Leadership & Beliefs
Meet the people who lead and serve at Friendship Baptist Church.
"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them."
-1 Peter 5:2
Our Ministry Leaders
Wanda Crowe
Music Ministries Leader
Wanda leads our music ministry with passion and dedication, helping our congregation worship through song and praise. She brings years of experience in church music and a heart for leading others into meaningful worship experiences.
CJ Lewis
Student Ministries Leader
CJ leads The Vine Student Ministry, serving students in grades 7-12. With a focus on discipleship and fellowship, CJ helps teens grow in their faith and develop lasting relationships in a Christ-centered community.
Cindy Heffernan
Children's Ministries Leader
Cindy oversees our children's ministries, including AWANA and Sunday School. She creates engaging, faith-building experiences for children from age 2 through 6th grade, helping them learn about God's love in fun and meaningful ways.
Our Deacons
David Thompson, Charles Floyd, Eddie Martin & Mark Lewis
Mark Lewis has served as our Deacon Chairman since 2022. Charles Floyd, Eddie Martin, and David Thompson were ordained as deacons on November 17, 2024, answering the call to serve the Friendship Baptist Church family. These faithful men are committed to shepherding our congregation with servant hearts, supporting the church's ministries, and walking alongside our members in love and fellowship.
Rev. Marshall Faulkenberry
Lead Pastor
Marshall and Hellen began serving here at Friendship in October of 2023. They have previously served together in six churches in Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa prior to arriving here in Live Oak.
Pastor Marshall and his wife Hellen have been in ministry together since 1993 when they were married at FBC Holiday, FL where Marshall was serving as Minister to Students. Marshall and Hellen first met in 1990 at Trinity College of Florida, from which they both graduated. Marshall later attended Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Theological Studies degree.
Marshall received Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 15 at FBC of Merritt Island, FL. Hellen grew up in St. Petersburg, FL with her identical twin sister and two brothers. She also knows Christ as her Savior, having made that decision in High School. They are blessed with a growing family of three adult children, a daughter-in-law, son-in-law and two grandsons. Marshall and Hellen are also blessed to have parents who also each professed Christ as Savior.
Our Vision & Mission
Our Motto
God's Will, God's Way, for God's Glory!
At Friendship, this is who we are. Where does that purpose come from? It comes from Scripture. The Bible lays out for believers in Jesus who we are and what we are to be about. That purpose has not changed since Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Bible records this purpose for us in passages like Matthew 28:19 which says, "Go and make Disciples..."
Our Mission
God's Will, God's Way, for God's Glory
Everything we do at Friendship Baptist is driven by the desire to honor God. From our Sunday morning worship to our midweek programs, from community outreach to personal discipleship -- we seek to do God's Will, God's Way, for God's Glory in all things.
Our Roots
Staying True to Who We Are
Friendship started over a century and a half ago to reach the lost and minister to the needs of the surrounding community of farmers. While we have grown and changed over the years, we take pride in remaining a country church that accepts people as they are and that has never met a stranger. We are a friendly church, so come on out and join us as we Worship our God.
Our Facilities
Keeping it Simple
Sticking with our Baptist roots, you will find our facilities to be clean, safe, and simple. We strive to keep our kids and our community safe and enjoyable. We care about our environment, and work diligently to leave as small a footprint on it as we can. Our campus couldn't be in a more beautiful setting. Come, and enjoy it with us!
What We Believe
Our message is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have no creed but the Bible and believe it is God's Word to us, written by human authors who were divinely inspired. It is true, without mistakes as originally written, revealing God's plan for salvation. It is our sole source of truth and authority for Christian living.
We believe human beings were created by God uniquely in His own image. Human life is sacred and all people are worthy of respect and Christian love. All people have chosen to disobey God and thus are sinners by nature and practice, deserving of the punishment of eternal spiritual death, which is separation from God. We all are in need of God’s forgiveness and salvation.
We believe there is one living and true God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the Creator and Ruler of all things. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. He was miraculously born of a virgin; lived a sinless life; willingly offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross; was bodily resurrected after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death; ascended to the right hand of the Father; and will return again to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords.
We believe salvation is possible only through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus died for our sins and all who believe in Him find forgiveness and are declared righteous because of His sacrificial death on the cross on our behalf. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvements or good works. A person comes into right relationship with God and receives His free gift of eternal life the moment he/she chooses to turn from their sin and place their faith in Jesus. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian — one cannot "lose" his or her salvation.
We believe in the eternal existence of everyone who ever has lived, either in the everlasting blessedness of being in right relationship with God in heaven, or in the everlasting punishment of those separated from God by their sins in hell. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
A more detailed explanation of beliefs commonly held by churches cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention can be found at: Baptist Faith & Message 2000.
Friendship Baptist operates under the most recent version of our Church By-Laws which can be found here: Friendship By-Laws.
Connect With Us
Have questions about our church or leadership? We'd love to hear from you.