"Pastor Jimmy" comes to Friends Ministries with over 30 years of full time ministry experience. He graduated from Fruitland Baptist Bible College in Hendersonville, North Carolina and from The Baptist College of Florida with a B.A. in Theology with honors and has served as youth pastor and pastor of churches in North Carolina, Alabama and his home state of Georgia. He joined Friends Ministries in 1998 as a member of the Board of Directors and came on staff as Director of Operations in 2003 and was promoted as Executive Director in 2008 and to CEO in 2018. He is dedicated to investing in the lives of children, youth and adults and leading them into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. His experience in preaching, educating and discipleship provides a strong foundation for Friends Ministries. Jimmy loves being a husband to his wife of 40 plus years, Debbie; dad to Jenni and Amy and her husband Shane, Ben and his wife Sarah; papa to Ethan, Zoe, Hartley, Abram, Emily and Ellie. In his “spare” time he enjoys playing acoustic guitar and hanging out in his shop fixin’ stuff.
Josh’s capacity in organization development and professional fundraising strategies has helped birth multiple service projects and programs for adults, children and teenagers through out Decatur County since the year 2000. He has served as President of the Bainbridge Kiwanis Club and was voted Kiwanian of the Year in 2005. He also received the Walter Cox Leadership Decatur County Award in 2006 from the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce and also served as Chairman of the Decatur County Family Connection Partnership. He also served on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives Board of Governors and also holds the credential of Certified Development Executive (CDE) and Certified Nonprofit Executive (CNE). In addition, Josh has received professional certification as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Josh and his wife Ashley have three children, Lillianah, Israel and Daisy Love.
johnny@friendsministriesga.org
Johnny Payne is an awesomely anointed gospel artist whom God has appointed to minister his word through music. He is a native of Vidalia, GA but currently he and his wife Desiree, children Demario and Trenesha now reside in Bainbridge, GA. Upon growing into the realization of his love for music at a young age at the First AB Church in Vidalia, GA, he decided to make music his area of study entering college. Johnny attended and studied music at Brewton Parker Jr. College in Mt. Vernon, GA as well as Florida A & M University, Tallahassee, FL where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Music with a Concentration on Vocal Studies.
Johnny has written and produced 2 CD Recordings of our children singing scripture songs helping to get God’s word into their hearts. In addition, Johnny has formed a core group of children called the Friendship House Youth Ensemble. These youth display a sincere desire for music and worship, traveling throughout the surrounding areas spreading the gospel in song.
justin@friendsministriesga.org
After serving on the FH Board of Directors for 10 years Justin came on staff in 2015 as the founding Ministry Operations Director of the Donalsonville Campus expansion. Justin holds a Masters of Sports Management from Georgia Southern University and brings 15 years of experience in management and working with children in sports to the job, most recently as the Assistant Director of Student Life and Coordinator of Student Wellness at Bainbridge State College and previously as the Athletic Director for Grace Christian Academy. Justin has served as a deacon and is currently an elder at Grace Church in Bainbridge, Ga. “I have been overwhelmed at times to think what the Lord has been preparing me for leading me into this position”, “I love being able to speak God’s truth in love to the boys and girls that sometime do not receive it”. Justin has a wife Tori and 4 boys Andrew, Ethan, Samuel and Silas.
stephanie@friendsministriesga.org
Stephanie and her family made Bainbridge, GA their home in May of 2017. As God would have it, Friends Ministries was a foundational part of her family establishing their roots here in town. As a child Stephanie was raised in the home of a pastor being taught to be Kingdom minded. She spent many of her summers on mission trips and helping with ministry-based opportunities with the church youth group she attended. Later she would spend two months in Memphis, TN doing inner city work and a month in Nepal doing outreach. In the last 7 years she has been able to serve alongside other local recovery programs and women’s ministries helping women seek out an in-depth relationship with our Father God. Now that He has brought her back full circle to the Friends Ministries, she is excited to step into her new role as the Director of Still Waters. Helping women find their identity in Christ and helping them to further their lives with Him as guide is truly Stephanie’s passion.
