Coastal Church on the Grand Strand
First Baptist Church of Myrtle Beach sits at 500 4th Avenue North, just a short walk from the oceanfront in the heart of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The congregation identifies as a campus of a wider fellowship called Coastal Church, with the Myrtle Beach location being one of the network's local expressions. The church's mission is simple and direct: to reach the lost and to develop fully committed disciples for Christ.
The Myrtle Beach campus is led by Dr. Scott Stancil, whose role is Pastor of Engagement and MB Campus Pastor. Stephen Hand serves as Associate Pastor of Worship, Donna Lay serves as pianist, and Sam Parker oversees the children's ministry along with finance duties. The team is rounded out by a Director of Operations, a secretary, and a building and grounds crew who keep the doors open and the lights on week after week.
Sunday Mornings at 500 4th Avenue
The Sunday schedule follows a classic Southern Baptist pattern. Bible study begins at 9:15 a.m., with classes for every age group meeting across the campus. The morning worship service gathers at 10:30 a.m. in the main sanctuary. Visitors are welcomed with a friendly greeting and invited to stay for either or both gatherings.
The worship service blends congregational singing led by the worship team with preaching from Scripture. Donna Lay anchors the music from the piano, and Stephen Hand leads the service as Associate Pastor of Worship. The service is intentionally accessible for first-time guests, and the church notes that visiting for the first time can feel intimidating, confusing, or overwhelming - so the team works to remove those barriers. Whether someone is accepting Christ for the first time or simply looking for a new church home, the greeters and staff are ready to help.
Wednesday Evening Study at 6:00
Midweek, the church gathers again at 6:00 p.m. for an evening Bible study. This weekly meeting gives the congregation a chance to go deeper between Sundays, with a more conversational, teaching-oriented format that complements the Sunday morning sermon. For regular attenders, the rhythm of Sunday Bible study, Sunday worship, and Wednesday study forms the backbone of the church's discipleship life.
Children and the Next Generation
Children's ministry is overseen by Sam Parker, who serves as MB Children's Director in addition to his finance role. The 9:15 a.m. Sunday Bible study hour includes age-appropriate classes for children, giving young families a way to learn together as a household each week. The church does not publish a long list of separate programs for kids and students; instead, children are woven into the regular life of the congregation through Sunday school and the worship gathering.
What the Church Believes
First Baptist Church of Myrtle Beach holds to The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, the confession of faith adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention. The full text of these beliefs is published on the church's beliefs page, and the eighteen articles cover the sweep of Christian doctrine in detail.
The church teaches that the Holy Bible is God's revelation of Himself to humanity, written by men divinely inspired and trustworthy in all it affirms. It is the supreme standard for Christian faith and practice, and every part of it points to Christ, who is the focus of divine revelation.
There is one true and living God, infinite in holiness, all-powerful, and all-knowing. He reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - three distinct persons sharing one divine nature. God the Father reigns over creation with providential care and welcomes believers as His children through faith in Jesus Christ. God the Son is the eternal Son who took on human nature in the incarnation, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitute for sinners, rose again in a glorified body, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in power and glory to judge the world. God the Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, convicts of sin, regenerates the sinner, indwells every believer, bestows spiritual gifts, and seals believers unto final redemption.
Human beings are made in the image of God as the crowning work of creation. Through the disobedience of the first man, sin entered the human race, and every person inherits a nature inclined toward sin and the condemnation that follows. Salvation is offered freely to all who place personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and it encompasses regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification.
Election is the gracious purpose of God by which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners, and is consistent with human free agency. True believers, kept by the power of God, will persevere to the end, though they may fall into sin through neglect and temptation. The church itself is understood as an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing baptism and the Lord's Supper, and governed by the lordship of Christ through democratic processes. The scriptural officers of a New Testament church are pastors and deacons.
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, symbolizing faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, death to sin, and resurrection to new life. The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience in which members, by partaking of bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. The first day of the week is the Lord's Day, set apart for worship and spiritual devotion in remembrance of Christ's resurrection.
The Kingdom of God includes His sovereign rule over the universe and the particular reign He exercises over those who acknowledge Jesus as King. Christians are called to pray and labor for the coming of that Kingdom, with its full consummation awaiting the return of Christ. God, in His own time, will bring the world to its appropriate end: Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory, the dead will be raised, and all will be judged in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell as the place of everlasting punishment, and the righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ to make disciples of all nations. The new birth kindles love for others, and the Great Commission rests on every believer. Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence, and a sound system of Christian education is part of the church's heritage. Stewardship means recognizing that all of life - time, talents, and material possessions - is entrusted by God to be used for His glory and the help of others. Christians are called to give cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally.
The church cooperates freely with other like-minded congregations and denominations for the advancement of the Kingdom, but such cooperation is voluntary and advisory, never coercive. Christians are under obligation to seek the will of Christ in human society, opposing racism, greed, selfishness, vice, and every form of sexual immorality, and working to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. The church speaks on behalf of the unborn and contends for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. Christians are called to seek peace and to do all in their power to put an end to war, trusting that the gospel of Christ is the true remedy for the spirit of war. God alone is Lord of the conscience, church and state are separate, and a free church in a free state is the Christian ideal.
The family is the foundational institution of human society. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime, reflecting the union between Christ and His church. Husband and wife are of equal worth before God, with distinct but complementary responsibilities within the marriage. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord, and parents are charged with teaching them spiritual and moral values through both word and example.
Meet the Pastoral Team
The pastoral staff is small and close-knit. Dr. Scott Stancil serves as Pastor of Engagement and MB Campus Pastor, providing overall leadership for the Myrtle Beach location and connecting it to the wider Coastal Church network. Stephen Hand is the Associate Pastor of Worship, shaping the liturgy and music of the Sunday gathering and supporting congregational engagement through song. Sam Parker carries a dual role as Finance Director and MB Children's Director, overseeing the financial health of the campus and the formation of its youngest disciples. Donna Lay serves as pianist, anchoring the musical life of the church from the keyboard.
Behind the scenes, Ben Foust serves as Director of Operations, Penny Brummett-Kechely as secretary, Dwayne Rodgers as head of building and grounds, and Christine Rodgers as a member of the maintenance team. Together they keep the campus running smoothly so that ministry can happen without distraction.
A Building for the Community
The Myrtle Beach campus occupies a long-standing church building on 4th Avenue North, a quiet residential street set back from the commercial bustle of the oceanfront. The property has served as the congregation's home for many years and includes the main worship space, classrooms for the 9:15 Bible study hour, and the offices that house the pastoral and administrative team. The building is staffed by Dwayne and Christine Rodgers, whose care for the grounds makes the campus ready for ministry week after week.
The 500 4th Avenue North address places the church within easy reach of central Myrtle Beach neighborhoods, making it a convenient gathering place for both year-round residents and the many visitors who pass through the Grand Strand each year.
Connecting and Giving
First Baptist Church of Myrtle Beach maintains an active presence on Facebook, where updates, encouragement, and event notices are shared regularly. Those who want to support the ministry financially can do so online through the church's giving page, which is hosted on Church Center and allows one-time and recurring gifts.
Anyone interested in learning more, asking questions, or simply saying hello is invited to reach out by phone at (843) 448-3155 or by email through the contact page on the church's site. The office is staffed during regular weekday hours, and the staff is glad to hear from newcomers and longtime friends alike.
First-Time Visitors
The church understands that walking into a new congregation for the first time can feel intimidating. The greeters and staff are trained to make that first visit as smooth as possible, whether someone is arriving with a houseful of young ones, coming from another tradition, or stepping into a church for the very first time. There is no expectation of dress, background, or spiritual maturity; the goal is simply to help each guest feel at home and to make space for the work God is doing in their life.
Arriving a few minutes before 9:15 a.m. allows time to park and find the right Bible study class. Those arriving at 10:30 a.m. for worship can be seated comfortably and follow along with the service at their own pace. Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. offer a smaller, more conversational setting for those who want to dig deeper into Scripture between Sundays.
Rooted on 4th Avenue
First Baptist Church of Myrtle Beach is a neighborhood congregation with a clear confessional identity, a steady weekly rhythm, and a pastoral team that takes seriously both the gospel and the people who walk through the doors. From the Sunday morning Bible study hour to the Wednesday evening study, from the children's classes to the worship gathering led from the piano, the life of the church is built around the same conviction that has shaped it from the beginning: the Bible is true, Jesus Christ is Lord, and every person is worth the effort of a personal welcome.
On 4th Avenue North, in the heart of Myrtle Beach, that conviction continues to gather a people, week after week.