Our Pastor
Ministerial Team
Pastor S. Allison Baker
Smith Allison Baker was born in Suffolk Virginia and is the son of the late Samuel M. and Sarah H. Baker.
He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation Programs from Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia. Reverend Baker also completed coursework in the Master of Divinity Program at the Samuel D. Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia.
Reverend Baker’s ministerial journey began when he was licensed on January 10, 1999. He was ordained on May 6, 2001. He served as Interim Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church from October 27, 2013 until he was installed as Senior Pastor on September 28, 2014.
Reverend Baker has served in various capacities during his ministerial career including: Associate Pastor of First Baptist Orlando, Suffolk Virginia, Associate Minister at the Brookland Baptist Church, West Columbia, South Carolina, Interim Pastor of Zion Chapel Missionary Baptist Church Number One, Columbia, South Carolina and Special Assistant to Pastor William McCants, Dennis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Columbia, South Carolina. He was also appointed Chaplain for the City of Columbia and served in that role from 2010 until December 2017.
In his professional role as a government official, Reverend Baker was employed by the City of Columbia as Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation in January of 1997.
In 2004, he was promoted to the position of Assistant City Manager and again in January of 2008 was promoted Senior Assistant City Manager, a position he held until his retirement in December of 2017.
In his latter position he served as second in command under the City’s organizational structure and was a member of the Senior Management Team. His leadership, organizational and managerial skills were utilized on a daily basis in order to oversee and assist with major projects and operations in South Carolina’s Capital City.
Reverend Baker is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He is also a strong supporter of numerous charitable organizations and shares his expertise to assist with a variety of community initiatives.
Reverend Baker is the proud father of two sons: Gerard Allison and Kiah D’Vard. He is also Grandfather to two granddaughters: Taylore Alison and Olivia Nicole.
Reverend Baker’s favorite bible passage is 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love.”
Reverend Theodore Thomas Jr.
Reverend Theodore Thomas Jr. Is a native of Orangeburg South Carolina and is the son of the late Theodore Thomas Sr. And Mrs Gracie Lee Keitt Thomas. He accepted Christ as his personal savior at the age of twenty-one and has served in various capacities as a member of Bull Swamp Baptist Church until 2001.
Rev. Thomas has attended ministerial classes at the Overcoming College of Religion under the leadership of the late Bishop Leroy Vance Williams. He continued his studies under Reverend Doctor Blakey N. Scott through the Morris College extension program for Theological Studies. He is continuing his studies in the Morris College program under the instruction of Reverend Doctor Jamey Graham, with a primary focus on homiletics.
Reverend Thomas joined the Cornerstone Baptist Church on February 5, 2005, under the Pastorship of Reverend Adrian McIlwain. He was licensed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ by Reverend McIlwain on April 28, 2013. He was then ordained by Dr. Charles McClendon on November 29, 2015. Currently, he serves as an Associate Minister at Cornerstone Baptist Church.
Proverbs 18:16 (NKJV) declares, “a man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” Reverend Thomas has been afforded the opportunity to preach a number of pastoral anniversaries, church anniversaries and he has had several engagements to lead men’s conferences.
Reverend Charles Epps, Pastor of Haskell Heights Progressive Baptist Church, has been a mentor and Friend to Reverend Thomas since the early days of his call to the ministry and continues to be so. Reverend Thomas is married to Deaconess Valveta Thomas.
favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13, ” I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
