Three Campuses, One Mission in Wichita Falls
First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls has stood at 1200 9th Street in the heart of downtown since long before most current members can remember. From that flagship address the church has grown into a three-campus congregation that also runs a thriving Spanish-language ministry, drawing families from across north Texas and the military community at nearby Sheppard Air Force Base. Senior Pastor Bob McCartney, who has led the church since 2008, frames the church's purpose in a single sentence: "Leading people from lifeless religion to passionately pursue Jesus."
The Wichita Falls congregation is large enough to offer a deep range of programs yet personal enough that newcomers are still told, "We've saved you a seat." Members talk about multi-generational discipleship, with grandparents, parents, and children sitting under the same biblical teaching week after week. The church is also visibly outward-facing, with mission trips to Utah, Oklahoma, Kenya, and Vancouver alongside year-round local service projects.
Wichita Falls Campuses and Sunday Worship
First Baptist runs three physical campuses in the city, each with its own pastor and worship schedule:
- Downtown Campus - 1200 9th St., Wichita Falls, TX 76301. Worship at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. Bob McCartney, Senior Pastor.
- Sheppard Campus - 2101 Puckett Rd., Wichita Falls, TX 76306. Worship at 11:00 AM. Mark Mackey, Campus Pastor.
- West Campus - 4317 Barnett Rd., Wichita Falls, TX 76310. Worship at 9:45 AM and 11:00 AM. Larry Mauldin, Campus Pastor.
Across these locations, Sunday morning looks slightly different from one service to the next, and the church leans into that variety. The 9:30 AM blended service at Downtown features a full worship choir and orchestra leading classic arrangements of hymns and worship songs. The 11:00 AM contemporary service in the East Sanctuary carries the same Scripture-centered preaching but trades the choir for a contemporary band. The Sheppard Campus, which carries a special emphasis on reaching the military community at the neighboring air force base, runs a single 11:00 AM gathering. West Campus offers two services at 9:45 AM and 11:00 AM for families on the southwest side of town.
Services are livestreamed online, and a sermon archive keeps past messages available for visitors who want to sample the teaching before attending in person.
FBCWF Español: Worship in Spanish
First Baptist operates a full Spanish-language ministry called FBCWF Español, led by Lead Pastor Carlos Parra and Associate Pastor Nicandro Delgado. The congregation meets every Sunday at 11:00 AM at the Downtown Campus, with its own Grupos de Vida (Life Groups) and Servir (Serve) pages so Spanish-speaking members can engage in their own language. The Español team is a parallel ministry rather than a translation ministry: it includes its own staff, its own small-group system, and its own service opportunities.
What the Church Believes
The statement of faith centers on the Bible as the inspired Word of God and on Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation. Members confess one God who exists in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and affirm that the Bible is the foundation for everything taught, preached, and practiced. The congregation aligns with the Baptist Faith and Message as its doctrinal guide.
Around that core, First Baptist has shaped ten values that guide ministry priorities: belief in one God in three persons, the authority of Scripture, passionate worship, prayer as essential practice, the family as a priority, fellowship and community as the real meaning of church, life transformation through disciple-making, every-member ministry, personal evangelism and missions, and stewardship through tithing. Marriage is defined as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, and the church reserves baptism by immersion for those who have made a personal decision to follow Christ.
Family Night: The Wednesday Rhythm
If Sunday is the front door, Wednesday is the living room. From late August through mid-November, the church runs Family Night across all three campuses. Dinners are served first - meat loaf and mashed potatoes, Chick-fil-A, pizza, taco bar with gluten-free tortillas, and a salad bar for those with dietary restrictions - followed by a full slate of classes, choirs, and small groups for every age.
At Downtown, adult offerings include FIRSTMen (a study on becoming men of prayer led by Young Adult Pastor Justin Bindel), FIRSTWomen (a study through Proverbs 6:16-19 led by Jayme Wood), Spanish 101 and Culture for beginners, Re/Engage marriage enrichment for couples at any stage, Just Walk Across the Room on personal evangelism, REVIVE through the Book of Ephesians, Financial Peace University, GriefShare, and DivorceCare. Engaged or seriously dating couples can sign up for Merge, a premarital course. Worship Choir and Orchestra rehearse from 6:30 to 7:45 PM, with a Student Orchestra for grades 7-12 meeting earlier at 5:30 PM.
Children's ministries run parallel: FIRSTPreschool MDWK for babies through kindergarten, FIRSTKids MDWK for grades 1-3, and FIRSTPreteen MDWK for grades 4-5. Students gather for ONEIGHTY - middle schoolers at The Rock from 6:30 to 7:30 PM and high schoolers at The Hill from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.
The Sheppard and West campuses follow the same pattern on a smaller scale, with dinners at 5:15 PM and age-graded classes beginning at 6:00 (Sheppard) or 6:15 PM (West).
Preschool: Babies Through Kindergarten
Sarah Cates, Director of Preschool Ministries, oversees preschool ministry across all three campuses, supported by Shari Godo at West and Gracie Rousseaux at Sheppard. Each preschool room is built around the same idea: even the youngest child can begin to discover who Jesus is.
Worship, crafts, skits, songs, and short videos fill each Sunday morning hour. Every classroom uses a secure electronic check-in system that prints matching identification tags for parents, children, and teachers - the parent keeps the receipt and must present it before any child is released. First-time families are asked to bring family members' names, children's names and birthdates, home address, phone number, and any allergy information to make the first check-in smooth.
The preschool ministry also runs WEE School (Weekday Early Education), a Christian weekday preschool that ministers to the whole child through mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual pathways. Other preschool-age programs include Upward Sports for ages 3 through grade 6, Vacation Bible School each summer, and MDWK, a Wednesday-night program that involves more than two million children in over 100 countries in Bible memorization and games.
A Parent Dedication Class is offered several times a year on Sundays at 11:00 AM for families wishing to dedicate a new baby.
FIRSTkids: Grades 1 Through 5
The children's ministry for grades 1 through 5 carries its own name, mission, and values. FIRSTkids exists to "invite kids to pursue Jesus with passion." The values are God's Word, kindness, loving family, and being the light of the world, each anchored in a memory verse.
Programming splits into two tracks. FIRSTkids serves grades 1-3 and FIRSTkids preteen serves grades 4-5. On Sunday mornings, kids Life Groups meet at 9:30 AM with dedicated small-group leaders walking through age-appropriate Bible lessons, hands-on activities, and prayer. At 11:00 AM, kids move into a high-energy large-group experience with worship, games, teaching, and activities built to help them transition into "big church" worship with their parents.
On Wednesday nights during Family Night, Kids MDWK meets from 6:30 to 7:45 PM with Scripture memorization, teaching, missions emphasis, and games. Other signature programs include Kids Camp each summer and Vacation Bible School for children entering kindergarten through completed grade 5.
ONEIGHTY Students and The Bridge College Ministry
Student ministry is organized under ONEIGHTY. Middle schoolers and high schoolers meet separately during Family Night and on Sunday mornings. Steven Patterson leads the team as Student Pastor, with Sam Powers overseeing middle school, Jayden Friddle serving as West Campus Student Pastor, and Brandol Loyd at the Sheppard Campus. Ryan Whisenant serves as Student Ministry Resident, and Kenzi Renfro leads the Girls' Ministry Associate role.
ONEIGHTY middle schoolers meet at The Rock from 6:30 to 7:30 PM on Wednesdays, and high schoolers meet at The Hill from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. The ministry has its own dedicated summer mission trips, including a middle school week with Mission Arlington, a high school trip to Salt Lake City to help church plants, and a family-friendly Orphans' Embrace trip to the Baptist Home for Girls in Madill, Oklahoma.
College students connect through The Bridge, the church's college ministry that meets at The Hill on the Downtown Campus on Tuesday nights from 8:00 to 9:30 PM during the school year. Michael Duncan serves as College Associate, and Justin Bindel, who spent a decade planting a church in Salt Lake City before returning to Wichita Falls, leads the young adult ministry that overlaps with The Bridge. The Bridge also runs a Serve My City mission trip each spring, sending students into local food pantries, Faith Mission, neighborhood projects, and outreach events in Wichita Falls.
Adults: Marriage, Life Groups, and Recovery
Adult discipleship runs through several overlapping channels. Re/Engage is a 14-week marriage enrichment study that welcomes couples in any condition, from those simply wanting to grow closer together to those whose marriages feel broken. Merge is a nine-week premarital course for engaged or seriously dating couples. Both meet on Wednesday nights during Family Night and require a $30 workbook fee per couple.
Life Groups are organized by age and life stage to meet each person's season. They provide Bible study, ministry involvement, mission projects, care, and fellowship throughout the week. A separate "Nearly Wed Newly Wed" class meets on Sunday mornings with Shane and Stephanie Smith, exploring God's plan for marriage from the very first months of engagement.
On Monday nights at 6:15 PM, Re:Generation meets at the West Campus. This 12-step discipleship program walks through biblical steps of healing and has become a major recovery ministry for people dealing with substance abuse, codependency, pornography, eating disorders, depression, fear, control, abuse, anger, obsessive thoughts, and other struggles. The atmosphere is described as judgment-free, and the church invites anyone tired, broken, or hurting to attend.
FIRSTMen, FIRSTWomen, and Legacy Senior Adults
Men's ministry at First Baptist - FIRSTMen - gathers men for study, prayer, and fellowship. The flagship event each year is the 4KK Men's Summit, a gathering held at The Lodge in Konawa, Oklahoma, with lodging and meals included in the cost. The Wednesday night FIRSTMen study focuses on becoming men of prayer, working through the patterns Jesus taught his disciples.
Jayme Wood directs the Women's Ministry - FIRSTWomen - which exists "to engage with women in every age and stage of life and to connect them to God's Word and to each other." Programming includes Wednesday night studies, city-wide events, small-group Bible studies, and mission opportunities. Women's ministry also runs its own summer mission trips.
Senior Adults (Legacy) is a ministry designed to help older adults remain active in serving the Lord, ministering to others, and passing on a legacy to children and grandchildren. Programming includes Sunday morning Bible study, weekly fellowship, and annual conferences. The church also runs a "Lunch with the Pastor" gathering several times a year in the Fellowship Hall at the Downtown Campus, with free lunch and childcare for babies through grade 5.
Worship Ministry: Choir, Orchestra, and Bands
Worship ministry at First Baptist is large enough to support a full orchestral program. David Scherler serves as Pastor of Blended Worship with more than 46 years of ministry experience and a master's degree in vocal performance from Texas A&M-Commerce. Randy Wood serves as Pastor of Contemporary Worship. Together they oversee the Blended and Contemporary services that run in parallel on Sunday mornings at the Downtown Campus.
The Worship Choir and Orchestra rehearse weekly except in July at 6:30 PM in the Worship Center and Choir Suite, then lead the 9:30 AM blended service each Sunday. The Student Orchestra is open to students in grades 7-12 who are currently enrolled in a school band or orchestra or are taking private lessons - no audition required, no cost to join. The orchestra performs at church functions throughout the year and attends several concerts in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Oklahoma City.
Contemporary worship teams lead the 11:00 AM service and special services throughout the year. Other musical groups include Academy Lessons for those wanting to learn to sing or play an instrument, plus dedicated staff serving as Worship Associate, Creative Director, Orchestra Director, Sound Team Coordinator, Pianist, Blended Team Coordinator, Assistant Choral Conductor, and IMAG Director.
Special Needs Ministry: F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
First Baptist runs a Special Needs ministry known as F.R.I.E.N.D.S. The ministry exists so that every family, regardless of ability, can participate fully in the life of the church. Volunteers serve as one-on-one aides for children, students, and adults who need additional support during worship, Life Groups, and Family Night activities.
Missions: Local, National, and International
Missions sit at the heart of the church's identity. Rod Payne has served as Pastor of Missions and Media since 1987, and the church's missions ministry runs on three tracks.
Locally, the church partners with Faith Mission and Faith Refuge (a men's and family shelter and a women's and children's shelter), volunteers at The Center of Wichita Falls (formerly the Pregnancy Help Center), supports Inheritance Adoptions, and runs a weekly Good News Club at Scotland Park Elementary during the school year. The annual Cans By The Car food drive donates thousands of pounds of food to local ministries each fall. Serve Saturday takes teams out of the building to do home repairs, yard work, and painting for widows, Legacy members, and others in the community. Project Back to School supplies essential items for children at Scotland Park Elementary. Angel Tree Outreach at Christmas supports children of incarcerated parents through Prison Fellowship.
Nationally, the church supports church plants in Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, partners with Baptist Yellow Hats and the American Red Cross on disaster response, and sends disaster relief teams through Texans On Mission to areas hit by hurricanes and flooding.
Internationally, the church runs a partnership with Mattaw Children's Village in Kitale, Kenya, where a team leads Vacation Bible School and supports family-style homes for orphans and abandoned children. A Vancouver, Canada, mission trip partners with South Asian Community Church and Church on the Rock. Each fall, Operation Christmas Child packs shoeboxes through Samaritan's Purse. Orphans' Embrace, a ministry born at First Baptist, responds to the biblical call to care for the fatherless and runs an affordable family-friendly summer trip to the Baptist Home for Girls in Madill, Oklahoma.
Care, Counseling, and Recovery
First Baptist runs an unusually broad care ministry. Re:Generation is the church's flagship recovery program and meets Monday nights at 6:15 PM at the West Campus. GriefShare and DivorceCare both meet during Family Night at the Downtown Campus, led by facilitators who understand what participants are walking through.
The church refers members to The Center of Wichita Falls for unplanned pregnancy support and to Faith Mission and Faith Refuge for homeless and addiction recovery services. Both organizations receive volunteers and financial support from First Baptist members. Orphans' Embrace and Inheritance Adoptions round out the adoption and foster-care support network.
RightNow Media is available free to every member through the church, giving access to a streaming library of Bible studies, parenting resources, marriage content, and teaching from pastors and teachers like Tim Keller and John Piper. The library can be accessed from phone, tablet, computer, or television.
Leadership
Bob McCartney has served as Senior Pastor since 2008. A native Tennessean, he holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Mary Anne have been married since 1991 and have a daughter, Kali.
Jerry Royal has served as Executive Pastor since 1993, the longest-tenured member of the executive team, with degrees from Baylor University and Southwestern Theological Seminary. Rod Payne, Pastor of Missions and Media, has been on staff since 1987 and holds a master's in communication from Southwestern Seminary. Lewis Howard, Pastor of Education, joined the staff in 2012 after decades of ministry experience including student, singles, young adult, men's, and executive pastor roles. Michael Reeder serves as Pastor of Business Administration.
David Scherler has led Blended Worship since December 2020 and brings more than 46 years of ministry experience in Oklahoma and Texas. Randy Wood serves as Pastor of Contemporary Worship. Justin Bindel, Young Adult Pastor, joined the staff in 2015 and previously spent a decade planting a church in Salt Lake City.
Sarah Cates has served in preschool ministry at First Baptist since 2006 and has been Director of Preschool Ministries for approximately ten years. Gary Ohmstede, Kids Pastor, joined the staff in 2014 and launched the West Campus as Campus Pastor before stepping into his current role. Steven Patterson, Student Pastor, has served since 2022 and is pursuing a doctorate from Southeastern Seminary. Sam Powers, Middle School Pastor, joined in early 2023 after resurrendering to ministry. Jayme Wood serves as Director of Women's Ministry.
Campus pastors complete the executive picture: Mark Mackey at the Sheppard Campus since July 2020, with a heart for the military community at Sheppard Air Force Base, and Larry Mauldin at the West Campus since July 2019, who previously served with the IMB in Mityana, Uganda. Carlos Parra serves as Lead Pastor of the Español ministry, with Nicandro Delgado as Associate Pastor.