[1]ORLANDO – Carolyn Fountain of Monroe, Louisiana, was elected the 25th president of WMU, SBC during the WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting on June 7, in Orlando, Florida. She is the first African American woman to serve in this role, and succeeds Connie Dixon of Elida, New Mexico, who has served as president since 2021.
“We welcome Carolyn Fountain into this sacred season of leadership,” said Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director of WMU, SBC. “She comes to the presidency carrying a lifetime of faithful service and leadership experiences woven through every facet of WMU and Southern Baptist life. Across our denomination, she is admired not only for her wisdom and grace, but for the Christlike example she consistently lives before others.
“Carolyn leads with excellence, serves with humility, and approaches every calling with steadfast devotion and remarkable care,” Wisdom-Martin continued. “Her influence has long been a source of encouragement and strength, and her leadership will inspire generations to come. We go forward with deep confidence and great joy, knowing she will guide WMU with vision, integrity and unwavering faithfulness.”
A native of Tallulah, Louisiana, Fountain earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and journalism at Grambling State University before attending a writing and publishing program on the campus of Harvard University.
Fountain and her husband of 48 years, Leroy, were appointed as church planters by the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) in 1983-1996 and 2006-2013. Over the years, Fountain organized and facilitated WMU, taught Sunday School, co-directed youth ministry, led Acteens, sang in the choir, served on committees and as a trustee, and was a pastor’s wife for 11 years. She served as president of Louisiana WMU/Women’s Ministry (2020-2023) and served on the SBC committee on order of business. Additionally, she served as campus minister at Alabama State University (ASU) and led students on missions trips to Detroit, Nashville, and Atlanta.
Fountain was also an educator for 15 years, initially as an ESL fourth grade teacher in Dallas, Texas.
[2]“I got my teacher certification in linguistics because I wanted to make a difference in the lives and education of the Spanish speaking students,” she explained. “As we left Dallas and returned to active missionary status with NAMB, I continued in the classroom in Conyers, Georgia. I was in a general education, fourth grade classroom, but second language learners coming from the International School were placed in my class. I still used my ESL certification and had opportunities to minister to families.”
Presently, Fountian works with the Women’s Learning Center (CWJC), a ministry of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services in Monroe.
“I find that tutoring women in reading and writing as they strive to achieve their HiSet (GED) diploma is about the most fulfilling ministry of my career,” Fountain stated. “I have the opportunity to pour into the lives of women who have had setbacks of the worst kind and who are striving to find their way to a closer walk with God and out of low-income jobs.”
As Fountain teaches, she said she also shares life skills, impressing the importance of walking with God and serving Him as they serve others.
“It is such a blessing to me to be able to assure the ladies of God’s love for them and to demonstrate His love through my love for them as we pray with them, cry with them, and rejoice with them,” she reflected.
Through the years, Fountain said she has experienced God’s faithfulness.
[3]“As we stepped out in faith to serve, He led us to reach people and plant churches,” she said. “Now He leads us as we serve as consultants and mentors for church planters and their families. He has taken this shy country girl who loves family and roots and helped me grow into a servant who is willing to go where He leads. I have learned to trust Him to give me the strength, the ability, and the power to do whatever He calls me to do. I could not do this on my own. He continues to bless the ministry He gave Leroy and me when we were newlyweds. He is faithful and I pray daily that I remain faithful and obedient to His will and His way.”
The Fountains are members of the Well of Monroe, a church plant of First Baptist Church of West Monroe. Together they serve churches in Northeast Louisiana by helping pastors of church plants and revitalizations incorporate missions into their strategy for church health. They have three daughters and five grandchildren.
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