Church Missions //
Local and International Ministry at First Baptist Decatur
At First Baptist Decatur, we believe in actively serving our community and the world. Church missions is the backbone to sharing the love of Christ, not just around the globe, but in our own backyard as well.
Local Missions Ministry
Alongside our Assistance Ministry at First Baptist, our church partners with several local organizations to extend the love of Christ to Decatur and Atlanta. These include (but are not limited to):
Christmas with a Conscience (Missional Christmas Market)
NOTE: We will not be having Christmas with a Conscience this year (2022)
Each fall, we host a Missional Christmas Market to sell items made by craftspeople all around the world. The sales support small manufacturers who hire people in need of work for a fair wage.
We also sell items made by our church community to raise money for various service projects and organizations during the year. It’s a fun way to give back (and knock out items on your Christmas lists).
Hagar’s House
Several nights throughout the year, different groups from the church provide a nightly meal for women and children at Hagar’s House, a homeless shelter operated by Decatur Cooperative Ministry.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Workday
Each year, our church participates in a city-wide weekend of service where we serve some of Decatur’s senior adults with home repair projects, meals, and more.
Women on Mission
Women on Mission is an ongoing missions involvement and missions education program of First Baptist Church Decatur. It is designed to help women develop a missions lifestyle and take the gospel to everyone. Women on Mission meets the second Tuesday of each month.
Youth Week of Service
Each summer, our youth ministry participates in a week-long service project across the city of Atlanta with multiple organizations. From refugee ministry to addressing food insecurity in marginalized communities, our youth get involved in projects teaching them what it means to act compassionately.
International Missions Ministry
Baptists are well-known for international missions. Through our partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) and others, we extend the reach of our local church into the global community.
Encourager Church
We are registered as an Encourager Church for two missionary families through CBF. This means we support these families through prayer, financial support, program support, and short-term engagement.
Jeffrey and Alicia Lee (Skopje, Macedonia)
The Lees live in Skopje, Macedonia, and engage the local community in holistic, relational, and healing ministries among the ethnic groups of Skopje. They’re partners with grassroots organizations and are working intimately with a faith-based group on developing a children’s home. Read more about their ministry in Macedonia here.
Jonathan and Linda Bailey (Bali, Indonesia)
The Baileys live in Bali, Indonesia, and minister with an emphasis on spiritual expression through music, dance, and visual arts both inside and outside the local Christian community. The Baileys encourage artists to stay connected to their culture using the music, dance, and visual arts of their native community, offering culturally appropriate forms for the local church. Read more about their ministry in Indonesia here.
Global Vision and Service Teams
In order to sharpen our awareness of the global church and conditions in other countries, we visit ministries around the world and assist the work there as we are instructed by those engaged in permanent work with local leadership.
We follow the agenda of the receiving community. We do not impose our agenda on them. We go to learn and to assist ongoing efforts.
First Baptist Church Decatur groups have worked alongside people in Thailand, Eastern Kentucky, Taiwan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, West Virginia, and Nashville, TN. Future plans involve a return visit to Thailand and a visit to rural Liberia when conditions permit.