Dr. N. Larry Baker, Pastor

Since November 1997, Dr. Baker has served as Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Sun City West. Through preaching and worship leadership, guiding the ministries of the church, and providing pastoral care for this vibrant congregation, he leads the church into a ministry with people in the city and throughout the Northwest Valley.

He is a graduate of East Texas Baptist University, Marshall, Texas, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned the Th. D. in Christian Ethics and Pastoral Care. Among others, he studied with the renowned Baptist professor of ethics, T. B. Maston, and the widely recognized professor of pastoral care, C. W. Brister. In 2002, he studied at Regents Park College, Oxford, England, during a study leave.

Prior to his Sun City West ministry, Dr. Baker served as Senior Pastor of four congregations - the First Baptist Churches of Pineville, Louisiana, Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Hamilton, Texas, and the Parkview Baptist Church, Monroe, Louisiana. He has also served as an associate pastor and as campus minister in Texas, and as interim pastor for churches in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri.

In addition to his pastoral ministry, Dr. Baker has taught on the faculty of two seminaries - Southwestern Baptist Seminary, Fort Worth, and Midwestern Baptist Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri, where he also served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty. Additionally, he has headed a national agency of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Dr. Baker has been involved in community and denominational leadership and has taught as an adjunct professor in the Wayland Baptist University, Phoenix Center. He is widely published and has conducted conferences and workshops throughout the United States. He and his wife, Wanda, have two daughters and one son, all adults.