In the life of every believer there are times when one must decide whether they will step out in faith—into what God has for them—or shrink back and remain where they are. As a collection of believers, the church faces many of these same decisions. There are mile markers in the journey of every church that tell the story of these moments.

When the people of Israel approached the Jordan River in Joshua 3, the waters were spilling over the banks, and they were faced with a decision. Will we trust the Lord to lead us into the Promised Land? Or will we shrink back from His immeasurable grace? Their decision to press on in faith marked a new chapter in the life of their nation. In response to the Lord’s provision, they gathered twelve stones to build a memorial to remember God’s faithfulness.

Throughout the week, our building is used by a variety of ministries which we believe are equally important. Our Older Adult Luncheons, Women’s Ministry Bible studies, funerals and family meals, YA Night for young adults, Creation Corner, and First Baptist Academy (FBA), all share many of the same spaces in the church. As each of these ministries continue to grow, the need for space—particularly a large gathering area—grew as well. Furthermore, our Worship Center and surrounding infrastructure, such as our main floor bathrooms, were in need of repair, refreshing, and modernization as well. Despite the rising water levels, though, the Lord presented us with a way through.

For years, FBCO had been planning a new double gym and even raised some of the needed funds. With a large gift, combined with prior giving, overages from our budget, as well as a contribution by First Baptist Academy, those plans became a reality. In 2023, we were able to move forward in constructing the new gym, as well as renovating the Worship Center and completing other capital improvement projects.

Beyond the construction of a new gym, there were numerous renovations needed in our Atrium and Worship Center. These renovations included a new sound system, a much-needed renovation of the bathrooms around the Worship Center, and an updated Welcome Center. More improvements are needed such as carpet replacement, sound mitigation, lighting replacements and improvements, parking lot improvements, and camera replacements, among others.

When Israel crossed the Jordan, each tribe was tasked with collecting a stone from the middle of the riverbed. Each tribe had a role to play in this unfolding story. As we look to the future of FBCO, we believe that everyone has a part in fulfilling the mission that God has laid before us.

Let’s continue to pray for God’s provision. None of this would be possible without His generosity and loving-kindness. Thank Him for the blessings He has already provided and ask that He continue to pour out His favor on our church.

If you would like to further our efforts to renovate our facilities, please consider giving to our capital needs program. As you consider your gift, we encourage you to give in addition to your normal budget giving. We give our tithe to the church budget as it is how we support all the ministries of FBCO. But we ask you to prayerfully consider giving beyond this amount to the capital needs program as we build and renovate the Worship Center and other areas of need. We ask that you make this a spiritual decision as well as a financial one.

God often uses our giving to stretch our faith, realign our priorities, and deepen our walk with Him.

As the 12 stones from the Jordan served as a reminder of God’s provision to the nation of Israel, we believe this new building can serve as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to the generations that follow here at FBCO. Every generation is called by God to sacrifice for those who will come after them; the fruit of which we may never see. We believe this new building and renovation projects are investments into the future of what God has planned for us.

FBCO has long believed that God has blessed our church and has provided opportunities for us to make a lasting impact in this region and beyond. Through our growing ministries, commitment to Christian education and unfailing faith in the gospel message, God has strategically positioned us for His good work. We believe God is at work at FBCO and we are excited about His plans for our future together!