Building Bridges in Faith

Ministries at First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church seeks to minister to a wide variety of people within our community. Our members live in all parts of Knox County and come from five surrounding counties. From infants to senior adults, we strive to offer ministries that connect the lives of people with the good news of Jesus Christ.

We invite you to browse through this section which briefly describes the various ministries of our church. We will be happy to send additional information to you about specific ministry areas that are of interest to you. Please send e-mail to Ministry Assistant, Linda Spencer, at lspencer@fbcknox.org and request additional information that will help you learn about the church.

Ministry Overview

From Bill Shiell, Senior Pastor

Frequently I overhear, “How exciting it is to be at First Baptist right now!  We have so much going on.”  A few breaths later, the same person will say, “I had no idea all the things that are happening here.”  When you get involved in ministry in the hub of center-city Knoxville, it can be a bit overwhelming.  On any given day, it’s hard to describe everything  occurring.  Admittedly, this is like drinking water from a fire hydrant. 

Information about our Croatian Strategic Partnership

Pledge for a Playground.  One of the ministry needs exposed during the capital campaign was our playground.  Our play area makes a distinct impression when new families visit, and we want to improve our visibility in this area.  The Long Range Planning committee has received a pledge for the expenses to refurbish and expand the playground in memory of Mary Hutson.  They have appointed a study committee of Alison and Joe Petre, Ryan Simpson, and Bill Coley to meet with interested church members, design the landscaping and equipment, and meet with city officials and other groups to make this a usable, pleasing area for all people.

 Welcome to New Residents.  Our television and outreach teams continue to provide the best visibility of our church to the community.  Regular commercials, the weekly televised service, and the bread loaves that are delivered to registered guests pay incredible dividends.  Drop by your new neighbors throughout the winter, and invite them to tune us in; or—even better—sit with you in worship.  The staff is also developing strategies to reach new residents of the condos in the downtown community by delivering “welcome to the neighborhood” baskets.  It’s all a part of our need to build relationships for Christ.

 Prayer for Needs.  People are praying intentionally for First Baptist every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.  Thanks to each person who is a part of our visible prayer ministry and the invisible people who pray behind closed doors daily.