A Church on the Move Since 2007
Galilee Missionary Baptist Church sits at 4129 Northampton Drive in the northeast Winston-Salem neighborhood along the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive corridor. Under the Rev. Dr. Nathan E. Scovens, who became the fifth pastor in 2007, the congregation has tripled in membership, built a 32,000-square-foot worship facility, acquired 38 acres of land, and partnered to develop a CVS Pharmacy as a commercial anchor for redevelopment in the surrounding community. The church's mission reads, "Glorifying God, Making Disciples, Building Community, Changing Lives."
The Pastor and the Vision Behind Galilee
Reverend Nathan Edward Scovens is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He accepted Christ at age nine and preached his first sermon at twelve. Before entering full-time ministry he taught middle school and coached football, basketball, and track, building the foundation for a ministry of resilience, faith, and youth empowerment. He earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences from Elizabeth City State University and both a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Jacksonville Theological Seminary. He is completing a degree in Religion and Public Leadership at Boston University School of Theology and has been accepted into the Doctoral Program in Organizational Leadership at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Guided by the principle "we are blessed to bless others," Pastor Scovens has led Galilee into broader community investment. He completed the 5th and Dunleith Project in 2025, creating quality townhomes for low-income families, and established The Galilee Legacy Foundation in 2026 to sustain scholarships and community empowerment initiatives for generations to come. Galilee has awarded more than a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships to date. Pastor Scovens also serves as Chaplain for the Winston-Salem Police Department and has served on boards with United Way, Family Services, ThriveMore, the Bethesda Center for the Homeless, the Triad Pastors Network, and Wake Forest University's Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
The First Lady
Lady Wyvondalynn (Von) Gilchrist Scovens is a native of Garysburg, North Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Elizabeth City State University, an MBA from High Point University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Winston-Salem State University, having transitioned from a career in corporate finance into nursing. She leads the Sisters of Strength Women's Ministry and supports her husband's pastoral vision. The Scovens have been married for 31 years and are the parents of two sons, Nathan Edward II and Joshua Kaleb.
What Galilee Believes
Galilee's doctrinal foundation rests on historic Baptist teachings, summed up in Ephesians 4:4-6: "There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called into one hope of your calling: One Lord, One faith, and One baptism; One God, and Father of all, who is above all, and in you all." Members affirm that the Bible is God's Word, true without any mixture of error, and the supreme standard for faith and practice. They confess one living and true God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They affirm the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, death on the cross for sin, bodily resurrection, present ministry of intercession, and personal return in power and glory. They believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit, who regenerates, indwells, transforms, and keeps believers until the day of Christ.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, the only sufficient Savior and the only Mediator between God and humanity. The Church, the Body of Christ, is a group of baptized believers joined by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel. Galilee observes two ordinances: baptism by immersion in water and the Lord's Supper, a provision of bread and fruit of the vine representing the body and blood of Christ.
Galilee's core values are a roster of identity statements: Jesus is at the center; integrity is the operating system; commitments to God and to the work he calls them to are taken seriously; the church is for all people; excellence marks everything they do; missions is their mission; they are a warm place where everyone is family; and they embrace their heritage while pursuing what God has for them next.
Sunday Gatherings and Global Galilee
Galilee gathers for two Sunday morning worship services. An 8:00 AM service meets in person, and a 10:00 AM service is offered both in person and through livestream. Sunday School begins at 9:00 AM each Sunday. Youth Church meets at 10:00 AM on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, while families worship together on the first and third Sundays.
On the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM, the congregation gathers virtually for Global Galilee, the church's online ministry that extends preaching, teaching, and worship beyond the Northampton Drive campus. In 2022 Pastor Scovens also launched the Mobile Galilee Church on Wheels and a digital radio platform called The Galilee Experience.
A Worship and Arts Department Like Few Others
Worship and Arts is one of the most distinctive parts of Galilee's ministry. Willie J. Mason serves as Minister of Worship and Arts, and Tony Mitchell serves as Music Director. The department includes a worship band, several choirs, liturgical dance, mime, and step ministry. The worship band leads congregational worship on Sunday mornings and supports weddings, funerals, and special events, rehearsing regularly under the Music Director's leadership. The team may accompany the pastor to local and national engagements.
Three choirs share in music ministry on a rotating schedule. Voices of Galilee, the church's main choir open to all members, leads worship on the first and fifth Sundays and accompanies the pastor for outside engagements. The Male Chorus leads on the third Sunday. Chosen Generation, a young adult choir for ages 18 to 30, leads on the fourth Sunday.
The Liturgical Dance ministry is divided into five ensembles. God's Lil Angels and Lil Armor Bearer serve grades K through 7. Heavenly Divine serves ages 13 to 18. Unity and Women of Praise serves ages 18 to 50-plus. Golden Treasures serves ages 50 and up. A Flag and Banner Ministry is open to all ages. Three mime ensembles - Kidz Mime for ages 6 to 12, Silent Witness for ages 13 to 18, and Praise in Motion for ages 18 and up - rehearse on Thursdays. GMBC Steppers for Christ, for ages 8 and up, practices on designated Thursdays as well. These ensembles minister during praise and worship every Sunday except the first.
Ministries for Every Stage of Life
The Galilee Youth Ministry is led by Dr. Anthony Holmes and Crystal Murphy. Sonshine Kids Nursery serves ages 1 to 4, Sea of Galilee serves grades 1 through 5, and More Than Conquerors serves middle and high school students.
CHOSEN Young Adult Ministry serves ages 18 to 35, offering a community of young adult believers to grow, question, and serve alongside one another.
The Men's Ministry, led by Marcus Sanderlin, disciples men through small groups and fellowship gatherings to live out their faith, strengthen their homes, and serve their community.
Sisters of Strength, the women's ministry led by Lady Scovens, focuses on worship, intentional relationships, and empowerment of women across generations.
The Marriage Ministry prepares and enriches engaged and married couples so husbands and wives grow together as one.
The Senior Ministry, led by Linda Gregg, is a community of mature members who extend help through service and activities to those in need.
Outreach That Spans the Globe
Galilee's global reach is unusually broad for a single congregation. Pastor Scovens has led international missions in Guyana, Sudan, Belize, South Africa, Liberia, Ethiopia, and Rwanda, along with educational and spiritual pilgrimages to Greece, Italy, Ghana, and the Holy Land. The Mobile Galilee Church on Wheels brings ministry into the wider Winston-Salem community, and the partnership with the local CVS Pharmacy has anchored commercial redevelopment along the MLK Jr. Drive corridor.
Members can serve on a wide range of teams: Bereavement Ministry, Outreach Ministry (Mobile Galilee), Prison Ministry, Hospitality and Greeters, Parking Lot, Production, HelpDesk Technology, Social Media, Culinary, Safety, Ministry of Health, Ushers, The Bridge Welcome Center, Nursery Ministry, Events Team, and Global Galilee. A Spiritual Gifts Assessment helps new servants find their fit.
Worship Facility and Lifespan Events
Galilee's 32,000-square-foot worship facility houses a sanctuary that seats 1,000 and a multipurpose room that seats 160 with tables, both available for facility rental. Three conference and classroom spaces seat 12 to 25. Couples planning a wedding at Galilee fill out a Wedding Form to begin. Baby dedications take place during the 10:00 AM worship service and are scheduled at least one month in advance. Funerals are coordinated through the church office at 336-724-3857. Pastoral care, including hospital visits, home visitation, grief support, marriage counseling, pre-marital counseling, and spiritual guidance, is requested through a Pastoral Care and Visitation Form.
Giving and Staying Connected
Tithes and offerings are received in person, online through the church's giving page, and through the Givelify app and Cash App ($GMBC4129). Members manage involvement through Realm, the church's online directory and registration platform. Active social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube share sermons, music, and announcements.
Visiting Galilee
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday worship begins at 8:00 AM, Sunday School meets at 9:00 AM, and the 10:00 AM worship service includes a live stream for those joining from home. The pastoral team includes Dr. Nathan E. Scovens as Senior Pastor, Reverend Chad Armstrong as Executive Pastor, Courtney Smoot as Director of Operations, Dr. Anthony Holmes as Youth and Young Adult Pastor, Charles Smoot as Media Director, Willie J. Mason as Minister of Worship and Arts, and Tony Mitchell as Music Director.