Leadership at Warm Springs Church
Strong Beliefs with dedicated hearts
Our Staff
Dr. Bob M. Patterson
Senior Pastor
Bob M. Patterson has been the pastor of the FIrst Baptist Church since 01 December 1986. Bob is a graduate of North Georgia College [Bachelor of Science], The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth TX. [Master of Divinity] and The Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, KY [Doctor of Ministry].
He is married to Angela Bulloch Patterson, [Doctor of Medical Dentistry Medical College of Georgia] who is a board certified Pediatric Dentist. They have four daughters. Tiffany Lowery who is the practice manager for her mom’s practice, Children’s Dentistry of West Georgia in LaGrange GA. She is married to Lee and they have two children Skyler and Easton. Heather Shepherd [Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Georgia Southern University] is a Registered Nurse living in Hilton Head S.C. with her husband Nathan. Erin Patterson [Bachelor of Arts, Mercer University, Master of Information and Library Science, University of South Carolina] is a project archivist in the Special Collections Library at Georgia Southern University. Madalynn McDermitt, [Bachelor of Science, Armstrong Atlantic University, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia] is married to Logan and is in her practice The Woodbury Animal Clinic.
Show More
Bob has been a member of the Meriwether County Board of Education since 2016. He is currently the chairman. He has been a member of the operating board for the county hospital and nursing home since 1996 and is the current chair of Meriwether Health Care. He is a member of and immediate past chair of the Meriwether Chamber of Commerce, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Church Benefits Board, [a ministry that provides benefits and retirement plans to ministers, missionaries and church employees.] He represents Meriwether County on the West Georgia Technical College Board of Directors. He had been a member of the Meriwether Rotary Club since 1999, serving as President in 2006-07 and 2014-2015. He is a Double Paul Harris Fellow and led the club to become an All Paul Harris Club in 2014-2015. He has been the Rotary District 6900 Chaplain twice. He works with the Marine Corps League in Peachtree City, GA to coordinate the United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Christmas program for Meriwether County. He co-founded the Meriwether Youth Soccer Association and coaches youth soccer, volleyball and softball. Since 1992, he has offered the invocation and benedictions at the 12 April memorial services at Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House in Warm Springs GA. Since 2014 he has been a member and treasurer of the Friends of FDR’s Little White House. He has been cited in various national publications and books on the topic of Franklin Roosevelt and Warm Springs.
He served as a page in the U. S. House of Representatives in the summer of 1974.
He was assigned to work in the Rayburn Press room with the reporters covering the
Nixon Impeachment Crisis. He delivered the invocation for the United States House of
Representatives on 17 November 2004 at the invitation of Congressman Phil Gingrey
He is a Life Member of the U.S. Capitol Page Association and the Sixth Marine
Division Association. He is a certified Board Member by the Technical College System of
Georgia. He was the Seventh A. H. Newman Scholar in Baptist Studies at Mercer
University’s Center for Baptist Studies. In 1999, he was named Collaborative Chair of the year for the Georgia Family Connection Partnership. In 1998, he was the winner of a state wide sermon contest. The sermon title was “The Escalating Value of Families” sponsored by the Georgia Baptist Convention Family Ministry Department and The Georgia Baptist Children’s Home. He preached the Doctrinal Sermon at the Georgia Baptist Convention in 1992 and was the Second Vice President of the Georgia Baptist Convention in 1993.
Publications
2017 Cited in Christian Science Monitor with photo 12 February 2017
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2017/0212/At-FDR-s-Little-White-House-a-po
rtrait-of-Trump-s-starkly-different-worldview
2016 Cited in the preface, narrative and footnotes of “The Gatekeeper” a book about Missy LeHand, FDR’s private secretary.
2015 Quoted in an Boston Globe article with photo in Sunday 05 April 2015 edition on the potential effect of a unified southern primary in 2016.
2014 Article for the Deacon Newsletter, Baugh Center for Baptist Leadership at
Mercer University.
2008 Baptist Studies Bulletin, “Investing in the Congregation and Community”
http://www.centerforbaptiststudies.org/bulletin/2008/march.htm#From the Pulpit
2007 Cover story of his ministry in Warm Springs in Baptists Today.
2005 Quoted in The Rotarian magazine about FDR and Warm Springs
2002 A month’s lessons for Bible Learners and Bible Study Leaders in the Smyth
and Helwys Convention Uniform Bible Study series on Romans.
1987-1995 Fifteen articles in Church Administration, The Deacon, The Adult Sunday
School Leader all published by the Baptist Sunday School Board [BSSB]
1990 Chapters on the Baptism and Lord’s Supper committees in the Church
Committee Resource pack published by the BSSB.
1989 13 Sunday School Lessons for The Christian Index, the Newspaper of the Georgia Baptist Convention.
1986-2012 Wrote occasional columns for local newspapers
Bob frequently asked questions
Favorite Movie or genre :
Star Wars, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Favorite TV show:
Procedural dramas
The last books you read.
Mosquito Bowl: The story of a football game played on Guadalcanal by the 5th and 29th marine regiments of the Sixth Marine division. His uncle was present at the game and later was killed in action on Okinawa.
Victory on the Potomac: The Goldwater-Nichols Act Unifies the Pentagon
FDR biographies or related subject matter
Favorite cuisine :
Tex Mex followed closely by BBQ brisket
How long have you been at the church?
I moved in the pastorium on 01 December 1986. My first sermon as pastor was
07 December 1986.
College team you root for?
UGA
Favorite Bible verse?
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me
trustworthy, appointing me to his service.” 2 Timothy 1:12 NIV
Adam Bounds
Minister of Youth
Adam Bounds has been our youth minister since 2012. He is married to Jessica Scott Bounds who teaches at Mountain view Elementary School. They have two sons Cam and Amon. Adam owns and operates Peach State Cabinets in Columbus, GA. They reside in the church pastorium. Adam is a very proud graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, graduating in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction.
Show More
While a student there he worked at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center as a Lifeguard, Head guard, Instructor and Lead guard. As an Instructor he trained over 200 lifeguards. As a Head guard he was the deck manager and in charge of 3-5 other lifeguards at a time. When placed in the Lead guard position he was in charge of several administrative tasks for the entire staff of 100 lifeguards. He was also a member of the S.C.A. (Student Construction Association). In 2004 – 2006 he was a crew leader for World Changers. He volunteered with Habitat for Humanity doing site work, framing, truss building, foundation work. He is a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity.
Often asked questions about Adam:
His Hobbies: All things Georgia Tech, Soccer, Hunting, Traveling, Spending time with friends
Favorite Movie:
Tombstone
Favorite TV show:
Whatever keeps the kids entertained…
Favorite book other than the Bible.
Storm light Archive series by Brandon Sanderson: Epic Fantasy
Favorite cuisine:
Pizza
Most exciting place you’ve visited:
Mont Saint Michel, France
Dr. Chris Libby
Music Director
Dr. Libby graduated from Liberty University with his Doctor of Music Education degree in 2022. He earned his Master’s degree from Georgia College and State University and received his Bachelor’s from Georgia State University where he studied trumpet and music education and was awarded the Steve Winnick Scholarship for trumpet. He has been a music educator for 15 years and has taught numerous camps and clinics. He is currently in his 8th year as the band director at Manchester High School in Meriwether County and has served as the Minister of Music at First Baptist Church Warm Springs since 2018.
Show More
His military background is also in band and music. He is currently a Staff Sergeant (E6) in the 116th Army Band and has been an Army Bandsmen for 18 years. He serves as the band’s drum major and is the assistant team leader and bass player in the army band’s country rock band. SSG Libby has performed the Star Spangled Banner at several Atlanta Braves games and was honored to play “Taps” from home plate during the Atlanta Braves tribute for the 20th anniversary of September 11th. He enjoys working with students and making music exciting and enjoyable. He lives in Warm Springs with his wife Toni and son Ethan.
Often asked questions:
Hobbies:
Sports, music, shooting, fishing, tabletop war gaming.
Favorite Movie or genre:
Star Wars
Favorite book other than the Bible:
Anything from Chronicles of Narnia
Favorite cuisine:
Mexican food