The Reverend Doctor N. LaMonte Newsome was born in the city of Baltimore, Maryland and spent his formative years in Hampton, Virginia where he attended Hampton University, graduating with a B.S. in political science. He later received a Master of Divinity from what is now called the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. His hunger for knowledge and growth led him to further study where he earned his Doctorate in Ministry in Church Renewal and Revitalization from Drew University Theological School in Madison, New Jersey.
God carved out an interesting career path in the work world that has broadened Dr. Newsome's knowledge and insight into politics, business, and government. He has been:
Dr. Newsome is an experienced pastor, church consultant, workshop and seminar facilitator with over sixteen years of pastoral experience. He is skilled in the area of conflict resolution and management, leadership development, counseling, church administration, and in the development of ministries that address all aspects of the church. He began his ministerial career as Youth Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Hampton, Virginia. Dr. Newsome has served as Senior Pastor to congregations in Paterson, New Jersey; Portsmouth, Virginia; and Sumter, South Carolina.
During his tenure as pastor, all three churches experienced significant financial, spiritual, and numerical growth. He has established men's ministries such as "The Armor Bearers" and "Men of Prayer and Power (MOPP)" which provided men with a ministry vehicle to serve the church and to facilitate their spiritual development as men of God. Dr. Newsome is a skilled pastoral care provider having received training as a hospital chaplain at the Baptist Medical Center and Richland Memorial Hospitals of Palmetto Health Alliance in Columbia, South Carolina. He has also trained pastors from across the country as an Associate Professor of Religion at Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina. Several of the pastors and ministers who have been under Dr. Newsome's tutelage at Morris College have pursued further seminary training at Virginia Union, Interdenominational Theological Center, Columbia International University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, New York Theological Seminary, Colgate University Seminary, and Harvard University's School of Divinity.
As the previous President of the Sumter County Association of Concerned Clergy (SCACC) and was the host of Fresh Wind, a weekly, innovative live, call-in talk show about the renewal and revitalization the church for the 21st Century on WGCV, AM 620 in Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Newsome has led pastors and churches onto the cutting edge of ministry.
Presently, Dr. Newsome is the senior pastor of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida and serves as the Vice President of the Alachua County Ministerial Alliance and a member pastor of the East Gainesville Initiative. Mount Carmel, which owns a 125-unit low-income housing development called Gardenia Gardens and the multi-million dollar state-of-the-art T. A. Wright Family Life Center has embarked on a new era of community service. Under Dr. Newsome's leadership, Mount Carmel has already reached into the Duval Community in Gainesville with clothing giveaways, youth activities with collaborative partner churches including Hallelujah Night, reached out to the elderly church members with home visitations, begun a new ministry for college and career young adults, and begun a uniquely Mt. Carmel venture called the Saturday Academy (a weekend tutoring and mentoring program for the Gainesville community), all within just the first seven months of his ministry at the church.
Dr. Newsome is a pastor "after God's own heart" who loves people, loves ministry, and loves to preach and teach the Word of God. He is a man of God who knows His position in Christ Jesus. He delivers the Word with power and conviction--with a two-edged sword. But with that two-edged sword comes also comfort and hope--the comfort and conviction of the Holy Spirit, the hope of preparing ourselves for the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and our becoming truly kingdom-minded for the Kingdom of God.
