Faith A/G Staff

Pastor Larry received his Ministerial License in 1975 and has served as Senior Pastor since 1976. On December 7, 2003 he began pastoring at a church plant in Calvert County, MD. congregation blossomed and in 2009 that plant, New Hope Christian Fellowship, merged with Faith Assembly of God, located in Lothian, MD. Pastor Larry was formally ordained as a minister with the Assemblies of God in June 2009. Throughout his 35+ years of pastoral work, he has served as a minister in various churches throughout West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia.

Additionally, Pastor Larry has served in various consulting capacities such as District Overseer, Southwest Virginia Region where he had oversight of 10 local churches. He served as a member of the Virginia Ministerial Board, as Hospice Chaplain in Wytheville, Virginia, Chaplain at Southside Hospital in Farmville, Virginia, Youth Camp Coordinator/Director for the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia, Church Day Care Administrator, Men’s Retreat Director for the state of Maryland and District of Columbia and Youth Camp Director for the state of West Virginia.

Pastor Larry received his Bachelor’s of Theology from the Christian Life School of Theology (Beacon University) and is a graduate of the Bible Training Institute and Advanced Studies of the Bible Training Institute of Cleveland, Tennessee. In addition to his formal education his continuing education includes certification from Light University, Southwest Virginia Training Consortium, Carondelet Institute and The Center for Biblical Leadership.

Pastor Larry shares his ministry with his wife of 40 years, Wanda. They have two children- Jennifer and Brad Barnes- and two grandchildren, Courtney Barnes and Isaiah Marsh. He and Wanda make their home in Southern Maryland.

First Lady, Wanda M. Barnes

Since 1976, First Lady has served in many capacities within the local church. As she has served alongside her husband, Pastor Larry, she has found herself filling positions such as prayer band leader, children’s church director, youth director and women’s ministry director. She has served as a State Director of Communications in Maryland and in camping ministries in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and West Virginia.

Though she has successfully raised two children and faithfully followed the call of Christ, she has also pursued and completed her formal education. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Radford University and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Radford, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. She has received certifications as a Geriatric Specialist from East Tennessee State University and has attended many continuing education seminars. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker in the State of Maryland.

Wanda has worked in many therapeutic arenas, including Elder Care, Domestic Violence, Medical Social Work, and Children’s Therapy. She is presently employed as a family counselor at Chesapeake Christian Counseling Center and will soon be counseling returning veterans from the Iraqi and Afghani crises for the Veteran’s Administration.

As she assists her husband in his role as pastor, she frequently teaches and counsels at Faith Assembly of God. First Lady enjoys facilitating and educating the members of the congregation as she is inspired by the Lord to do so. However, her favorite area of teaching and helping is in her role as Mom and Nana. Wanda is the proud mother of Jennifer and Brad, her daughter and son and is especially proud of her grandchildren, Courtney and Isaiah. Her greatest desire is to leave a legacy of spiritual strength and stability to those who come after her. She fully expects the great and exceeding promises which the Lord

Has brought to her in her private prayer times to be fulfilled in the very near future and she invites all to share in this blessed time that God has assured her, “Will surely come to pass…”

“The first time I ever really sang I was 10 years old. I haven’t stopped since then.” Jennifer Barnes is the Director of Worship Ministries at Faith Assembly of God. A relocation in 1990 sent the entire Barnes family to Virginia, and after a 16-year absence from Maryland, she felt directed to return to work alongside them in

ministry. “My parents have a vision of our family, all of us together, working in ministry. We have all been given a different gifting-I’m the musical piece.” She credits her father’s influence as a singer and a lover of all types of music, for the eclectic blend she brings to worship at Faith Assembly. “I’m not stuck in any era or with any particular style of music” she says, “I love all kinds of worship music, and I think worship music can be found in any genre of music-secular or sacred. It all belongs to God. He is the source of it all, and I think it’s one of the greatest tools the church can utilize. “ When Jennifer left Virginia, her son, Isaiah had to stay behind. “I cried a lot of nights knowing I wasn’t going to be able to bring him here. He loves it here. But I knew that if God had led me here, in His time Isaiah would follow. I still believe that and know that God is working it all out for our good-He has a way of doing that with us!” She continues, “I have seen so many miracles worked

out in my life and Isaiah’s life. Praise is a natural outflow of that for me. I’ve learned to praise in any circumstance and situation. It’s the key to joy unspeakable. It’s the key to living a God-designed life. Nothing compares.”

Jennifer H Barnes