Worth Baptist Church

Dr. Ken Fielder serves as the Director of WorldView Ministries. With a focus on unreached people groups, we are committed both to the training of Bible translators and to the translation and publishing of Scriptures.

Senior Pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Chickasha, Oklahoma

Pastor Stephen Volante was born just outside Boston, but was raised in both Rhode Island and Western Massachusetts. He married his high school sweetheart Laurel Towne from Northampton, and trained to be an engineer at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Massachusetts. After working ten years in many types of building construction, Steve felt God’s call to the ministry. He received his training at Heritage Baptist Institute of the Bible, in New England.

During a mission’s conference in his home church pastored at that time by his father, John Volante, he surrendered to serve the Lord as a missionary wherever God would call him. On a mission’s trip to Ghana to visit John Hayes, God spoke clearly to Steve’s heart. He and Laurel left to serve the Lord in Ghana in August of 1995. God was mightily blessing the work, and many were receiving Christ as Savior. However, in March of 1997, God called Laurel home to glory. Steve returned to the USA broken wondering how God would help him raise their three dear children alone. Like only God can do, he brought Missionary Michelle Tilson into Steve’s life to help him live and dream again. They were married on August 29, 1998, and returned to Ghana a year later to continue the work God had entrusted to Steve’s care.

Pastor Stephen Volante was called to be the senior pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Chickasha, Oklahoma on July 1, 2019.

Pastor of Worth Baptist Church

Dr. Willie W. Weaver was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but spent his formative years in Louisiana. He resides in Burleson with Carolyn, his wife of fifty years. God has blessed Dr. and Mrs. Weaver with two children and five grandchildren.

With a keen heart for missions, Dr. Weaver has always led strong, missions-minded churches known for innovative leadership of missions conferences. His desire is to continue pastoring, to win precious souls, and to take the Gospel to every creature.

Answering God's call thirty-five years ago, Dr. Weaver first pastored People's Baptist in Harrisburg, Virginia for seven years; then Calvary Baptist in Connersville, Indiana for twenty years, and beginning in 1997 through the present, Worth Baptist in Fort Worth, Texas. His local church background includes time as a youth director, and twenty and twenty-seven years in television and radio ministries respectively.

Dr. Weaver has served as Secretary, Vice-President and a three year term as President of the Independent Baptist Fellowship International (IBFI). He was also the President of the Norris Bible Baptist Institute (NBBI) for three years and has served as editor of the "Searchlight", the official publication for the IBFI. Dr. Weaver is presently an instructor at the Crown Southwest Norris Seminary, teaching various courses. He holds a B.D. degree from the Bible Baptist Seminary and an honorary D.D. from Louisiana Baptist University.

Dr. Weaver faithfully served as pastor of Worth Baptist Church from 1997 to 2015.

Pastor Tyler Gillit became Worth’s Senior Pastor in January of 2016 after he served on staff for eight years. Pastor Gillit graduated with a Bachelor of Biblical Studies Degree from The Crown College in 2006 and a Master of Ministries Degree from Crown Seminary in 2007 and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2024. He and Tori were married in 2006 and they have two children, Will and Anna. He is passionate about expository preaching and making disciples in Fort Worth and around the world.

Dr. Raymond Barber, beloved pastor, author, and preacher, passed away on June 25, 2025, at the age of 92.

Dr. Raymond Barber was born on August 12, 1932, in Danville, Virginia, to Rev. Robert J. Barber and Maggie Star Barber. Dr. Barber was a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University and Bible Baptist Seminary. He held honorary doctorates from several institutions.

He served in several churches before becoming pastor at Worth Baptist Church in 1962. Under Dr. Barber's leadership, the congregation grew rapidly, requiring the purchase of property for a new church building. He led the church in three building programs, including the present facility at 4900 Campus Drive.

Dr. Barber also taught for over thirty-five years at the Bible Baptist Seminary and the Norris Bible Baptist Seminary. In 1984 he founded the Independent Baptist Fellowship International and the Norris Bible Baptist Seminary. He served as president of both institutions for twelve years. After his retirement in 1997, he served as president emeritus of the IBFI and NBBS and Pastor Emeritus of Worth Baptist Church.

He was an internationally known preacher who spoke at numerous Bible conferences, colleges, and special meetings and authored over twenty-six books and booklets.

Dr. Raymond W. Barber’s life verse was Galatians 6:14: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.