North Palm Baptist Church welcomes new pastor

A new senior pastor will lead North Palm Baptist Church.
James Cater, 54, has ministered to several congregations, most recently at Candlestick Bible Church in Pembroke Pines.
“Promoting the Christian walk,” Cater told The Miami Laker on Oct. 23 about one of his priorities for North Palm Baptist Church, which has 35 members.
Cater will be installed as senior pastor on Saturday, Nov. 16 during a service that the public is welcome to attend.
Cater said in his new position he will also focus on “building relationships, strong healthy relationships, not only within the church but by reaching out to the community as well … and promote a healthy environment where everyone can feel welcome, and that they can worship God.”
The church is a member of the Southern Baptist
Convention.
Cater said he is pursuing a Ph.D. at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Missouri.
His resume lists a master’s degree in biblical studies from South Florida Bible College and Seminary in Deerfield Beach, where he is also an adjunct professor.
Before Cater was senior pastor at Candlestick Bible Church, he had the same role at Miramar Evangelical Free Church.
He was also associated with Miami Bible Church; Las Palmas Bible Church in Pembroke Pines; Arch Creek Bible Chapel in North Miami and Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana in Hollywood.
Cater was born in Cuba, raised in Carol City and attended American Senior High School in Hialeah.
In the 1980s, Cater was an elder at World of Peace Ministries in Palm Springs North.
“It’s like a homecoming for him, because he grew up in this area and gave his life to Christ in this area and it is where he started his spiritual journey,” said Louis Nemec, music director at North Palm
Baptist Church who chaired the committee that searched for a new pastor.
“It’s like God is bringing him full circle to lead this community,” Nemec said.
Cater is a supervisor in the respiratory care department at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale.
He and his wife Idania Cater live in Pembroke Pines and have five children, ages 27 – 15.
Cater’s Nov. 16 installation begins at 5 p.m.; it will be followed by a reception.
North Palm Baptist Church is at 7801 NW 178th St. in Miami.