Reverend Dr. Carl Bentley, Pastor Emeritus

Dr. Carl Bentley is a native of Roanoke, Virginia. He met the Lord at an early age, and was baptized at the High Street Baptist Church (Roanoke, Va.) in 1957. Pastor Bentley was called to the ministry in 1975, and preached his trial sermon at Faith Temple COGIC in Hampton, Virginia. He entered seminary at Howard University in Washington DC in 1979, and earned the Master of Divinity Degree in Religion and Pastoral Counseling in 1982, and the Doctor of Ministry Degree in Religious Education in 1988. After graduation, he worked as a geriatric and admissions chaplain at Saint Elizabeth’s Psychiatric Hospital in Washington DC for two years, and later served as the Youth Pastor at the Living Word COGIC in Landover, Maryland for two years. He was called to the pastorate of First Baptist in October of 1985. He has served as vice-moderator of the Mattaponi Baptist Association, and Vice President of the Howard Divinity School Alumni Association.  Dr. Bentley is also an educator.  He earned the Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Hampton University, and the Master of Science Degree in Adult Education from Virginia Tech.  He is a retired teacher of 30 years in the state of Virginia, and has taught in the Hampton City and Fairfax County Public Schools. Currently, he holds a faculty position at the Cornerstone College of Virginia.  Nationally, Dr. Bentley is a writer for Gospel USA Magazine, and a member of the Gospel Music Workshop of America’s faculty, and the Radio Announcers Guild.  Professionally, he has released two record albums, “Victory,” and “Here Am I,” and has produced one CD, ”All The Way,” for Gloria Alsop Carter.  
Dr. Bentley has written two books, “You Are An Overcomer! and Prayer That Changes Things.  Locally, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Thousand Oaks Townhouse Association, and is a member of the Fredericksburg Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.