Reverend Dr. Thomas L. Wilder, Jr. is the senior pastor of the Historic Bethel Baptist Church (Collegeville) in Birmingham, Alabama. He has served in that capacity for over 35 years. Under his leadership, Dr. Wilder has worked to immortalize the Church’s rich Civil Rights history while keeping the ministry for today. The Church has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark, National Historic Treasure and has been nominated as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizational (UNESCO). He has launched a community preservation organization that has renovated more than 15 homes and purchased more than 30 lots for future construction. The Church also houses a summer reading and math camp for children performing below grade level.
While working as the senior Pastor, he was also employed in the corporate arena for 34 years. He held numerous managerial roles mostly related to Human Resources, Customer Service, and Marketing/ Community Relations. He spent his entire career at two companies, Alagasco (now Spire Energy) and BE&K, Incorporated, both of whom were listed among the 100 Best Places to Work in America. He retired from the corporate arena in 2013 as Multi Family Marketing Manger to devote full time to his ministry, .
Dr. Wilder has served on numerous boards including Birmingham Theological Seminary, advisory board for Beeson Theological Seminary, Girls Inc. of Central Alabama, United Way of Central Alabama, Shelby County Department of Human Resources, United Cerebral Palsy (now United Ability), The University of Alabama’s President’s Cabinet, Birmingham Construction Industry Authority, Addiction Prevention Coalition, and the American Association of Blacks in Energy.
He is listed among Who’s Who in Historical Societies, Who’s Who in Birmingham, Birmingham’s Top 40 under 40, Birmingham’s Top Fifty over Fifty, Leadership Birmingham, Leadership Shelby County, he is certified for life as a Senior Professional in Human Resources by the Society for Human Resources Management, and he was featured in Fortune Magazine,, .
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama in Commerce and Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources. He holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at
Birmingham and a Master of Ministry Degree from Birmingham Theological Seminary. He has an earned Doctorate from Beeson Divinity School and an honorary doctorate from Faith Grant College.
He is married to the former Mechelle Sippial for over 40 years. Together they have four grown children, three sons-in-law and four grandchildren.
Gay Foster joined the family at Bethel Baptist Church of Collegeville in 2005 after migrating from Jamaica. Her spiritual journey began in 1980 when she made a profession of faith, and she answered God’s call to the ministry in 1992.
In 1995, she completed her bachelor’s degree at the Jamaica Theological Seminary and served ten (10) years with her local church, Hope Gospel Assembly, Kingston, Jamaica, and the Associated Gospel Assemblies.
Gay also completed an MBA in General Management at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2007 and a master’s degree in Christian Ministry at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (GCTS) in 2016. She is pursuing the Doctor of Ministry in Outreach & Discipleship (GCTS).
She oversees the ministries of the Christian Education department, including Sunday School, Children’s Church, Vacation Bible School, and the Nursery. Over the years, she has served in various other capacities, including music ministry and evangelism.
She has written and published several bible study guides and devotionals and contributed to other ministry publications, including a commentary on the book of Habakkuk.
Gay is happily married to William (2006), and they reside in Montgomery, AL.
Pastor Andrew is a graduate of Auburn University and Beeson Divinity School, Samford University. Prior to serving at Bethel, Andrew served for 10 years with the college ministry of Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) in Hattiesburg, MS, while also ministering regularly in China. Andrew and his wife, Peyton, have three children: Jordyn, Leo, and Everly.’
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