New Orleans Baptist Ministries is the community ministry arm of the New Orleans Baptist Association, responsible for carrying out the cooperative compassion ministry goals of the churches of NOBA through financial and strategy development, execution, and management.

Over the past decade NOBM has launched Baptist Community Health Services, a full-service primary care and behavioral health network of urban medical missionaries serving the medically unserved through six locations.  NOBM also leads local disaster relief efforts, operates the Baptist Friendship House, has supported the exponential growth of cooperative Hispanic work in our region, and has helped many NOBA churches begin grant-funded childcare centers.  This past year, NOBA has restructured internally, bringing Wendy Fernandez on board as Business Manager and shifting Alex Brian to work as NOBM’s VP of Operations.

Jack Hunter, the Executive Director of NOBA, has also been serving as the President of NOBM for many years, and will stay on as CEO.  The Board of NOBM is excited to announce James Welch as its new President. Jack says, “James and Amy Welch love New Orleans and want to be here. James understands his passion for New Orleans and ministry here as calling. Bringing James on board is an intentional move to extend NOBM’s culture of care to the disengaged and dislocated members of our churches and neighborhoods through sustainable, measurable Christian ministries.”

James holds Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and Master of Theology degrees from Campbellsville University. He was a church planter in New Orleans for many years before answering a call to First Baptist Fort Lauderdale, where he has served as Lead Pastor for the past four years.  He and Amy never fully left ministry in New Orleans, though, as many of their missionary efforts from Fort Lauderdale were focused in our area.  They live in Mid-City and Amy is the Art Teacher at the Hynes UNO Campus.  James knows the distinct challenges of life and ministry in the region, as well as the beauty and power of God’s movement here.  

May the Lord use these plans to further his kingdom in Greater New Orleans and everywhere God’s kingdom is breaking through.