But it doesn't surprise Willie Howard, who is chairman of the church's deacon board and has known Styles since he began preaching at First Baptist Church in 1973. The first thing that comes to mind is the way he treats his parishioners. He treats us all with dignity and he treats everybody as if they are important. He deserves to be minister of the year. This year, Styles started a Support Our Students program at the church.
Children come there after school for tutoring.
The church, under Styles' guidance, built the Spencer Brown Thomas Apartments, which house the elderly. Under Styles' leadership, the church began a visitation program for the sick and the shut-ins. Deacons and Styles himself regularly visit those who can't come to church. Styles' wife, Helen, is an administrator with the Burlington-Alamance School System. They have three children and two grandchildren.