About Our Church
We are a family of faith seeking to love God and love others because He first loved us. We are closely connected to the Baldwin Baptist Association and the Alabama Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention. Why? Because we partner with these fellow Baptists to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth by sending missionaries through the entities of the SBC.What We Believe
First Fairhope holds to the beliefs outlined in the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. It is available via the button for downloading and it’s content below. The constitution of First Fairhope is available on this button as well.
PASTORS
Dr. Eric Hankins
Lead Pastor
Dr. Hankins started his ministry at First Baptist Fairhope December 1, 2016. He comes to First Baptist Fairhope from FBC Oxford Mississippi where he served as Pastor for 12 years. He is a native of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Dr. Hankins has served churches in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and now Alabama. He is a graduate of Louisiana College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary ( M.Div.) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D.). His ministry vision is to shepherd the local church in fulfilling her world-changing, disciple-making kingdom purpose through expository preaching, Spirit-directed leading and a shepherd’s care of individuals and families. He is married to his 7th grade sweetheart, Janet, and they have three children: J.D (married to Auguste), Emily (married to Nick Ellis) and Jake who is a student at Fairhope High School. 2021 brought the Hankins’ their first grandchild, a girl, Isla Sue.
Rev. Brent Shaw
Administrator
Rev. Brent Shaw began his ministry at First Baptist Church Fairhope, August 1, 2002. He served previously on the First Baptist Staff in the 80s as Minister of Youth. Brent served First Baptist Church in Dothan for 10 years prior to returning to Fairhope. Brent’s wife is Tammy and they have two girls: Lauren (Hardman) and Lindsey, and two grandchildren: Ann Waverly and Jack.
Rev. Shawn Trotter
Discipleship Pastor
Rev. Shawn Trotter began serving in 2018 as our Discipleship Pastor while he finished up seminary. In 2019 he became our full-time Discipleship Pastor, relieving Brent Shaw of those education responsibilities. . Shawn and his wife, Valerie, live here in Fairhope and have four children.
Rev. Robert Seaborn
Senior Adult/Congregational
Care Pastor
Robert and his wife Letia have been members of First Baptist Church for 25 years. In 2018, he surrendered to ministry at First Baptist and was licensed and ordained here. In 2019, he began e210 Ministries with a focus on corporate and hospital chaplaincy, He has done a great deal of training in those areas. He serves as a Chaplain for several businesses and a volunteer Chaplain at Thomas Hospital.. Before surrendering to ministry, he enjoyed a successful career in banking, rising to the position of bank president. He graduated from Auburn with a B.S. in Finance and M.B.A from Samford.
Rev. Scott M. Lee
Worship Pastor
Rev. Scott Lee became worship Pastor in 2022. He and Cherie served here from 1983 – 1987 as Minister of Music. And again later on as Young Adult Minister. Scott and Cherie are both natives of Pensacola, Florida.
Scott is married to Cherie, and they have two children: Taylor and Daniel Gardner (Fairhope), and Abby and Tanner Lee (Georgetown, TX) and two grandboys: Wyn Gardner and JoJo Lee, each a year old (only four months apart).
Since serving here at First Fairhope (his first church out of Seminary) he went on to serve larger churches in Georgia and South Carolina in the areas of Worship and Worship Arts. He served most recently as the Chief Administrative Officer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention in Columbia, South Carolina.
Rev. Ryan Smith
Student Pastor
Ryan has been working with students over the past ten years as a lay leader in churches from Georgia & Alabama. He joined the FBC Staff in 2008. He has also served as Student Worship Leader at Eagles Landing First Baptist Church in Georgia. Ryan has a passion for students and desires to lead them to a deeper knowledge of God by creating Bible Study opportunities coupled with recreational events and relevant worship experiences. Ryan also leads worship at our 11:00am service. His wife is Amy and they have two children: Ellie, a freshman in college and Tyler a freshman at Fairhope High.
Rev. Kevin Nelson
Children’s Pastor
Kevin takes care of our children’s ministry (First Kids) needs and the needs of young families at First Fairhope. He is a Baldwin County Native. He and his wife Leigh are parents to Kevin Jr. (K2), a Senior in High School.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Sharon Pippin
Director of Communications
Travis Carr
Audio/Lighting Engineer
Laurie Jensen
Director of Preschool &
The Learning Tree
Kay Gaddy
Financial Ministry Assistant
Jennifer Coulter
Ministry Assistant for Students
and Senior Adults
Laureen Davis
Worship Ministry Assistant
Delores Lund
Ministry Assistant for Children
and Receptionist
LaSha Powell
Discipleship Ministry Assistant
Bill Stembridge
Director of Hospitality &
Pastor of Food
Dee Pace
Children’s Music Associate