Staff

(To email any staff member, click on his/her picture.)

Dr. Michael Helms, Pastor

Michael Helms became pastor of Trinity Baptist in July 1996. He previously served as pastor of Clarkesville Baptist in Clarkesville, Georgia; and as associate pastor of First Baptist in Hartwell, Georgia.

He graduated from Samford University in 1984 with a major in human relations and a minor in music. He completed a Master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1987; and a Doctorate of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary, in Decature, Georgia, in 1992. Dr. Helms has clinical expreience at Baptist Hospital East in Louisville, Kentucky, and at Patrick Harris Phychiatric hospital in Anderson, South Carolina.

While in Clarkesville, Dr. Helms served as a Trustee for Truett McConnell College and was a founding member of the Foothills Counseling Center.

After coming to Moultrie, Dr. Helms taught as an adjunct professor for Brewton-Parker College in Norman Park. He served as the president of the Moultrie Rotary Club in 2005-2006, president of the Colquitt County Ministerial Association in 2006-2007 and president for Moss Farms Diving during that same year.

Dr. Helms has been a weekly columnist for The Moultrie Observer since 2000. He has won seven writing awards from The Amy Foundation. His sermons have won awards from the Baptist History and Heritage Society and the Georgia Baptist Children's Home. His first book, Finding Our Way--An Introspective Journey Through the Labyrinth of Life, was published by Winepress Publishing Group in 2006. He is currently working on a book about the emerging hope in Liberia.

He has volunteered as a mentor in the school system, served as cub master for the Cub Scout program and severed on the Board of Directors of the YMCA.

He is very involved in mission work to Liberia. He served on a committee that helped finance the work of the seminary in Liberia for many years. he spent three weeks in Liberia in 2006 and lead a work team from Trinity to Liberia in April 2007 to repair the water system on campus of Ricks Institute.

Currently, Dr. Helms is a member of the Board of Advisors for Mercer University, a member of the Board of Regents for the McAfee SChool of Theology, and a member of the board for Moss Farms Diving.

Michael's wife, Tina, is the payroll accountant for Moultrie Technical College. They have been married since 1984 and have two sons, John and Ryan. After completing a year of college, John completed his training at Parris Island in December 2007 and will continue his training as a Marine in North Carolina before receiving his next assignment.

Their younger son, Ryan, is a senior at Colquitt County High School. He is one of the top academic students in his class. In November of 2007, he signed a diving scholarship with the University of Tennessee, and is one of the top divers in the United States. He was also named to the level two training team that will begin training for possible inclusion on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. He competed at the U.S. Pan Am games in Puerto Rico where he won a bronze medal.

Rev. John Grobe, Minister of Music and Outreach

John Grobe came to Trinity Baptist in July of 1997. He previously served as Minister of Music and Education at First Baptist Church, Devine, Texas. John Graduated from Mars Hill Baptist College in 1983 with a degree in Music Education. He completed a Masters degree in Music Performance at Florida State University in 1986 and a Masters in Church Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1989.

His wife, Amy, is a fourth grade teacher at R. B. Wright Elementary School and she serves as the church pianist at Trinity. They have been married since 1989 and have two children, Amanda and Gradyn.

John has remained active with community chorus and symphony productions in Tallahassee, Florida; Valdosta and Moultrie, Georgia. He is a member of The Sons of Jubal through the Georgia Baptist Convention Music Ministries Department. He has served on boards through the United Way of Colquitt County and serves as a mentor through the Communities and Schools of Colquitt County.

Rev. Carl Tolbert, Jr.

Carl Tolbert is a native of Alabama. He grew up in Opelika, a bedroom community of Auburn. Carl attended Gulf Coast Community College on a baseball scholarship and transferred to Samford University in Birmingham where he completed his degree and continued his baseball career. He was named captain of the baseball team and an All Conference baseball player his senior year.

At Samford, Carl met Suzanne Harrington, a native of Atlanta, Georgia. She was a cheerleader. Carl and Suzanne have two boys, Kyle and Jay.

Carl began working at J.A.H. Insurance Services, Inc., in Atlanta in 1996. The company, owned by his father-in-law, was to be handed down to Carl upon his father-in-law's retirment. However, God began working in Carl and Suzanne's lives, bringing them to a decision to follow God in a different direction. Their deep love for God and their deep love for teenagers led them to make a decision that put Carl on a journey toward embracing youth ministry as a vocation.

Having served as a lay person for many years will be a strength for Carl as he serves our membership. He was ordained as a deacon in 1995. He has served on the building committee and youth committee. He has been a camp counselor every year since 1996 (Suzanne is responsible for pulling him into this area of ministry). He has served as the Wednesday night youth activities leader and has led opening assembly for Sunday School. Carl and Suzanne have also taught youth in Sunday School.

Carl's hobbies are basketball, golf, softball, football, hiking and camping, college sports, reading, spending time with youth, and coaching his sons' athletic teams.

His goal for ministry is "to make a difference in the lives of today's youth." The ministry is purspose-driven with visions of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, and has missions at its core."