GUEST SPEAKERS
Wayne Faison
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BGAV
SENIOR PASTOR, EAST END BAPTIST CHURCH, SUFFOLK, VA
Rev. Dr. Wayne Faison is the executive director of Baptist General Association of Virginia. He was elected to the position by the messengers to the 199th BGAV Annual Meeting in November 2022. Dr. Faison previously had served on the staff for 21 years, contributing especially in the areas of African-American church development, evangelism, and church planting. At the time of his election as executive director, he was the leader of the Growth/Venture Team as well as the national coordinating officer for the BGAV’s Ascent Team. A native of Florida, Dr. Faison and his wife, Carmen, were easily and enthusiastically welcomed into the life and work of Virginia Baptists and have found a home among them. He serves as senior pastor of the East End Baptist Church in Suffolk, VA. Prior to going into the Gospel ministry, he worked in the banking field. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree as well as a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also earned a “mini-MBA” from the University of Richmond.
Tim Brown
LEAD PASTOR, HIGHLANDS FELLOWSHIP, ABINGDON, VA
Tim Brown became the Lead Pastor of Highlands Fellowship in 2024. Prior to joining the staff family at Highlands, Tim planted Gracewood Community Church in Lebanon, Virginia, in 2015 and served as the lead pastor. Tim married his high school sweetheart, Maegan, in 2008 and they have four wonderful children: Kellsie, Charlie, Andie, and Evie. Tim is passionate about the local and global church, building relationships with others, and living everyday life as a devoted follower of Jesus.
Cindy Wiles
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RESTORE HOPE
Cindy Wiles’ life has been framed by her call to missional service at the age of 11 when she publicly committed herself to mission service before her local congregation. With that calling born in the context of the local church and a commitment to the New Testament teachings regarding Gospel expansion, Cindy has always viewed the church as Christ’s chosen base for the sending of witnesses to the lost world. After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Cindy married Dr. Dennis Wiles and attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Cindy and Dennis began what is now a 44-year ministry of pastoral and missional church leadership. The Wileses currently serve at First Baptist Church of Arlington, Texas, where Dennis has served as senior pastor for 24 years and Cindy has served in global missions leadership. Additionally, Cindy serves as the Executive Director of Restore Hope, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that serves a network of churches sending people cross-culturally to live and serve in long-term missionary capacities. Through Restore Hope’s services and training, 84 churches have placed long-term workers in 24 nations.
Cindy is the mother of two adult children, Hannah and Josiah. She is a grandmother of five beautiful grandchildren.
Her aim is that all peoples of the world know and worship Jesus Christ and that his Church multiplies.
Karl Johnson
Chair, Baptist World Alliance
Pastor, Phillippo Baptist Church, Spanish Town, Jamaica
Former General Secretary, Jamaica Baptist Union
The Reverend Karl B. Johnson currently serves as Chair of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), a role he assumed in July 2025, making history as the first Caribbean national ever to hold this distinguished global office. His election marks a defining moment in Baptist life, celebrating the depth and vitality of leadership emerging from the Global South.
An accredited minister of the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU) since 1992, Reverend Johnson was ordained to the Christian Ministry in September 1992 and continues to serve faithfully as Pastor of the historic Phillippo Baptist Church in Spanish Town, Jamaica; one of the oldest Baptist congregations in the nation and a symbol of the country’s faith and freedom heritage.
Before his global appointment, he served as General Secretary of the Jamaica Baptist Union for 20 years (2001–2021), providing visionary leadership that advanced the Church’s mission in spiritual renewal, social transformation, and community empowerment. His career reflects a consistent commitment to bridging faith and justice, theology and nation-building, tradition and innovation.
A graduate of the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI), Reverend Johnson is a highly respected preacher, teacher, and public theologian, known for his deep intellect, pastoral sensitivity, and ability to engage complex social and ethical issues with clarity and compassion.
His influence extends across continents through decades of service in global Christian movements, including the World Council of Churches (WCC), where he served on its governing bodies up to 2021, and the Baptist World Alliance, where he now provides spiritual and strategic leadership to a global fellowship spanning more than 138 countries.
Reverend Johnson’s ministry embodies his lifelong mission: to nurture transformative faith, inspire the next generation of leaders, and invigorate the global church with zeal for the gospel and compassion for the world.
He is married to Yvette, and together they are the proud parents of three adult sons, who share their parents’ enduring love for faith, family, and service.