Paul Fries
Associational Mission Strategist
Paul Fries began his ministry as the Salem Baptist Association Associational Mission Strategist in September 2016.
Paul and his wife Cheryl have been married since 1975 and together they have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Their son Micah, his wife Tracy and their 3 children live in Chattanooga, Tennessee where Micah is Senior Pastor of Brainerd Baptist Church. Jared and his wife Tammi with their 2 daughters liven in Coats, NC where both are employed at Campbell University, a Baptist University in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Their daughter Rebekah and her husband Chris and 4 children live in Reedsburg, Wisconsin where Chris serves as Associate Pastor-Children & Students at Trinity Baptist Church.
Paul has extensive ministry experience. He has been a pastor and interim pastor in Florida, Missouri, and Wisconsin. He has also served as a director of missions in Florida and church planter in Wisconsin. His service to the local association includes being Vice-Moderator and Clerk. He served two different state conventions on their boards and committees as well as Vice-President and President of the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention. He has served on the Southern Baptist Convention’s Teller’s Committee. His training includes mediation, coaching, church revitalization, building powerful ministry teams and many more.
Paul has degrees from The Community College of the Air Force (AAS), The Baptist College of Florida (BA) and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MTS). He was licensed to preach while still in the Air Force by Adamsville Baptist Church in Goldsboro, NC and ordained into the ministry by Deer Park Baptist Church, Newport News, VA.
Before entering the ministry Paul served 20 years in the United States Air Force retiring at the rank of Master Sargeant.
Paul has two life verses:
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight” and ...
Philippians 4:12, “I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.”