Reverend Dr. James A. Webster, 76 of Summerfield, NC passed Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Public viewing will be held from 1:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m. Monday, May 29, 2023, at Perry-Spencer Funeral Home, Madison, NC . The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m, Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at Oak Ridge First Baptist Church, 2445 Oak Ridge Road, Oak Ridge, NC with the “Home Going Celebration" beginning at 12:00 O'Clock Noon. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Livestream can be seen on May 30, 2023 during the service: On Oak Ridge First Baptist Church website, YouTube and the church's Facebook account.

Rev. Dr. James Arthur webster, born on April 28, 1947, native of Rockingham County, departed this life from labor to reward, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at his home in Summerfield, NC. He was the eldest of eight children reared in Madison, NC, by his parents, James E. (Tom) and Betty Moore Webster. He was honorable, humble and humorous and to know him was truly to love him.

Upon graduating from Charles R. Drew High School in 1975, he entered the United States Ari Force where he honorably served four years during the Vietnam Conflict and obtainefd the rank of Staff Sergeant.

With his military career behind hime, Dr. Webster immediately begn to further his education and earned an Associate's degree in Business Management from Jefferson Busine4ss College; a Bachelor of arts degree in Religion and Philosophy and a Master's of Divinity from Shaw University, Raleigh, NC. He also received certification as a Continuing Christian Education Instructor through Shaw University School of Divinity. He was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bethlehem Bible College, Roanoke, VA. He is listed in the National Register in Washington, DC's 2000 edition of “Who's Who” among honored Professional and Executives.

Dr. Webster accepted Christ at an early age. He was honored to serve as an ordained Deacon in his home church, Goodwill Baptist Church, Madison, NC, under the leadeship of Dr. B.H. Bonham. In 1975, he was licensed at Goodwill Baptist Church to preach the gospel. The following year, he was ordained by the Rowan Baptist Association and named the Assistant Pastor of Goodwill Baptist Church. In 1978, he accepted his first pastoral call at Zion Baptist Church in Mt. Airy, NC, where he servedd faithfully for six years.

In 1984, he was called to pastor Oak Ridge First Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, NC, where he would faithfully serve for 39 years, until his passing. He served the longest tunure in Oak Ridge First Baptist Church history. Afer his early retirement from the United States Postal Sevices in 1990, he became the first full time pastor of Oak Ridge First Baptist Church. Under his leadership, the church experienced phenomenal growth and was blessed to enter into four major building projects. He always recognized God for every increase through his favorite saying, “To God Be All the Glory”! Dr. Webster loved Oak Ridge First Baptist Church with his whold heart and often stated, “I've spent over half my life with these people and if I had to do it all over again, I'd do th4e same thing.” of High Point, NC. Honorable Judge Joe Webster (Diane) of Chapel Hill, NC; Curtis Webster (Sondra) of High Point, NC; one sister, Patsy Dalton of Jamestown, NC and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and close friends.

Dr. Webster served on numerous community boards and committees. He served on the Board of Trustees of Bethlehem Baptist College. He was a General Board member of the General Baptist State Convention where he also served as Vice Chairman of the Personnell Committee (the latter was an appointment from Dr. Leonzo Lynch). He was a faithful member of the Hampton Ministers Conference, the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., the Oak Ridge Ministerial Alliance and the NAACP chapter in Greensboro, NC. He was also a Past Moderator of the High Point Educational and Missionary Baptist Association, INC. and served on the Ordination Council and Executive Board. He brought excitement, experience and awesome execution of pastoral leadeship locally, statewide, nationwide and globally. He was known near and far as the “Mission Pastor” and strongly believed that if the church was not about missions, then there was no need to exist. He believed in giving to help build God's kingdom in every area possible. His passion for missions was so evident that the Each Child Counts Foundaton built a school in Clay Ashland, Liberia, West Africa and named a portion of the building the Dr. James A. Webster Elementary School wing, in his honor. Dr. Webster had the privilege of being in attendance when the school opened on February 20, 2018. While in Liberia, he preached two services at the historic Providence Baptist Church, which was founded by Rev. Lott Carey and the namesake of the Foreign Mission Convention that Dr. Webster has supported for many years. He counted that experience as a high honor in his life and as always, gave God the glory for it!

He was preceded in death by his parents; James E. and Bettie Webster; two brothers, Billy and Ricky Webster; and one sister, Kathy Webster.

Dr. Webster was married for 56 years to the love of his life; Mrs. Brends (Dalton) Webster and was blessed with one son, Ministefr Derrick Webster, who served faithfully by his father's side; a daughter-in-law, Nicole Bivens Webster, who he could always count on to tell him the “hard truths” and his most precious joy, his granddaughter, Madison Gabriella Webster. He is survived by three brothers, John Webster (Mary) of High Point, NC, Honorable Judge Joe Webster (Diane) of Chapel Hill, NC, Curtis Webster (Sondra) of High Point, Nc, one sister; Patsy Dalton of Jamestown, NC and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and close friends.

According to Rev. Dr. James Arthur Webster, if he could leave a legacy, it would be that he lived his life with integrity and his due reward would be found in Matthew 25:21, “His Lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servangt: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”