Dr. Bernard Winchester, Jr.

Dr. Winchester answered the call to pastor the First Baptist Church of Fairmount Heights Maryland, Inc. following an election in October 2001.

He received Christ as his personal Savior at an early age in  Rock Hill, under the late Reverend John C. Honor. Upon returning to the Washington metropolitan area, he continued his training at the Harvey Memorial Baptist Church under the late Reverend Pervis (Fireball) McKinney and under the leadership of Dr. Lehman D. Bates, Pastor of First Bethel Baptist Church. It was under these leaderships that he received his call into the ministry and was licensed to preach the gospel in January 1987.

Dr. Winchester’s studies at the University of Maryland, Columbia Union College, Washington Bible College, the National Christian Counselors Association culminated in the degrees of B.S. in Organizational Management, B.A. in Business Administration, and a M.A. in Christian Counseling.  He also earned his Master’s in Religion from the Washington Adventist University, a Master’s in Theology, and a Doctorate of Ministry in Pastoral Leadership, both from the Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary School of Divinity.  He is the author of the books 7 Essential Keys to Success: Developing the Spiritual Discipline in the Leader, “Pastoring 1 On 1, From the Heart of a Pastor, The Daniel Fast: A 21 Day Fast, and Another W.O.E.(Words Of Encouragement).”

He is affiliated with the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Missions Convention, Washington, D.C Baptist Minister’s Conference, American Association of Christian Counselors, American Baptist Churches of the South, National Christian Counselors Association, Global Faith Alliance, and the St. Kitts-Nevis Missions and Medical Initiative.

He is married to a loving wife, Janet L. Winchester, and they are blessed with three sons, Bernard III, Jovan and Darius.

Dr. Winchester continues to prepare himself academically and is spiritually sound. He has a love for the people of God, and an enthusiasm to build the Kingdom of God, which in turn has enabled him to reach people in all walks of life. His belief is that: Its not “Who you are, but whose you are!!!”