At 5001 Main Street in Rowlett, Texas, First Baptist Church Rowlett is known for two Sunday worship styles, ministries from preschool through senior adults, and the message “The perfect place for imperfect people.” Connect Groups, mission partnerships, and a community preschool extend that welcome throughout the week.
Blended and Modern Worship Each Sunday
Sunday worship begins with the Blended Service at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Modern Service at 11:00 a.m. First Baptist Church Rowlett presents the services as distinct gatherings, and both welcome people who are new to church, have been Christian for many years, or are seeking a fresh start. The church’s message is direct: come as you are and connect with God and with other people.
Guests can watch both services live online. Past messages are also available through the church’s sermon videos and podcasts.
Twenty to Thirty Minutes Early, Casual and Comfortable
Families are encouraged to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early so there is time to park and find a seat. Volunteers stand in the parking lot with signs to direct drivers, and the church’s direction for clothing is simply casual and comfortable clothing. Children can join age-specific, interactive Bible study and worship while adults attend. The stated goal is to help a first-time guest feel welcome, comfortable, and at ease.
Little Learners in The Meadows, The Lodge, and The Woods
Preschool worship begins at 9:30 a.m. in an energetic service designed for preschoolers. At 10:45 a.m., Preschool Connect Groups meet in The Meadows, where classes combine fun with biblical truths. FUNdamentals meets at 5:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Sundays for Bible stories designed for preschoolers. On Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., Puggles and Cubbies uses crafts, games, and stories to help younger children learn about God and his created world.
Children in kindergarten through fifth grade have separate worship and Connect Group times. In The Lodge, K-2 worship begins at 9:30 with fun music and games, while grades 3-5 worship at 10:45. In The Woods, Connect Groups for grades 3-5 meet at 9:30 and K-2 groups meet at 10:45. Awana for K-4 and The Link for fifth graders both meet Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Awana centers on the Gospel and makes Scripture memorization engaging; The Link helps fifth graders move toward Summit Student Ministry through deeper study and monthly events. Vacation Bible School, children’s camp, day camp, a back-to-school gathering, and family mission trips extend the ministry beyond the regular classes.
Summit Students Connect on Wednesdays and Sundays
Summit Student Ministry serves students in grades 6-12. Middle school Connect Groups meet at 11:00 a.m., while high school groups meet at 9:30 a.m. Each semester, the groups study a different book of the Bible under teams of Summit adult leaders.
Wednesday’s Summit gathering includes video game stations, basketball, volleyball, and other activities before service. At 6:30 p.m., students move to the worship center for worship songs led by the worship team and biblical teaching from the youth ministry staff. On the second Sunday of each month, Summit home groups meet from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at a church member’s house. Separate groups for middle school and high school students include games, fellowship, and a free dinner.
Breakthrough on Thursdays for College and Young Adults
Breakthrough welcomes recent high school graduates, college students, and young professionals every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the Summit Room. The gathering includes time to hang out, worship, and hear a biblical teaching, with opportunities to build relationships and explore faith, career, and personal development.
Connect Groups Shape Adult Fellowship
Connect Groups are the core of the church’s ministry for adults of all ages and backgrounds. Classes are organized by age or life stage and combine relevant Bible teaching, fellowship, service, and opportunities to grow. The church emphasizes being “a church of Small Groups,” including home groups where people can connect over shared struggles and encourage one another.
GO Groups bring together four to six people of the same gender. They challenge participants to put biblical truth into action, pursue obedience in relationships with God and others, and become disciples who make disciples. Men meet for Man of God on Mondays for fellowship, Bible study, and additional events. The Women’s Ministry offers Bible studies and events throughout the year, while Primetime gathers senior adults for events, Bible study, and shared activities.
Community Preschool for Ages 18 Months Through 4 Years
FBC Rowlett Community Preschool meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for children ages 18 months through four years. Its monthly theme-based curriculum supports social, physical, intellectual, and spiritual development. Daily activities include a Bible story, shapes, colors, and a new letter of the alphabet each week. Program features include low student-teacher ratios, Frog Street curriculum, qualified and experienced teachers and aides, developmentally appropriate activities, daily Bible lessons, art, music, and story time.
Mission Partnerships from Rowlett to Africa and Asia
Mission work begins close to home through partnerships with surrounding churches, ministries, and school districts. Internationally, FBC Rowlett has permanent or long-term teams in Africa and Southeast Asia. Its partnerships combine evangelism, discipleship, encouragement, practical assistance, and education.
In Harlem, New York, FBC Rowlett supports Cultivate NYC, a church plant partnered with the North American Mission Board. The church joined that work in 2021 and has continued annual trips to serve with the Harlem church. In Montreal, Québec, Canada, it partners with La Chapelle by helping upgrade facilities, encourage staff, and assist the church’s mission. La Chapelle was planted by the North American Mission Board in 2015.
In Puerto Rico, FBC Rowlett works through strategic partnerships with the North American Mission Board to encourage and equip churches across the island in evangelism and discipleship. In fall 2023, Philip and Suzie Burgess partnered with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Abuja, Nigeria, using their experience in linguistics and translation to bring the Gospel to diverse language communities. In Kenya, Jess and Janet Peek sold their possessions and moved there to serve; after first traveling there in 2015, they have continued teaching the Gospel. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, FBC Rowlett began working with International Mission Board personnel in 2022 to encourage full-time missionaries and develop the partnership.
Tell, Involve, Mature, Empower
The church describes a practical path for discipleship that begins with worship and moves people toward connection and service.
- Tell: Share the good news of Jesus through evangelism. The church emphasizes investing in and inviting unchurched people to a service where they can meet Jesus Christ.
- Involve: Connect believers and non-believers in a small group where people can share struggles, build relationships, and encourage one another.
- Mature: Provide biblical teaching and programs that help each believer move to the next level in following Christ.
- Empower: Make service a core value and help every member use their gifts in ministry, as reflected in Romans 12:6-8.
This path moves people from experiencing worship to joining a small group and then serving others.
The Faith FBC Rowlett Confesses
FBC Rowlett affirms one God who exists eternally in three co-equal and co-eternal persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father is creator and sustainer of all things. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for sins, rose bodily from the dead, and will return. The Holy Spirit convicts people concerning sin, regenerates and sanctifies believers, and empowers them to live godly lives.
Salvation is God’s gift, received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not by works. The church believes the Church is the body of Christ, called to worship, grow in discipleship, and proclaim the Gospel. It practices baptism by immersion as a public declaration of faith and observes the Lord’s Supper as a memorial to Christ’s sacrifice and a proclamation of his return. The Bible is believed to be God’s inspired Word, without error in its original manuscripts and the ultimate authority in faith and life. FBC Rowlett also teaches that people are made in God’s image, marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, and the Kingdom of God is both a present reality and a future hope.
Pastor and Ministry Team
Dr. Cole Hedgecock is Senior Pastor and leads the church’s work of helping imperfect people connect with God and others. He holds a Doctor of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Baptist University. His ministry experience includes student pastor, summer missionary, education minister, executive pastor, and senior pastor in Texas and Oklahoma.
The ministry team includes Andrew Lewis as Worship Associate and Next Gen Administrator, Russell James as Student Minister, Harrison Hays as Worship and Media Minister, and Demarcus Green as Student Ministry Associate. Suzanne Massey serves as Kid’s Minister, Missy Tucker directs Community Preschool, and Amy Brown serves as Preschool Associate. Together, these ministries support the church’s pattern of worship, connection, growth, service, and mission. Its defining message is “The perfect place for imperfect people.”