Leadership

Stanley serves as the Senior Pastor.  He has been a Pastor, preaching God’s word for 28 years in Georgia.  His first church he served as Pastor for 15 years, then served 3 years in Evangelism, 4 years as an Associate Pastor and 9 years as Senior Pastor before moving to Ripley, Mississippi in September of 2022. He is CEO of Words of Truth Teaching Ministry, a non-profit that does ministry in America and Uganda, Africa.  He is married to Rita Thursby Phillips and together they have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

Coty Dunaway serves as the Associate Pastor, with a particular focus on discipleship.  He has faithfully served 3 North Mississippi churches in varying capacities over the past decade. He holds a B.S. in Religion from Liberty University's School of Divinity and an M.A. in Biblical Exposition from Liberty Theological Seminary.  He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in Strategic Christian Ministry. His research is centered around the failure of the American church to effectively engage post-college graduates entering adulthood. Coty has been married to his wife, Hannah, for 13 years, and they have 4 children: Jacie, Connor, Reece, and Livvy. 

Johnnie Smith serves as the Youth Minister and brings over a decade of experience in youth ministry. He has faithfully served in various roles across three different churches over the past 10 years. While attending Mississippi College, Johnnie was actively involved in the Baptist Student Union, serving as Vice President and participating in the apartment ministries team for two years.In addition to ministry, Johnnie spent seven years teaching in the Mississippi public school system while serving as a bi-vocational youth minister. His passion for guiding and encouraging the next generation is evident both inside and outside the church.
Johnnie is married to AnnaLea, and together they have a sweet daughter, Lela. He enjoys sharing God’s Word, cheering on the Florida Gators, and spending quality time with his family.

Karen Shelby serves as the Director of Preschool Ministries. She served as the Children’s Church teacher and has for many years. Karen has been a member of FBC for 25 years. Karen has also in the past served as the Director of Rainbow Kids Preschool for over 18 years. Karen is the mother of three daughters Morgan, Paige and Kathryn. She has three grandchildren Shelby and Case Hamblin and Riggins Henry.

Summer Witt serves as the Director of Kingdom Academy at Ripley First Baptist Church. She has over 10 years of experience in education and is passionate about providing a safe, nurturing, and Christ-centered environment where children can grow academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
Summer earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi and her master's degree in Elementary Education from Delta State University. She is committed to partnering with families, encouraging staff, and helping each child experience the love of Christ while building a strong educational foundation.
Summer has been married to her husband, Elliott, for five years, and together they are blessed with one son, Sam Elliott. She considers it a privilege to serve the families of Kingdom Academy and looks forward to seeing God continue to work through this ministry as children and families grow in faith and knowledge.

Janet Turner serves as Office Manager. She is married to Michael, and they have two daughters, Jennifer and Mandy, and three grandsons: Taylor, Easton, and Christopher.  Janet is a member of North Ripley Baptist Church, where she has served as church pianist for 35 years.

Randle Paseur serves as Director for Buildings and Grounds Maintenance, a role he’s held for 20 years. He is married to Kristy.