The Rev. J. W. Wallis, a veteran pastor of Baptist churches throughout metropolitan Atlanta, has been called as interim pastor of National Heights Baptist Church, Fayetteville, effective July 5. He succeeds the Rev. J. Barrett Owen, who accepted a new pastorate in Virginia in June.
A resident of Fayetteville, Wallis has most recently served as pastor of First Baptist Church, East Point. He pastored congregations in Calhoun, Vienna, and Dublin, Ga., prior to his retirement in 1999 from McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville, formerly Second Baptist Church, College Park.
Wallis, who has also served First Baptist Church of Hapeville following his retirement, was previously interim pastor of National Heights from September 2006 to March 2008.
A native of Carrollton, Wallis earned his undergraduate degree from West Georgia College. He received his master of theology and doctor of ministry degrees from New Orleans Baptist Seminary.
“I see National Heights as a great field of opportunity,” says Wallis. “The people of the church are looking forward to launching new missions for Christ in our community. It will be exciting to work with a church that has such tremendous growth potential.”
Wallis cited Fayette County’s historic population boom due to the opening in 2014 of Pinewood Atlanta Studios, a full service film and entertainment studio complex, as a primary source of that potential.
“We are strategically located to do some good work here, and to positively influence a lot of people for Christ,” he says.
Wallis says he believes that when the family comes to church, the church brings the family together.
Helen Odom, a deacon at National Heights, served on the search committee that called Wallis. “He is a fine man,” says Odom. “The Lord is smiling on us.”
Wallis and his wife, Willene, have three adult children and six grandchildren, who live in Alabama and North Carolina. Willene Wallis, who retired in 2007 from teaching math at Lovejoy High School in Clayton County, says she is also looking forward to making National Heights her new church home. “She’ll be right there with me,” Wallis says.
National Heights Baptist Church is on the corner of Old Norton Road and Ga. Highway 54 in Fayetteville. Sunday worship is at 10:55 a.m.
For further information, call 770-461-1704 or visit http://www.nhbcfayette.info.
