor in churches in Salisbury, Fayetteville and Creedmoor, along with serving in interim ministries in the Durham and Oxford areas of North Carolina.
A native of Wilkesboro, NC, Richard has been married to Beth Cockman-Wood since June 2006. In his free time, Richard enjoys spending time with his wife and attending the various sporting events the Triangle area has to offer, from high school football to Durham Bulls and Carolina Hurricanes games. He also enjoys reading, traveling, movies, television, marching bands and drum corps, video games and all kinds of technology.
Richard is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University (B.A. in Political Science, 2000) and Campbell University Divinity School (M.Div in Christian Education, 2005). He is a regional resource specialist in youth ministry and youth Sunday school for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and leads conference and breakout sessions in youth ministry, youth Sunday school, and technology in ministry. Richard also serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Religion for the GOAL Program at Gardner-Webb University.
Marva Lee Roush joined the JHBC staff as an Administrative Assistant in June 2007. She started her career as a receptionist/clerk-typist working for an engineering firm in Marion, Ohio. She was then promoted to administrative assistant for the marketing department of that same firm. Then in 1984, she was given the opportunity to work for the president of Macola, Incorporated, which later became Macola Software. Marva Lee earned the promotion to executive assistant working directly with the president/chief executive officer and chief financial officer. A position she held until Macola Software was bought out by Exact Software. After the buy-out, Marva Lee became executive assistant for the Human Resources/Payroll department.
In June 2005, Marva Lee and her husband, Don, decided to retire from their full-time jobs in Ohio and move to Sanford, North Carolina. They have a son, Matthew, and a daughter Nicole Smith and husband Jamie Smith, all who live in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both Matthew and Nicole are Campbell University graduates.
Marva Lee enjoys knitting, reading, playing golf and Southern Gospel Quartet music.
Kimberly Davidson - Pianist
Upon God’s calling, Mrs. Kimberly Davidson joined the JHBC Staff as the Church Pianist in November, 2008. Kimberly is a native of Sanford and was privileged to have been raised in a loving Christian home, accepting Christ as her personal Savior at the age of seven. Prior to coming to JHBC, Kimberly attended Grace Chapel Church where she and her family had been involved in the music and children’s ministries.
Kimberly is married to Rafe, and they have two children, Connor and Reagan. She enjoys volunteering at Tramway Elementary School where her children attend and substitute teaching at St. Luke Preschool. She loves spending time with her family and being involved in all her children’s activities.
Kimberly has a passion and appreciation for music from all types of genre. She took piano lessons from the age of six throughout high school and went on to minor in music from N.C. State, emphasizing in piano performance. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, with a Concentration in Marketing in December, 1997.
Kimberly feels blessed to be a part of JHBC as a church musician and is grateful to have an opportunity to utilize God’s talent in order to glorify Him! She acknowledges music as a prime method of ministering to each and every one of God’s children!
Mrs. JoAnn Brickhouse - Organist
Jo Ann Brickhouse has served Jonesboro Heights Baptist Church at two different times. First from 1959-1968 and currently since July 2000. She grew up in Randolph County, Ramseur, N. C. in a loving Christian home and accepted Christ at age nine. She began piano lessons at age seven and continued through high school.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a proficiency in Piano and Organ in 1956 from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S. C. After graduation, she taught seventh grade in Coleridge, N. C. in Randolph County and began a career of teaching piano after school. She then received a call that Boone Trail High School in Mamers, N. C. needed a piano teacher and coral director. She pursued that information quickly and came to Sanford to accept that position.
In Sanford, she met Norman and they were married in 1959. After their marriage, they joined Jonesboro Heights Baptist Church and she filled the position of organist. Two years later, JHBC need a music Director and she was asked to fill that position and also the position of part-time Church Secretary.
In 1968 Jo Ann went back to Boone Trail High School as a full time piano teacher and served there until 1975. She served as Organist of Holly Springs Baptist Church in Broadway, N. C. for 24 years before accepting the position of Organist at Jonesboro Heights in July 2000 after the death of Catherine Matthews, longtime organist of 32 years.
Jo Ann and Norman have one son, Dudley, and wife, Tina and three grandchildren; Bryan, Jenna and Brad, whom they are proud of and enjoy visiting them every chance they get. They make their home in Texas.
Jo Ann says that she and Norman feel they are back at home at JHBC and love being here. They love serving the Lord through the ministries of Jonesboro Heights.
Mrs. Frances Angel and Mrs. Ann Wester - Nursery Staff
