What we believe
First Baptist Church, Baytown is biblical community committed to following Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
OUR MISSION:
Our mission is to be a church that loves Jesus Christ and loves others in the name of Jesus Christ.
Our mission is based on:
1. The Great Commission.
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
2. The Great Commandment.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Matthew 22:37-39
To achieve success in our mission, we must be:
1. BIBLICAL
We are biblical: God’s Counsel guides our actions, words, and hearts in order to help people move from culture to Christ.
2. COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY
We are a community: a place to be authentic, involved, impacted and impactful.
Joining Our Fellowship
Membership is open to anyone who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins and has been baptized by immersion by a body of believers of like faith and practice. If you have not placed your faith in Jesus Christ alone for forgiveness of sins and been baptized by immersion, we will be honored to assist you with these spiritual decisions. At the end of the service, come forward to speak with one of our ministers.
Saving Faith
Trusting in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins. This decision is the beginning, but not the ending, of what it means to follow Christ.
Discipleship
Discipleship is the continuous process of following Jesus Christ—being conformed in His image in order to teach and communicate His Words to others.
Baptism by Immersion
We view baptism as being an outward, visible demonstration of an inward spiritual transformation which comes about when one trusts in Christ alone for salvation. Our position of baptism by immersion is based on the following:
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The word baptize (baptize) in Greek means to “dip” or “immerse.”
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Immersion best illustrates the believer’s identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:1-11 and Colossians 2:12)
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The description of baptism in the New Testament suggests that people were immersed. (Matthew 3:6, John 3:23, Acts 8:38)
Conservative
The belief that the Bible is God’s true, inerrant, inspired, and revelatory word for man to follow.
Evangelical
Believers who embrace the core beliefs revealed in the Scriptures regarding saving faith and sharing the gospel.
Priesthood of the Believer
Laypersons have the same right as ordained ministers to communicate with God, interpret Scripture, and minister in Christ’s name. This in no way contradicts the biblical role, responsibility, and authority of pastoral leadership and the layperson’s response to it.
Accountability
Each person is accountable before God. Your family or church cannot save you. Each individual must decide for themselves whether or not they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and live accordingly.
Autonomy
Our church is free to determine its membership and direction under the headship of Jesus Christ. We may partner with other associations, churches, conventions, and ministries as the Lord leads. We choose to partner with the Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist General Convention of Texas, and the San Jacinto Baptist Association.
The doctrinal statement of our faith and practice is called the “Baptist Faith & Message.” The topics here provide only a brief, partial summary of our basic beliefs. The full text is available at sbc.net and in the church offices.
The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter.
God
There is one and only living and true God. The eternal God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His death on the cross, He made provision for the redemption of men from sin.
God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. He exalts Christ. He convicts of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. He enlightens and empowers the follower and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
Man
Man was created by the special act of God, in His own image, and is the crowning work of His creation. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every man possesses dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who by his His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation included regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.
God’s Purpose of Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. All true followers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ and sanctified by His Spirit will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.
The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel and seek to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. This church is an autonomous body. The New Testament speaks also of the church as the body of Christ, which includes all of the redeemed of all ages.
Baptism & The Lord’s Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Evangelism & Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations—to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personally sharing their faith.
Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. Marriage is the unity of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord.
Whether it’s a short-term dilemma or a life-long struggle, the First Baptist Church, Baytown family is ready to help you with whatever you’re facing. Please consider contacting us at any time.
Prayer
Submit your prayer requests by email or phone. You may notify any staff member or offer your requests to Bible Study and Small Group leaders.
Pastoral Care
If you or your family is impacted by illness, hospitalization, terminal diagnosis, disease or bereavement, please contact a staff member or call the church office for support.
Counseling
The ministry staff of First Baptist Church, Baytown is prepared to provide Biblical assessment and short-term counseling. Long-term counseling is referred to PRO-ACT, a professional and Christian counseling organization.
Food Assistance
First Baptist Church, Baytown works with LOVE, INC and has a limited food pantry for immediate assistance.
Life Moments
Facility use for life celebrations such as weddings, baby-showers, and funerals is available upon staff review. Submit requests to the office.
1927-FBC worships in its first building at the corner of Kentucky and Louisiana Streets. Reverend E.R. Couch becomes pastor.
1940-A new sanctuary is completed on Kentucky Street. AC is added seven years later.
1947-FBC begins ministering to the community through a nursery school and kindergarten.
1957-FBC calls Reverend Robert Cheek as pastor.
1969-Reverend Gary Bonner is called to pastor the church. A teen center is built by the church in Baytown.
1970-FBC and Shiloh Baptist merge. Worship services and Bible Study are held at both locations. The church offers nursery school to low-income families, organizes a Clothing Room Ministry, and offers conversational English classes.
1976-Reverend Roy Parker becomes pastor of FBC.
1985-FBC moves to its current location on Rollingbrook. The church opens a mission at the old Kentucky Street
1995-Dr. David Bowman becomes pastor of FBC.
2001-Ground is broken on a new Worship Center.
2003-FBC moves into its current sanctuary.
2007-Reverend Bill Yowell becomes pastor of FBC.
2008-After Hurricane Ike, FBC teams with the Baptist Men of North Carolina and the American Red Cross to help provide over 20,000 meals a day for four weeks to those in need.
Since 1926, FBC has not only had a profound spiritual impact on Baytown and surrounding communities, but to the world. FBC Baytown has sent missionaries and missionary teams to Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Chicago, Baja, Jamaica, Guatemala, Argentina, Kenya, Uganda, India, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan.