After eighteen months of intensive searching, members of the congregation of National Heights Baptist Church in Fayetteville have called the Rev. Dr. Steve G. deClaissé-Walford as their new pastor.

A “moderate” Baptist congregation affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, National Heights has been seeking a pastor to lead the congregation forward as it seeks to fulfill the commandment to “go . . . and make disciples of all nations . . .”

An Englishman, deClaissé-Walford holds degrees from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., and the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and teaches courses in religion and philosophy for both Shorter College and Mercer University.

He says he believes that an essential role of Christians is to minister to their neighbors in the local community. He and the congregation will be working over the next several weeks and months to develop a strategy for community ministry. They invite other Christians in the community who currently lack a church home to join them in their efforts.

National Heights began life in 1872 as Flat Rock Baptist Church. The church has moved twice in its life — first to Camp Road, in 1971, when it also renamed itself National Heights Baptist Church, and again in 1985, when it moved to its present location at 103 Old Norton Road.

The present building, comprising a sanctuary, meeting rooms and fellowship hall, was completed in 1988.

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