New Showers for our Homeless Friends
We now have eight private shower stalls, two of which are accessible for people with disabilities. The fully renovated space, with all new state-of-the-art materials and a brand-new HVAC system, will be available for use beginning in June. Read more…
Invitation to Engagement
Over the last two months, I have had conversations around the term, “Hybrid Church.” This simply means that a person can be an active participant in the life of the church either in-person, online or a mix of both. Read more…
Staff Bible Verses During the Pandemic
Back in the late summer at a Leadership Staff planning retreat Lynn Turner asked everyone present to share a Bible verse that had given them hope, courage, or sustained them through the challenging days that all were facing. Read more…
An Undaunted Advent
Advent…is a time when the church’s worship focuses both on the birth of Christ and the Parousia (the second coming of Christ). During these four weeks, you are encouraged to pray, read the scriptures, reflect and thoughtfully consider the unthinkable… God in the flesh. Read more…
Family Fellowship at Fall Retreat
Fall retreat has been an anticipated event by the students of the FBC youth program. This time not only did the students and leaders benefit from the experience, but also their families. Read more…
FBC Endowment Fund Inc.
During the 110 years since its inception, bequests, gifts, and wise and careful management of those gifts have enabled the First Baptist Church Endowment Fund Inc. to fulfill its purpose—to support the missions and ministries of the church. Read more…
Ready, Set, Re-invent the Church!
But there we were on March 15, trying to sing the hymns and say the prayers and listen to the sermon as if everything was normal. It was not. Read more…
Make Your Mark!
Nobody saw the coronavirus coming. No one knew the depth of the challenges that Richmonders would be facing just a few months later as they struggled for work, for health and for spiritual stability. We had no idea of the looming opportunity we would have to Make Our Mark during a crisis, yet FBC has quickly begun to rise to those challenges. Read more…
Online Church Strengthens Community
The church has a history of adopting the technology of its day and changing how it does church. While the methods used by the church may change, the message of Christ’s love for all stays constant. Read more…
Get to know Girl Scout Troop 413!
Our adventures began in 2016 when two friends, Heather Creswick and Stacy Sirois, formed a Brownie troop with the mission of providing all girls in the Richmond area access to Girl Scouting regardless of their school or neighborhood affiliations. Read more…
Sam James: A Life in Ministry
Through Sam’s 55 years in the mission field, through his trust and obedience to our Creator, the Lord shaped Sam into the vessel He wanted him to be: a servant in a world that needs God so desperately. Read more…
Children’s Choirs: So Much More than Singing
Through their time together, longtime friendships develop, and the children begin to learn about living in Christian community. When you ask Virginia Dean, …she will tell you about the importance of hospitality during choir time. Hospitality doesn’t have much to do with music, but it has much to do with community, which is how choirs are formed. Read more…
Singing in the Kingdom
The music of Richmond’s First Baptist Church finds its way from the sanctuary and rehearsal rooms to the community. …and back again. Read more…
A Reason to SMILE
Every month for the last five years, FBC has provided a place for Single Moms in the Lord’s Embrace (SMILE) to meet, a meal for the moms and kids and safe childcare for the children. We provide not only a program but a network of friends. Read more…
Planning for the End of Life
When beginning the process of planning for the end of life, I have found that there are two key words to focus on: preparation and choice. Read more…
Reflections on 10 Years of Ministry
As we mark the 10th anniversary of Dr. Somerville’s leadership here, it is only natural that we pause, look back on this last decade, and recognize his unique calling and how he has led and become a part of our church. Read more…
Love and Attention
I am reminded that love and attention are so closely related that they might just be the same thing. During my time in Richmond I have been shown a lot of love and a lot of attention, but more than that I have been taught what it means to pay close attention to the lives of God’s people. Read more…
Volleyball for All
Playing volleyball hones skills that are useful both on and off the court: teamwork, communication and trust. Read more…
Security and Sense of Community at FBC
Since its inception in 2015, FBC’s Security Team has focused on making the security of church members its priority. Read more…
A Rule of Life, a Plan of Ministry
My inbox contained a letter from Senior Pastor Jim Somerville. It got my attention! “I am excited to offer you a unique opportunity,” the letter began. As I continued to read, I learned I had been nominated for the 2017 Legacy of Leadership class. Read more…
2020 Vision Becomes a Movement
We as a church discerned the 2020 Vision to be God’s will for us. As the Implementation Teams create plans and activities to fulfill that vision, they consider how their work can become a movement to change us and change our city. Read more…
Friends of First Baptist: A Faithful Community
First Baptist has been a visible presence throughout the Richmond area, and beyond, through the weekly TV program at 11 a.m. Sundays on WRIC TV8. Through the years, thousands of viewers have tuned in each week, with a group of over 100 faithful viewers expressing a desire to have a deeper connection to First Baptist. Read more…
Reflecting God Online
My social media accounts can reflect a God of peace and hope and love and a God at work in our world. And so can yours. Read more…
FBC’s Best Kept Secret
FBC’s steadfast commitment to provide financial assistance toward the education of its students is not truly a secret. The Scholarship Fund Team, however, operates below the radar for many. Read more…
In Service to Our King
Currently First Baptist Church members are encountering three young men, all working in service to their King, the Lord Jesus. Unlike the musketeers, however, they work under different staff members and in unrelated capacities. Read more…
The Holy Spirit at Work in our Questions
“The Explore God series taps into the longing for something more that we all experience in some way. Millennials, though, seem to be at a stage in life where this longing is new and the questions are nestled deep within our beings. So in that way, the series was directed toward millennials, but it kind of had something for everyone.” Read more…
What’s on your Christmas list?
We’ve been making Christmas wish lists since we were children. Although it’s more blessed to give than to receive, we all like to receive…at least a little bit. After celebrating Jesus’ birth and praising that amazing gift of gifts, eventually we’re around the tree and we’re at the parties. Read more…
Doors Wide Open: FBC Preschool, an international experience
First Baptist Preschool (FBP), a ministry of Richmond’s First Baptist Church, is celebrating its 70th year as one of the city’s best known and most highly respected preschools. It is so respected that its reputation has spread beyond Richmond’s borders. Read more…
Thanksgiving—push back
“Come before His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.” Well, sure, it is a good mantra… but we’ve adopted—or adapted—a time of thanksgiving for Pilgrim survival, harvest, and community with natives into a gustatory holiday. After all, we cannot overdo giving thanks. Read more…
Halloeatin’
It’s a great, traditional holiday, especially for youngsters. Halloween stands for All Hallows’ Evening, the evening before All Hallows’ Feast Day. But what does this mean for us, practically speaking? Read more…
Proud to Be
As I sat in the DiscipleNow Sunday school program a couple of weeks ago, I realized once again just how proud I am to be part of Richmond’s First Baptist Church. I looked around at the youth, their parents, youth leaders, and others and I saw in their faces something that I hope is in every church – joy. Read more…
Turning the Loss of War into Hope
God brought something good from a deadly civil war in Liberia – Ebenezer Community Church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which ministers to hundreds of Liberians and the surrounding community. Read more…
2020 Vision
Most exciting about this vision process is the critical role members and friends of First Baptist Church have through their participation in discerning God’s will together. Students through senior adults will gather together on the mornings of April 24, May 15 and June 12 to discuss FBC’s past, present and future. Every person’s input will be read, prayed over, and will guide the Vision Facilitation Team’s summer work in discerning God’s will and creating an actionable plan for our church. Read more…
SHOOTING THE PRODIGAL premieres.
The world premiere of SHOOTING THE PRODIGAL was the red-carpet opening night feature of the Richmond International Film Festival March 3. And Richmond’s First Baptist Church can feel the pride of new parents as we watch this film take its first steps and begin to have an impact in the world. Read more…
Divorce Recovery Workshop celebrates 25 years of service.
For 25 years First Baptist Church has offered the Divorce Recovery Workshop (DRW) under the guidance of Ralph Starling, Associate Pastor, Ministry of Christian Invitation. As we began the opening night of DRW in October 2015, I thought of the more than two thousand participants helped through the pain of divorce and broken relationships. They found a safe place to express their feelings and to find healing. Read more…
Building on FBC’s past to guide its future
Some visions are received, without even asking for them. They startle us and change our plans. Mary knew that kind of vision. But visions can also be sought. While we can be active in pursuing them, these visions may still surprise us and change our plans. Richmond’s First Baptist Church is about that intentional visioning process now. We are seeking God’s vision for our church at this time and in this place. Read more…
Youth Christmas Pageant continues tradition.
One of the many joys of watching the pageant is the family occasion it has become. Generations of those who have played Baby Jesus and other roles watch eagerly each year as the next group of youths presents the story of Christmas. Read more…
Welcoming the World
While we may not see another world cycling event in front of our church again, it was clear that FBC made an impact on the world when it came to the corner of Monument and Boulevard. Read more…
The Summer of the Interns
It is quiet. It is quieter right now than it has been in two months. My office, LL18, is empty. The lights are off, the room is still. An office that for the last eight weeks has hosted piano recitals, dance-offs, spontaneous games of dodge ball, and occasionally work is now a space that is too big for one college student to occupy. Read more…
Walthall Guild dedicates FBC Sacristy
Lu Treadwell formed the Chancel Guild in August 2014 to prepare the worship area for Sunday services, and, when needed, for weddings and funerals. Read more…
A church within a church: The Deaf Mission at Richmond’s First Baptist Church
The Deaf Mission at Richmond’s First Baptist Church is one among very few congregations of its type in Virginia, and the largest in Richmond. Much like the larger “hearing church” at Monument Avenue and Boulevard, the Deaf Mission’s ethnic and economic diversity is a testament to its hospitality and purpose. Read more…
Imagine a World Unknown
Compassion is not something we have the luxury of choosing to embrace. As Christians, we are commanded to do so. Not with an air of superiority or duty but with one of love – love of God and of our fellow human beings. Read more…
A Brief History of the First Baptist Church Television Ministry, Part 2
Dr. Flamming referred to the launch of a television ministry as a venture of faith. The FBC Endowment Fund found the money, and David Walker was called as the first “television minister.” Read more…
A Brief History of the First Baptist Church Television Ministry, Part 1
Many of us take for granted that our church broadcasts our Sunday morning services locally on WRIC-TV and that we have a website and are heavily invested in social media. FBC, a pioneer in using various forms of media to connect with our members and beyond, began this outreach with radio and then television. Read more…
A Morning without Coffee
Mark (not his real name) was on his way to get a much-needed cup of morning coffee at a local convenience store. He had a long day ahead of him and a to-do list whose length rivaled that of War and Peace. As he got out of his car, he noticed a woman squatted beside the ice machine. He thought she was homeless and though he was sympathetic, he just did not have time to talk. Read more…
How to Keep on Living the Good and Beautiful Life
We are now in the Great Fifty Days of the Easter season (April 5 through May 23), the season of living the life. But how do we do that? Or, rather, how do we keep on doing it? Read more…
It is God’s building.
The church building at Monument and Boulevard is not ours, it is God’s—and every week, hundreds of people travel through our doors seeking not a worship service but support, advice, exercise, or simple camaraderie. Read more…
Taught by the Staff and Congregation
Often ministers in my position have to learn on the job with little outside help. The pastoral residency program allows me to be a minster on staff and at the same time provides me a helpful level of supervision to learn about my new role. Read more…
A Good and Beautiful Year
We’re going to spend the Season of Lent studying a book called The Good and Beautiful Life. During the “Great Fifty Days” of the Easter Season, we’re going to practice living that life here at First Baptist. And from the Day of Pentecost forward, we’re going to focus on sharing that life with our city, our state, our nation, and our world. Read more…
FBC plays multiple roles in upcoming movie
When the film “SHOOTING THE PRODIGAL” begins production in June, Richmond’s First Baptist Church will play several major roles: birthplace of the concept, incubator of the film’s development, major financial supporter, location of the production company office, and “home church” to many of the film’s volunteers, cast and crew.
Here, There and Everywhere-Interns on the Move Part 3 – Youth
For many of our youth, FBC short-term internships provided the launching pad for their futures, the place where they felt a call to full time ministry. Read more…
FBC’s Legacies
A group of seventeen church members recently convened for the first Legacy of Leadership course for five intense sessions, to learn about personal and spiritual discernment, to hear presentations from other church leaders, and to read materials such as Pursuing God’s Will Together by Ruth Haley Barton and Seeds for the Future by Robert Dale. Read more…
“It’s a Small World” comes to Richmond, Virginia
Through FBC’s Ministry of Invitation, very special relationships are nurtured with Virginia Commonwealth University’s more than 1500 international students, from some 96 countries. Read more…
Engaging the Spirit
The process of becoming a member of any church must be informative; more importantly, though, it must connect the visitor to the spirit of the church. Read more…
It’s a lot more than just money.
Getting a budget process started is a little bit like running a marathon. It requires patience, confidence, and the promise of a nearby bed to collapse into. Read more…
Here, There and Everywhere-Interns on the Move
Part 2 – Social Work/Summer/Short Term
Lynn Turner, Senior Associate Pastor/Ministry of Community, remarked: “Over the years, FBC has become ‘an equipping church’ for interns who started their ministries here.” FBC’s involvement with students from the United States and abroad has made just as much of an impact beyond our borders as have our BTSR interns. Read more…
Now hear this!
While the pews and carpet were removed during renovation, a hearing loop (also known as an induction loop) was put in place around the perimeter of the Sanctuary. Read more…
Turning Worries into Blessings
For nearly 100 years Camp Alkulana has been a refuge for many children. Its mission is to reveal God’s love to low-income and at-risk children and youth in Central Virginia so that they might realize the intrinsic value in themselves and others. Read more…
Radical Hospitality meets Everyday Opportunities
See a need, meet a need, maybe even discover a passion in the process. It really is that simple to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Richmond. Some needs find us, others we seek out, but in the process, we may provide a temporary Band-Aid or a lifeline. Read more…
A little more like the Kingdom of Heaven
Imagine you’re told without warning to leave your home. No time to do more than fill a bag with whatever possessions you can carry. You walk miles, perhaps hundreds of miles, to find a place that will take you in. This is the background for most New Americans. Read more…
Like a Tree Planted by the Water
Here’s the truth: we live in a time when the church in America is struggling. Attendance and giving are down in every major denomination. The religious landscape is looking more and more like a desert. But I believe that First Baptist Church can be an exception—just like that cottonwood tree—if we will only “water the roots.” Read more…
Sanctuary restoration to begin in June
Attendance of approximately 50,000 each year at 200+ events has taken a toll on the Sanctuary’s interior finishes. Cracked plaster, peeling paint, and worn carpet and pew cushions are all signs of the need for a makeover. Read more…
Social media and our church
Before you blame social media for rotting the minds of young people everywhere, causing traffic accidents and inciting bizarre and useless flash mobs, consider the fact that social media is a tool. Its usefulness is completely dependent… on the user. Read more…
Practicing Hospitality
Recently FBC’s youth ministry requested volunteers for host homes for DiscipleNow (DNow) weekend. I very hesitantly agreed, secretly hoping they would have enough other volunteers so that my home wouldn’t be needed. But I soon heard from them how much they appreciated my offer. Read more…
Hunger Games
Imagine you’re part of the Green Team, running to get on base before you’re captured by the Blue Team. That’s exactly what happened during the 2014 DiscipleNow weekend, an annual youth retreat. Read more…
Happy Birthday, Dr. Flamming
Help celebrate Pastor Emeritus Dr. Flamming’s 80th birthday by sharing a memory in the comments area of this story. Read more…
The Story of a Book
Sometimes it’s good to let your mind wander—even when you should be paying attention—and Bev Carroll will tell you so. Read more…
Shooting the Prodigal
“Lights, camera, action!” wasn’t exactly the phrase David Powers expected to come to mind as he sat in a restaurant having breakfast during his sabbatical in January 2010. Read more…
Letting Go?
Last night we embraced, a few tears were shed, and then she was gone. Today I am alone. I’ve just finished some coffee, the plane is cruising at 35,000 feet somewhere over central Africa, and I’m returning home without her. Read more…
There’s an app for that.
“There’s an app for that” seems to be the answer for anything you need. But as we prepared to introduce our new hymnal, Celebrating Grace, there wasn’t a Braille application for the new hymnal or plans to produce one. Read more…
Communicating a Good Story
The Communication Visioning team recently presented a summary report to the Personnel Team, as background for a more informed search for a new Pastor of Communication. Read more…
Buckets of Care
In a church the size of FBC, there are care buckets that need to be filled all the time. Pastoral care has no boundaries, no time tables, no schedule, and no age limits. When a crisis happens, there are many ways to respond. Read more…
Even this works together for good.
As I help others caught in the devastation of divorce using the experiences and skills God has given me, I realize now that He has caused even this to work together for good. Read more…
The Mixteco children – our mission, their hope
When Christ referred to “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40), it’s easy to imagine that He had in mind humble, beneath-the-radar people like the Mixteco migrants who live among us in Richmond, Virginia. Read more.
Leaving my legacy, sharing my story
Have you ever thought about your legacy, what sort of impact you will have on those in your life? Wendy Starkey reflects on hers. Read more…
Giving cheerfully, living generously are acts of worship.
Giving cheerfully from a generous heart is about letting God be first in our lives and committing our time, talent and treasure to His mission and the ministries that will bring His kingdom to earth. Read more…
Praising God reminds us of who we are.
First Friday Praise, FBC’s praise service on the first Friday of the month, allows me connect with my family, with friends, and with God. Read more…
WebClass: A Safe Place
On October 9, 2011, the Communication and Formation ministries of Richmond’s First Baptist Church partnered in beginning an online Bible study class. Facilitated by Dr. Michael Harton, the class is webcast from the First Baptist Church campus via the world-wide web. The class takes place at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday. Read more…
Tithing creates generous lifestyle for Whittingtons
Rick Whittington says, “I truly believe that all we have belongs to God.” As the Whittingtons have increased their giving they have seen that God is providing for them in many ways. In addition, God is revealing more needs and nudging them to be more generous. Rick shares that he is learning that he “can’t outgive God.” Read more…
Feeding the hungry requires a good recipe.
It’s a simple fact that 925,000,000 people are hungry every day – here and around the world. That number can be overwhelming. How can anyone deal with it? Read more…
First Baptist Church equips emerging leaders.
First Baptist has always been an “equipping” congregation to those who are pursuing a vocation in full time Christian ministry. We are providing internship and residency opportunities for students who are seeking some type of experience in ministry. Read more…
Financial Peace University
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University will be offered on Wednesday nights beginning September 14 at Richmond’s First Baptist Church. Read More…
Hearing the Bible in a New Way
Bible study presents challenges for each generation. Those who have grown up with the Bible may hear timeless words as dated or even outdated. Familiar verses are so familiar a switch flips to more entertaining thoughts. Read More…
A Few Good Women
Sometimes it takes a few good men to recognize the value of a few good women. Ezra Stith (1918-1998), a younger member of the mostly elderly group of deacons, introduced a motion in the mid-1970s to add women to the deacon fellowship. Meredith House and Buddy Hamilton were among those who wholeheartedly supported it. Read More…
Celebrating Grace: Hymnal for Baptist Worship
A new hymnal is coming to Richmond’s First Baptist Church. Celebrating Grace Hymnal is the result of a collaborative initiative by more than 50 Baptist leaders – pastors, church musicians, composers, scholars, and laity – from the United States and Canada. The Creative Worship Team works with… Read More…
Music and Controversy
Music plays an important role in our worship services today, but it has not always been that way. John Courtney, First Baptist’s second pastor (1786-1824), loved the great hymns and was editor of at least two hymn books. But during services at FBC, he found that some were paying more attention to… Read More…
I was a stranger, and you took me in.
In July, 2008, I attended FBC for the first time, not really knowing what to expect. My family and I had been members of a small rural church for many years and I had my apprehensions about attending a much larger church in the “Big City.” For several Sundays, we came solely to the worship service and found… Read More…
The State of the Church
Senior Pastor Jim Somerville met with the deacon fellowship at its June 14 meeting to report on First Baptist’s now two-year-old reorganization into a missional church model. With observations from staff, members and his own experiences, Jim shared what initiated the changes and some of the results to this point. Read More…
Not exactly as I remember it
Vacation Bible School has changed since I attended in my childhood. I remember going to VBS every summer and learning about God and the people in the Bible. I remember the daily processional with the salute to the American flag, the Christian flag and the Bible. I remember being in one… Read More…
Where are they now?
The congregation of First Baptist Church gives a firm “We will” at every baby dedication. It is a promise of support and encouragement for the children and parents. The intent is to see them through the next 18 or so years. We watch them grow, give to their mission trip fundraisers… Read More…
Longtime Role, Long Term Influence
Shirley Robertson’s teaching career began at an unusually early age. “My mother would tell me that when I was a little girl I would gather the neighborhood children on the steps in front of the house and teach. That’s when I started,” Shirley says with a smile. Her natural proclivity for teaching… Read More…
Monument Market grows relationships
Monument Market, sponsored by Richmond’s First Baptist Church, began its second season May 7th in the church’s parking lot at the corner of Monument and Robinson. It is one of many regional farmers’ markets that are springing up in urban areas in response to people embracing healthier lifestyles and wanting to… Read more…
Congregation to decide on change to missions giving plans
Missions and giving to missions are basic to the identity of Richmond’s First Baptist Church. According to former Deacon Chair Carl Johnson, when the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) originated, “FBC was an immediate and full participant.” That participation remained consistent until… Read more…
Moving Upward
Smoke and music fill the air. The crowd rises, claps and begins to cheer! Cheerleaders’ names are announced as they begin to line up in anticipation! Smiles, excitement, eagerness, and even some adrenaline fill the room. More smoke billows as each player’s name is announced! Madison Brown! That’s my… Read more…
Journey to the Cross will focus on “Principalities & Powers”
“Why did Jesus have to die?” People often ask me that question, and although there are some important theological answers, there are also some political answers. The most obvious one is that the Roman government condemned Him to death because they saw Him as a threat. Read more…
Have you been spiritually disciplined?
If your spiritual life is a bit dry, or even non-existent, this Lenten season might be the time to try some of the ancient spiritual disciplines. There are a variety of disciplines because each of us is different, and because at various times, each of us is in a different place. Perhaps one will be just what brings new life to your spiritual journey. Read more…
That Still, Small Voice…
It is what I love to call a “sacred restlessness.” It is that passion and drive that calls us to a purpose greater than we are able to imagine or articulate. We wrestle and struggle, and sometimes we succeed at ignoring it. But we cannot rest until we follow that still, small voice found deep within our souls. Read more…
Harambee!
What does it mean to be “community and family” in the church? What does it mean to be “one body and one spirit” in the church? As Minister of Christian Community, I have found myself asking these questions over the past couple of months. Read more…