A Place to Grow

At First Baptist Church, our starting point is not that a person is a sinner who needs fixing, but rather a child of God who needs to grow. True, we all have problems that we need to overcome, habits we need to change, and a self-centeredness that needs to be turned around. But that is not what we make our main focus. Our main focus is on what God created us to be and what we can become in Christ.

The Christian Journey is about growth and transformation, and it starts with each individual. We try to teach individuals skills for the journey of faith that you can take home and apply to your life, and then we endeavor to provide a context in which you can hone those skills. We do not believe, however, that you can learn those skills primarily by attending church meetings. There are not enough spiritual activities that the church could offer that would be adequate for your spiritual growth unless you spend quality time on your own. It is like a person trying to learn to play the piano but only going to weekly lessons and never practicing in between. You'll never learn to play.

Meet New Friends

But the Christian life is not a solitary life. Solitude may be a necessary part of the Christian life, but Jesus came to create an authentic Christian community that would spread throughout the world, not just to save a bunch of unconnected individuals. At First Baptist Church we therefore place a high priority on relationships and building a sense of real community.

Though we are a large and growing church, the center of our church's life is the small group, where we can develop deep and lasting friendships with others on the Christian journey. Small groups are held on Sunday mornings in what is traditionally called Sunday School, or during the week in member's homes. Regardless of the setting, the emphasis is on a group of people doing life together.

Make a Difference

Christian community is itself a means to a greater end - the Kingdom of God. Every Christian receives a calling to work and serve with others in God's Kingdom. At First Baptist Church, we would rather that you discover and begin living out God's call upon your life than that you serve on a committee doing something that has little or nothing to do with your spiritual gifts and abilities. We are more interested in joining God in building His Kingdom than we are in building a great institution.

We therefore believe that each Christian needs to be involved in a ministry which utilizes his or her spiritual gifts and sense of personal calling, one that makes a real difference in people's lives and in the world. It is in serving others that one learns to depend upon the Holy Spirit, which leads to a deeper prayer life. And it is in ministry that one receives the greatest blessing of the Christian life - the abundant life that Jesus promised was available to everyone.

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