Three Sunday Mornings and a Whole-Church Mission on State Route 162
First Baptist Maryville sits on State Route 162 in Maryville, Illinois, just outside the St. Louis metro area, where it serves a multi-generational congregation across three Sunday morning services and a busy midweek calendar. The church's motto, "Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples," anchors everything from the order of worship on a Sunday morning to the way children's ministry leaders plan a Wednesday night of Awana. First Baptist Maryville (often shortened to FBM or FBMaryville) is a Southern Baptist congregation that holds to The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as its confessional standard, and the church is currently walking through a pastoral transition alongside Slingshot Group as it seeks its next senior pastor. A 40-day prayer guide has shaped corporate prayer gatherings in the chapel as that work continues.
Sundays at 8:30, 9:45, and 11 a.m.
Services meet in the Worship Center at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 a.m. The order is friendly and consistent: an announcement video, a personal greeting from the platform, a set of songs led by the worship team, a sermon from one of the pastors, and an invitation to come forward for prayer or conversation with a pastoral advisor. A typical service runs just over an hour.
The worship style is lively but grounded. The team leads what the church describes as "lively, yet worshipful songs," and the room includes both enthusiastic singers and quieter listeners who simply take it in. Matt Assel, the Creative Director who oversees music and arts, sums up the philosophy by quoting Bob Kauflin: if a child were born in the church and grew up singing its songs for twenty years, how well would they know God? The answer shapes a song selection that leans toward biblically rich material rather than the latest trends.
There is no dress code. Men in ties and men in jeans sit side by side, and the same is true for women. Greeters stand at the Main Entrance (the doors beneath the steeple) ready to help anyone who looks uncertain about where to go.
Parking in Lot B and Entering Beneath the Steeple
Guest parking sits in Lot B, just in front of the building near the Main Entrance. From there, the path is straightforward: straight ahead is the Worship Center. To the left in the main lobby is a Guest Reception room staffed by people who can answer first-time questions. Members of the welcome team also stand at the welcome table and at the entrances to the Worship Center, ready to point a visitor toward a Small Group, the preschool area, or the children's wing. The church believes the worship experience begins at the front door, and the Welcome Team is trained to exceed expectations in those first minutes on the property.
Discovery Town, Kid City, Awana, and the Student Area
Children are central to the identity of First Baptist Maryville. The Family Ministry stretches from infants through twelfth grade and divides into age-specific environments, each with its own room, name, and curriculum.
Discovery Town is the preschool area for infants through Pre-Kindergarten. It meets during the 9:45 and 11:00 a.m. service hours. Volunteers rock babies, teach toddlers, and lead Pre-K small groups, while parents attend either the earlier 8:30 service or one of the other hours. Angela Colona, the Preschool Ministry Director, often frames the work with three short sentences: God made you, God loves you, and Jesus wants to be your friend forever.
Kid City serves kindergarten through fourth grade during the 9:45 and 11:00 a.m. services. Large-group time includes worship, missions emphasis, and Bible teaching, and small groups then reinforce the lesson through age-appropriate activities. The curriculum is The Gospel Project from LifeWay, a chronological journey through Scripture that walks children from Genesis to Revelation and aims to put the gospel at the center of every story.
The Preteen area gathers fifth and sixth graders during the 9:45 hour. The Student Area hosts seventh through twelfth graders for Small Groups at 9:45 a.m. and invites them to sit up front with the wider congregation during the 11:00 a.m. service. A children's New Christians Class is offered periodically for kids in grades K through 6 who have recently accepted Christ, covering how to share the gospel, the meaning of the Lord's Supper, and what baptism looks like at FBM.
Family Dedication services are scheduled throughout the year for parents who want to publicly dedicate a child to the Lord, drawing on Psalm 127: children are a gift from God.
Wednesday nights belong to Awana from September through May, running 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Awana is an international, Bible-centered children's ministry, and FBM welcomes children from age two through sixth grade. Puggles (age 2) parents either serve as Awana volunteers or attend an on-campus midweek Small Group and remain on campus during the program. Older kids work through Scripture memory and application.
FBMStudents, the ministry for grades 7 through 12, is led by Alec Erhart, Minister to Students. On Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m., students meet in the Student Area for worship, games, and Small Group Bible study. At 11:00 a.m., they are invited to sit up front in the Worship Center with the rest of the church during the current message series. Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. add a midweek gathering built around fellowship and Scripture. The student ministry calendar layers in retreats and camps throughout the year, including Breakaway at Camp Mihaska each fall, Crossings Camp at Cedarmore in the summer, a 7th Grade Welcome Weekend each August, and Summer Midweek evenings.
Twenty-ish, fbmwomen, fbmmen, JOY Ministries, and the Next Chapter
Small Groups are the connective tissue of adult life at FBM. The Small Groups ministry offers Bible studies, seasonal groups, and life-stage communities for men, women, and mixed groups. Beyond the open Small Group calendar, several specific ministries serve distinct seasons of adulthood.
Twenty-ish gathers adults ages 18 to 24 on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. in Room D202, creating space for college students, early-career adults, and those still figuring out what adult life looks like.
The Singles ministry supports single adults ages 25 and up through Bible studies, events, worship, and missions, along with Small Groups specifically designed for single individuals.
Men's Ministry focuses on growth in the Christian faith through new relationships with other men. Regular rhythms include studies and breakfasts, and the ministry also serves through partnerships with Build Up, a Moving Ministry, and Car Care. Periodic Men's Dinners (registration around $10 per person) bring men together over a catered meal.
Women's Ministry, branded fbmwomen, offers Coffee Connection gatherings on Saturdays, a Spring Tea each spring, an Advent gathering each fall, the FLOURISH mentoring program, and quarterly short-term Bible studies. Simply Saturday events offer women a chance to step out of routine and learn a new skill or enjoy an afternoon with friends. A subscription email list keeps women informed about upcoming studies and events.
JOY Ministries (Just Older Youth) gathers adults 50 and older for monthly dinner events with games, food, and fellowship. Tickets typically run around $15 per person.
Next Chapter serves people who have experienced living without a spouse and are seeking to honor God in this season of life. The team offers prayer, practical help, and connections to resources for finances, home repair, transportation, and errands. Monthly meetings rotate between cookouts, holiday meals, and other gatherings.
The Worship Team: Choir, Rhythm Section, Orchestra, and Production
Worship at FBM is led by Matt Assel, Creative Director, who casts vision for music, arts, and the creative services of the church. The team includes a rhythm section (drum set, bass, acoustic and electric guitar, piano, organ and synth), an orchestra (woodwinds, brass, strings, and additional percussion), and a production team (audio engineers, backstage managers, camera operators, technical directors, and projectionists). A Worship Choir opens seasonally for vocalists age 16 and up. A media and design track offers opportunities for videographers, photographers, graphic designers, motion graphic designers, and a decor team that prepares the room for holidays and special events.
Theologically, the worship team holds to a high view of gathered singing: God has made a singing people, and Scripture repeatedly calls them to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness. That conviction shapes a song selection that prioritizes depth over novelty.
Beliefs and Baptism by Full Immersion
FBM's doctrinal convictions are rooted in Scripture. The church affirms one God in three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the full deity and sinless humanity of Jesus, his atoning death and bodily resurrection, and his promised return. The Bible is described as God's Word, without error, and the standard by which all things are measured. Salvation is offered freely through faith in Jesus: admit sin, believe, and confess Christ as Lord. A simple prayer of confession and trust in the resurrection of Jesus is presented as the way to receive eternal life.
Baptism is held as a symbolic act of obedience rather than a means of salvation. FBM practices baptism by full immersion, lowering the believer completely under the water and raising them again, reflecting the original meaning of the Greek baptizo and the pattern of Jesus' own baptism in the Jordan River. The act pictures dying to the old self and being raised to new life in Christ. Baptism classes are scheduled throughout the year, and anyone ready to be baptized can sign up online.
The Church is described as a local group of baptized believers who come together under the leadership of Jesus Christ to grow spiritually, and the church points to The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as its confessional standard.
A 40-Day Prayer Guide and the Search for the Next Senior Pastor
In the meantime, the ministerial staff carries the ministry of the church day to day. Dr. Nate Bock serves as Executive Pastor, overseeing Adult Small Groups, daily operations, and the staff. His Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity both come from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his heart for ministry shows up in teaching small groups, preaching, leading worship, and helping wherever he can. Paul Byrd is the Minister of Missions, Sports, and Evangelism, leading the church's work to share what the ministry calls "The Grander Story, God's story," locally, nationally, and internationally. Isaiah Stonecipher serves as Minister to Children and Families, supporting spiritual growth, discipleship, and counsel for children and their parents while overseeing children's small groups, activities, and programs. Alec Erhart, Minister to Students, walks alongside teenagers and their families, equipping them to follow Christ beyond their school years. Angela Colona directs the Preschool Ministry, and Matt Assel leads the Creative team.
Special Needs Ministry, GriefShare, and Pastoral Care
A Special Needs Ministry meets on Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. in Room B112 under the leadership of James Williams. The small group is designed for students with disabilities and uses a Gospel Project curriculum paired with cartoon videos to help participants engage with each story at their own level. The interactive approach is intentional: it is taught to meet individual needs.
GriefShare, a national grief support program, runs sessions periodically at FBM. A "Surviving the Holidays" event is offered each November for those grieving the loss of a loved one, providing practical advice and encouragement for navigating the holiday season. A prayer request form is available for anyone who would like the pastoral team to pray for them or reach out personally.
Shoeboxes, Thanksgiving Baskets, and Backpack Blowout
The missions ministry, branded fbmmissions, organizes the church's local, national, and international outreach. Three signature efforts run on a recurring annual rhythm.
Operation Christmas Child, in partnership with Samaritan's Purse, fills simple shoeboxes with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies for children affected by war, poverty, famine, and disease around the world. FBM serves as both a collection site and a community drop-off point during National Collection Week each November, gathering boxes from many local churches and donors and packing them into cartons for shipping.
The Thanksgiving Food Drive gathers traditional Thanksgiving items (stuffing mix, gravy, cranberries, and more) to provide holiday meal bags for local families in need. Donations are accepted throughout the fall, with volunteer sorting and packing in mid-November.
Backpack Blowout, held annually in early August, distributes school supplies and dental care to children and families in need at no cost. Volunteers pack backpacks in the weeks before the event and hand them out the morning of distribution.
Other recurring efforts include Trunkfest each October (a parking-lot event with decorated trunks, treats, and games) and a Trivia Night fundraiser for the global missions fund. Throughout the year, the missions ministry offers opportunities to serve, pray, and give locally, nationally, and internationally.
Maryville Christian Learning Center and Maryville Christian School
FBM's commitment to the next generation extends beyond its Family Ministry into a full school program. Maryville Christian Learning Center (MCLC) is the preschool, directed by Carmen Nelson, providing a Christ-centered early childhood experience that aims to nurture young hearts and minds academically, emotionally, and spiritually. Maryville Christian School stretches from elementary through high school and partners with parents to help students grow spiritually, intellectually, socially, and emotionally. Chad Laughlin serves as the high school administrator, and Brian Kamadulski serves as the elementary school principal for K through 5.
Livestream, the FBMaryville App, RightNow Media, and Giving
Services are livestreamed on Sunday mornings, and messages are archived for later viewing on YouTube, Facebook, and a dedicated streaming platform. Worship playlists live on YouTube and Spotify, giving visitors a chance to hear the songs before attending. The church maintains dedicated channels on YouTube and Vimeo, an active Facebook presence, and an Instagram account. RightNow Media is offered free to anyone in the church family, granting access to a streaming library of more than 6,000 Bible study videos, kids' content, marriage and parenting resources, and teaching from pastors and authors such as Tim Keller, Andy Stanley, Mark Batterson, Christine Caine, and Phil Vischer. The FBMaryville app (available through Church Center) carries message notes, event registrations, giving, and the church directory in one place.
FBM does not expect guests to give. Regular attendees and members are encouraged to give faithfully in response to what God has done in their lives through the ministries of the church, and the result funds buildings, programs, and (more importantly, in the church's own framing) changed lives. Giving can be done online, by mail, in person during weekend services, or through the church app. Designated giving is available for the Global Missions Offering, Benevolence, and Camp Scholarships.