Missions Ministry
First Baptist Church desires to be a church that lives out the gospel by taking the mission of Jesus “Across the Street & Around the World.” We operate under a targeted partnership model of missions, where we develop long-term partnerships with mission agencies on the ground and take short-term mission trips to support those entities. We seek to reach that goal by being a church that DOES missions in three phases:
Local Missions
We believe our Jerusalem, as mentioned in Acts 1:8, to be Franklin County, Alabama. We desire to be a church that partners with local entities to take the gospel to Franklin County. We believe that as we pray for spiritual renewal and revival, our discipleship strategy prepares the Church to leave the “church building” and be missionaries in their own contexts. We also have partnerships with several housing facilities in the city of Russellville, to which we minister, as well.
North American Missions
We believe our Judea to be the State of Alabama and our Samaria to be the entire North American continent. We have several, long-term partnerships across the continent, which we partner with each year to take the gospel to our nation. Our current, long-term partnerships include the following groups:
Franklin County Baptist Association Builders:
Every year, the churches of the Franklin County Baptist Association travel to a new destination and assist in building a church building for a local congregation. Over the years, these groups have traveled to places in Ohio, Kansas, Illinois, and West Virginia, among many others. These congregations then take over and begin ministering in their local contexts.
Wild Alaska Missions:
This is a relatively new partnership for RFBC. Founded by long-time outdoorsman Wade Nolan, this ministry reaches the very far stretches of Alaska to share the gospel with both natives and transplants alike. Teams have been sent to places like Kingdom air Corps, where we did construction work for a working airport that also trains missionaries to be pilots, so they can take their planes and the gospel of Jesus to the unreached places of this world We also have a partnership through WAM with Shen Bible Camp, which brings kids from all over Alaska and shares the gospel with them through a series of summer camps. Teams general depart for ten days in the months of May and June. Check out what WAM is doing at www.wildalaskamissions.com.
International Missions
We have the uttermost parts of the earth to mean International Missions. Right now, we have international partnerships going with the following organizations:
Children’s Relief Emergency International:
CERI has been a long-term missions partner with RFBC for more than the last ten years. CERI does its main work in Eastern Europe by meeting physical needs of orphans in countries like Ukraine, Romania, Transnistria, and Muldova. Our teams fit children with shoes that keep their feet warm, while our team members share the gospel with them. This is one of the most rewarding long-term missions partnerships our church has ever been involved in. Teams generally depart for ten days in the month of December. Check them out at www.cerikids.org.
ESPWA Hope for Haiti:
ESPWA’s Mission is to share the hope that is found in Jesus, and help to meet the physical & spiritual needs of the people of Haiti. www.espwaministries.org.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)