Rev. Barnes, is a native of Wilson, NC having graduated from Ralph L. Fike High School. He went on to graduate from Wilson Community College (Wilson, NC), Shaw University (Raleigh, NC) and Duke University (Durham, NC).

Committed to community service, he has served, as a member or in positions of leadership, on a host of boards, commissions and organizations including the United Way, Sallie B. Howard School for the Arts & Education, the Black Caucus of New Hope Presbytery and the NAACP (National Association of Colored People), of both Wilson and Lenoir County.

Rev. Barnes' international travels have lead him to such countries as Jordan, Greece, Egypt, Mexico and Iraq on missions of peace and justice as well travel/study tours of these and other international locations.

For the past 23 years he has served as the Pastor of the historic White Rock Presbyterian Church, USA (Kinston, NC). Additionally, he Coordinates two innovative programs for Wilson County Schools (Wilson, NC). One is the Gentlemen's Agreement (a mentoring program for African American male students and the other is the Equity & Inclusion Initiative.

The apples of his eye are his two daughters, Maurissa Imani Barnes and Jimesha Zawadi Barnes.

More important than where he has been or what he has been blessed to experience, Rev. Barnes is a firm believer that in the final analysis, only what we do for Christ will last! We've all been gifted with graces & abilities to make the world a better place than when we first arrived...to God be the glory for the things He has done and is doing in the lives of all of His children!