As First Baptist Church of Alexandria continues to respond to God’s commission to “go and make disciples of all nations” and to “feed His sheep”, we strive to expand our horizons and stretch to heights made possible only through God’s blessing and guidance. By taking a leap in faith and expanding our facilities in 2005, we worked to develop our dream of claiming for Him lost souls, better equipping believers and becoming a trauma center for His hurting people.
During the planning and preparation phase of our most recent building program, the Building Finance Committee researched what programming was currently taking place, what was lacking and other areas we wanted to explore. We divided the areas of goals and visions into the following categories: children, teens, senior adults, single adults, families, and outreach & missions. Each area has a clearly defined vision.
A Vision for Our Children
- Raise up a generation of selfless children committed to serving Christ and others.
- Equip parents to raise up children of integrity.
- Provide a safe haven for all children.
- Be a beacon of hope for all children in the community.
Possible Programs and Benefits –
- Develop programs for school children in areas of:
- Remedial help
- After school child care
- Half-day programs
- Expand nursery and pre-school space:
- Create private area for nursing mothers
- Expand HOOPS program to reach unsaved parents and children in the community.
- Create theme rooms in classrooms for in-depth topic study.
- Develop space for programs to run simultaneously: Jumping for Jesus (Wonderful Wednesday program), Boy Scouts, Children’s Choir, All Stars for Jesus (summer program), etc.
How We Are Reaching These Goals:
- The nursery has been expanded by removing walls.
- The HOOPS program continues to be a growing ministry into the community.
- There are new rooms assigned for children’s choir, children’s church, pre-school lessons and junior church.
- Currently developing children’s volleyball program, NETS, for fall 2007.
- Currently developing program to connect children with adults/mentoring program to launch fall 2007.
A Vision for Our Teens
- Offer hope to teens that have no hope.
- Introduce teens to Christ and foster life-changing relationships with Him and others.
- Empower teens and their parents to deal with real-life situations in God pleasing ways.
- Develop activities to provide opportunities for youth to interact with other teens in the community.
Possible Programs and Benefits –
- Noise filtering into sanctuary will be eliminated.
- Upper Room for teen worship and study.
- Allow for simultaneous programming.
How We Are Reaching These Goals:
- A larger area for the youth has allowed for more community activities.
- The new room is farther from the sanctuary so noise is better filtered.
- The Center Stage in the new youth area allows teens to showcase individual talents and host concerts and events for community teens.
- Girl’s only night featured a chocolate buffet and fashion show to promote modesty and self esteem.
- Held a 30 hour famine to raise money to feed children overseas.
- Hosted and organized the first ever 2006 Jr/Sr high school combined convention at Anderson University.
- Began a college age ministry called Raya (Hebrew for friend or companion) in 2006 to meet during Sunday School time.
- Sunday Night Graphe Darash: Opportunity for in-depth Bible study and discussion; a time to tackle tough questions head-on.
A Vision for Our Seniors
- Empower our seniors with a renewed heart for ministry.
- Invest fully in our seniors by reinforcing their value at First Baptist.
Possible Programs and Benefits –
- Create fitness center for adult groups of all ages.
- Expand SALT Society programming.
- Larger fellowship area to allow for Bible Study with other senior groups in Alexandria.
- Explore developing Senior Day Care Center.
How We Are Reaching These Goals:
- Body Recall continues to meet 3 days a week for exercise.
- Wednesday morning Bible Study for ladies is well attended by seniors.
- Wednesday craft group allows senior ladies, and a few younger ladies, to share skills of knitting, quilting and other craft projects.
- Adult Sunday School classes continue to grow.
A Vision for Our Singles and Families
- Bind together all singles of our congregation.
- Create a powerful, unified community poised for aggressive ministry.
Possible Programs and Benefits –
- Technology adaptable classrooms for special seminars and training:
- Teach life skills: parenting, budgeting/stewardship, tax management
- Train for service: teachers, deacons, trustees, etc.
- Expand small Bible study groups
- Exercise the body of Christ by involving the adults at First Baptist.
- Establish a training environment that fulfills our mission.
- Equip people for the work of Christ.
- Each family will benefit from the programs listed under each age group.
- Work with Anderson Christian Counseling Center to develop satellite office within the church.
- Outside entrance will allow the community to take part in this service.
- Increase number of small groups meeting on Sunday evening without staggering programs.
- Create family recreation opportunities.
How We Are Reaching These Goals:
- With the addition of new classroom space, a College age class has been started.
- Several classrooms have PowerPoint capabilities.
- Your Child Video Seminar was open to community couples as well as FBC couples. This was a six-week Dr. Dobson series called “Essentials of Discipline”. Childcare was provided by two volunteers.
- A new ping-pong activity started in January.
A Vision for Our Outreach and Missions
- Develop a burning congregational desire to take the Word of God outside the church doors.
- Provide each one the opportunity to serve in a mission field and experience the thrill of seeing lives changed for Christ.
Possible Programs and Benefits –
- Develop programs to educate the congregation about the missions we support.
- Provide opportunities for mission groups to make presentations to small groups.
- Create awareness of local missions and a desire to serve in them.
How We Are Reaching These Goals:
- The Adult Works Committee of the Board of Christian Education is working to develop a program on the importance and Biblical calling of service. This will be followed up with a program on spiritual gifts. This program is in the development stage with a possible launch for late spring 2007.
- The Deacons have sponsored workdays to serve the needs of other ministries and individuals within the community.
- Opportunities to donate supplies or money for local and foreign mission projects are provided.
A Vision for Our Buildings and Grounds
- Attract the un-churched into God’s kingdom by offering a clean, attractive, safe facility.
- Provide a comfortable atmosphere for study and worship.
- Adequate space and configuration to meet multiple needs at appropriate times.
Possible Programs and Benefits –
- Ability to isolate various sections of the building for simultaneous programming.
- Provide a comfortable atmosphere for study and worship.
How We Are Reaching These Goals:
- Lydia, a women’s ministry, was developed to provide special help to church and community members. Areas of service include providing information on social programs within the county; health awareness; financial training; practical life skills; supporting the work of ABW, the Deacons and Deaconesses; and providing fellowship opportunities.
- A prayer shawl ministry is in the developing stage.
- The Boy Scouts can meet in the new Family Life Center without disrupting other programming in the building.
- The addition of classrooms provides space for a new College/Career Class and special series Sunday school elective classes.
- A new literacy program has one student graduate.