The Reverend Doctor David C. Forbes, Sr. who identifies himself as a disciple of Jesus Christ was the founding Pastor of Christian Faith Baptist Church, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina, and since October, 2011, Pastor Emeritus. One of eight children and the son of a Pentecostal Bishop and sainted mother, Doctor Forbes holds the following earned degrees: B.A. degree in Elementary Education from Shaw University, Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University and the Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary. He completed course work for the Ph.D. degree in Sociology at the University of Virginia (1977) and has been awarded three honorary degrees: the Doctor of Divinity by the Richmond Virginia Seminary, the Doctor of Humane Letters by Shaw University and the Doctor of Divinity by The Shaw University Divinity School.

Reverend Forbes came to the gospel ministry after a career in elementary school teaching, counseling, social program administration, university teaching and consultation. In addition to the ministerial role, he was Assistant Professor (research) and Director of Admissions, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University for some twelve years. From 1979-1984 Dr. Forbes served as Pastor of St. Peter Baptist Church, Glen Allen/Richmond, Virginia; and from 1983-1990 Senior Minister and Pastor of Martin Street Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina. He pastored Christian Faith Baptist Church from 1990 through 2011.

Reverend Forbes was active in the civil rights movement during the 1960's, having served as the North Carolina representative of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He has served as Treasurer of the Raleigh Interdenominational Ministers Alliance; Vice President and President of the Raleigh-Apex Branch of the N.A.A.C.P.; Member of the Executive Board of Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention (and served as host pastor to the 92nd and 102nd Annual Sessions held in Raleigh in 1989, 1999 and 2009. He is a past board member, ABCOTS, American Baptists of the South; former member, Heart of Carolina Habitat for Humanity (led Martin Street Baptist Church in the planning and construction of a house later given to a poor family); Board, Family Services of Raleigh; member, the Chancellor's Community Advisory Committee, North Carolina State University; member, the Community Resources Committee of Central Prison, Raleigh; Chairman, the Baptist Informer Committee (the N.C. General Baptist News Organ); Chairman of the Trustee Board, General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina; board member, North Carolina Council of Churches; and former member, North Carolina Council of P.T.A.'s. Dr. Forbes has served on the Trustee Board of Shaw University from 1988 to 2013. He was appointed Dean of the Shaw University Divinity School, May 2014. He served on the Human Services Task Force of The North Carolina Local Government Partnership Council, the Board of Building Together Ministries, Board of The United Way of Wake County, and the South-East Raleigh Improvement Commission. He served on the initial Raleigh Convention Center Task Force.

Reverend Forbes has a number of publications to his credit in the areas of the Black Family, the Black Church, Organizational Development, Human Relations and Planning. He is called upon to direct and facilitate workshops, seminars and other training and in-service activities. As lecturer and consultant he has appeared on radio and on television; and at universities, churches, corporations, and conventions across the nation and abroad. He is in broad demand as evangelist, church development consultant and keynoter.

Dr. Forbes was married to the late Hazel Baldwin Forbes of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina. He is the father of three children, a son, The Reverend Dr. David C. Forbes, Jr., founder and Pastor of the Columbus Christian Center, Columbus, Ohio; and two daughters, Mrs. Cheryl Forbes Moore, a receptionist at the Rex Hospital Heart Center, Raleigh, and Denise Colene Forbes, an educator and musician who resides in Cary, North Carolina. Dr. Forbes proudly answers to Pe Pa and Grand Pa to five grandsons and four granddaughters. Dr. Forbes was inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame in 2013.