Faith Forward: A new chapter for a community steeped in renewal

{Photo Credit: Antionette Kerr/Davidson Local}

This Easter Sunday—a day built on the promise of new life and fresh starts—a local congregation will celebrate a powerful step forward. Faith Forward Baptist Church, led by Rev. Alan Suber, is now gathering in a chapel space at First Reformed United Church of Christ, marking both a spiritual and symbolic milestone for its members and the wider community.

Founded during COVID-19 by Rev. Suber and his wife Miranda, Faith Forward once worshiped in the Renaissance Church building on Main Street. That humble sanctuary, filled with echoes of healing and hope of something new, laid the foundation for what has become a growing movement of faith and action. “We never stopped having church,” Suber said. The members met in neighborhood yards and practiced social distancing.

Although the church includes members of all ages, Rev. Suber describes Faith Forward as having a youthful, contemporary flair. The church leans into expressive worship and real-world relevance, attracting young adults and families alike. This Easter Sunday, that energy will be on full display as the church’s youth lead the praise and worship service.

Stained Glass Windows were donated to the chapel by Jacqueline C. Leonard in Memory of her Husband Theodore and parents Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Leonard and Mr. and Mrs. Ross Cameron.

Rev. Suber is a native of Hopkins, South Carolina, where his faith journey began early. At just 7 years old, he accepted Christ and was baptized at Greenview First Baptist Church in Columbia, SC. By age 9, he preached his first sermon—unlicensed but undeniably called—at Saint Luke Missionary Baptist Church. His early love of music, from playing piano to directing choirs, shaped a ministry steeped in both praise and purpose.

“Young in age, but old in wisdom and demeanor” is how many describe him. Suber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Claflin University and earned his Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University School of Divinity in 2015. He’s currently working toward an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. His journey has included roles as youth pastor, worship leader, and Christian educator—experiences that prepared him to found Faith Forward Baptist Church in 2020.

Suber also wears more than one hat in service to justice and hope. As the local chapter president of the NAACP and a board member for Justice for Charles McNeair, he’s not just preaching about transformation—he’s living it. And in the eyes of his congregation, he’s exactly the kind of leader this moment calls for.

The move into this new space isn’t just about bricks and mortar.

Faith Forward has already been meeting for several weeks in the chapel of First Reformed UCC on Sunday mornings at 11am.. The congregation, once worshipping in borrowed space, has steadily expanded its reach through service projects, youth mentorship, social media and civic engagement.

The church also owns property nearby the Uptown ABC store in Lexington, where they plan to build a permanent sanctuary in the future. The symbolism is not lost on the coincidence—a house of faith rising near a place long associated with struggle and recovery speaks to the heart of the church’s mission: transformation, healing, and hope.

Suber’s dual role as pastor and civil rights advocate gives the church a distinct voice in both the sanctuary and the streets. He bridges the gap between the spiritual and the social and doesn’t shy away from hard truths, but he delivers them with compassion and clarity.

At just 33 his vision for Faith Forward is unapologetically rooted in liberation theology and community empowerment.One guiding scripture—Romans 8:28—continues to shape both his personal walk and public witness: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Pastor Elizabeth Horton of First Reformed UCC, where Faith Forward now meets, said her congregation had been supportive and “looking for a way to use the space for ministry. This was an answer to prayer for both of us.”

Horton and Suber are not only fellow graduates of Wake Forest University School of Divinity—though not from the same class—they are also friends whose shared commitment to community ministry has helped cultivate a spirit of trust and collaboration between their congregations.

This Easter will be more than a mere commemoration. For Faith Forward Baptist Church, it will serve as an embodiment—a vibrant resurrection story.