Reverend Doctor Welton Fields, Jr.
In January 1988, Reverend Fields accepted the position as Pastor of the Southern Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. In 1994, Pastor Fields placed his faith and fate, totally, in the Hands of the Lord. He resigned his career to devote his full attention to pastoral ministry.
Continuously yielding to God’s purpose for him, Doctor Fields remains an obedient Under Shepherd – a highly anointed Preacher and Teacher of the Gospel. As he follows God on this journey, the world has seen many parishioners mature spiritually and many new disciples surrender their lives to the Lord. Trusting in The Lord with all his heart and encouraging evangelism, the flock increased; and new and expanded outreach programs were born. The congregation soon outgrew the walls of the land-locked Minnesota Avenue edifice. So, the Church purchased an approximate 7-acre site, across from the Suitland Metro, where a new edifice was to be constructed. But, God had a different plan for this dynamic Church. God, and only God, made it possible for this small, but growing Congregation, to purchase its current Temple Hills edifice, which consists of a 94,000 square foot building and 13 acres.
Continuing to pursue the vision from God, under the leadership of Dr. Fields, Southern Friendship has become a “beacon” to those seeking the Lord; and through its nearly thirty ministries, there is a place to serve and many opportunities to be of service, within the greater community.
Pastor Fields has served as a former President of the National Capital Baptist Convention of Washington DC & Vicinity (NCBC); as an Instructor for the National Capital Baptist Congress of Christian Education; a former Faculty Member of Faith Bible College and Seminary; former Member, Board of Directors, National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; and is a member of The Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Washington, DC & Vicinity.
Internationally, Pastor Fields has served as the President of Four Corners International Mission, Inc.; he, along with Pastor Charles Cato and Pastor Eric Barksdale, led the effort to collect over 60,000 pairs of shoes to fund the drilling of two fresh water wells in Kenya. He visited Kenya in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, including Uganda in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Accomplishments include the building of two new dormitories; two complete bath rooms; new kitchen; facilitated workshops for local pastors in Uganda; retrofitted the medical clinic; and brought the Word to over 2000 souls in Kenya on several occasions.
In 2013, Pastor Fields visited Israel, as part of a twenty-two-member delegation, representing the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., hosted by the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
At home, Pastor Fields actively supports various community events, Prince George’s County Council and the Maryland State Legislature; and he and Lady Fields attended President Obama’s Second Inaugural Prayer Service at the Washington Cathedral.
Dr. Fields has preached The Word for fifty years; pastored a total of forty-eight years.
On September 28, 2019, Pastor Fields publicly announced his decision to retire, soon, after 32 years of faithful and dedicated service at THIS branch of Zion. Dr. Fields holds the title of the longest serving Pastor in the current History of SFMBC.
In December of 2019, at a Church Conference, the membership voted to acknowledge the voice of God, through our Pastor, to name his successor in the person of Rev. Frankey Grayton.
Rev. Grayton assumed the Pastorate on May 1, 2020 as the fifth pastor of the SFMBC.