Worship at First Baptist
The worship of God is at the center of the life and mission of First Baptist Church. In our worship services together, we offer praise to God, confess our sins, receive assurance of God’s forgiveness, listen for the voice of God and offer ourselves in response to God’s direction. God comes to us in the reading of Scripture, the singing of hymns, the anthems offered by our choirs and handbell ensembles, the preaching of the Gospel, and the spaces of silence that are interwoven in our worship. In worship, we are formed as Christians, bound together by God’s grace in baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and energized for participation with God in service to our world.
How do we worship at First Baptist? Several words and phrases describe us well:
Our worship is liturgical and participatory; The word “liturgy” actually means “by the people.” Worship leadership is provided not only by our mini
sters, but also by people who come from every part of our congregation. Children and youth offer leadership in our worship. All worshippers participate in worship by singing, praying, listening, and giving.
Our worship is rooted in Scripture; Our worship services are designed based on Scriptural models and utilize Scripture in many ways. Not only is the Bible the basis of our preaching, it is also read, sung and prayed in our worship. Most often, we select Scripture lessons and plan worship based on the lectionary, which is a schedule of readings that guarantees that our worship draws from the whole witness of the Bible and connects us to Christians in other churches who also follow these readings.
Our worship is multigenerational; Children and youth are a vital part of our church family and are an integral part of our worshipping family. As Bible Bearers, Acolytes, scripture readers, singers, and ringers, children and youth are worship leaders on a regular basis and not just in special-event services.
Our worship follows the church year; Our church follows the calendar of the church; the celebrations of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost guide us in worship.
In addition to our weekly worship, there are important times during the year when we join the larger community in worship. Most notable are semi-annual joint worship services with Shiloh Baptist Church and our participation in Holy Week services co-sponsored and hosted along with other downtown congregations.
How do we worship at First Baptist? You can learn more from the information, pictures, and streaming video on this site or by watching on television (Time-Warner Cable Channel 24 at 11:00 AM on Sundays, one-week delay) or listening to WIZS 1450 AM on the radio (2:00 PM on Sundays). But the best way to find out is to experience the warmth of our fellowship by worshipping with us in person.
Learn More
The Church Year
Lord’s Supper
Music Ministry
Service Videos
The Hymnal of The First Baptist Church
Worship Bulletins
Weddings