Two Sunday Mornings, One Family in Woodway
First Woodway Baptist Church gathers on a single campus at 101 Ritchie Road, just off Highway 84 in Woodway and roughly three miles south of the Richland Mall. The church runs two Sunday services that share one family but offer two distinct musical settings. At 9:30 am the Blended service opens with a praise team and orchestra and draws on a wider range of songs; at 11:00 am the Contemporary service is led by a band. A Spanish-language service with the partner ministry Viento Fuerte also meets at 11:00 am. Both English services are streamed live, so members traveling or homebound can join from anywhere with a connection. Casual dress is the rule, and jeans and t-shirts sit beside dress slacks without anyone blinking. Guest parking has its own reserved section near the entrances.
For those who arrive early, the Glass Room hosts a half hour of guided prayer from 8:50 to 9:15 am, and the whole church family sets a daily reminder at 12:12 pm to pause and pray. The same kind of intentional praying continues that night in the 7:37 Discipleship groups for middle and high school students and in the Senior Adult Worship Fellowship at 5:00 pm, which features Bible teaching, prayer, and traditional hymns for adults 55 and up.
Prayer Runs Through Everything
The prayer ministry is called Contend, named after Jude 3: "Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." It pulls together Sunday morning prayer in the Glass Room, a 12:12 daily prayer reminder, a First Monday Prayer and Fasting rhythm, and occasional all-church nights of prayer. Anyone can submit a request to the prayer team, where it is either placed on a private list for the team or added to a public list the congregation prays through. The Senior Adult Ministry runs its own prayer team and in-home food delivery on Wednesday evenings, and Wade Owens leads the church as Lead Pastor with Ronny Higgins serving as Executive Pastor.
Life Groups at 8:15, 9:30, and 11:00 am
Life Groups, the modern name for Sunday School, meet at all three Sunday morning slots, with some groups gathering in homes during the week. The roster runs from Median Adult II and Prime Adult classes to a young adults group for singles and married couples in their twenties and thirties, plus a Senior Adult class for those 75 and up. Connor Griffin serves as Minister of Discipleship: Life Groups, with Brandy Langford as Connection Coordinator and Ashlyn Goranov supporting the work.
Off-campus groups fill the weeknight gaps. An engaged and newly married class meets Mondays from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Several young adult groups meet Sundays or Thursdays in homes around Waco. Prime Adult and Senior Adult couples meet in homes as well, with one group called The Delaney meeting on weekdays at various times. Artios Life Group, a two-semester leadership program, launches new cohorts every August.
Children, Birth Through Fifth Grade
Woodway Kids is led by Children's Minister Barbra Smith, with Children's Associate for Preschool Alana Rubio, Children's Associate for Elementary and Discipleship Shelby Ruiz, MDO Director Kaitlyn Fisk, Childcare Coordinator Patrice Rutherford, and Volunteer Coordinator Alex Vaughan. At 9:30 am every child from babies through fifth grade gets a full hour of Sunday School. At 11:00 am babies through PreK attend Sunday School Plus, kindergartners have their own KINDER KIDS praise party, first through fourth graders meet for FUSE with teaching and games, and fifth graders join ROOTED, a deeper discipleship hour with topics such as "How to Have an Unshakeable Faith" and "Counter Culture."
Wednesday evenings add KREW (Kids Rooted and Engaged in Worship), a children's choir for babies through fifth grade that prepares music for Sunday morning worship and special performances throughout the year. Older kids in first through fifth grade can choose KREW or Discipleship Classes where they memorize Scripture and apply Bible stories to daily life. Family Dedications happen on select Sundays, and a New Believers 101 class on select Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for grades 2 through 5 is the prerequisite for child baptism, with parents joining the final 45 minutes. There are no Children's Ministry classes during the 8:15 am Life Group hour, and the building uses a KidCheck check-in system for safety.
Helping Hands for Special Needs
Helping Hands is the special needs ministry for persons with disabilities from babies through adults. Sunday morning classes meet in the Helping Hands Suite and in dedicated rooms for children, teens, and adults, with activities including music, story, play time, and snacks. An adults' Bible study class meets at both 8:15 and 9:30 am. Teens have classes at 9:30 and 11:00 am. Children through sixth grade have classes at 9:30 and 11:00 am. Inclusion with a buddy is available by arrangement, and evening care is by arrangement as well. Janice Stewart, Sandra Northern, and Melony Cannon lead the ministry.
The building meets the Americans with Disabilities Act with handicapped parking, ramps, wide doorways, and accessible restrooms, and the children's playground is ADA approved. A Parent Support group meets at various times throughout the year for encouragement and fellowship, and volunteers from high school age through senior adults are invited to serve as buddies or in the dedicated classes.
Middle and High School Students
First Woodway's youth ministry runs from sixth through twelfth grade. Chase Wommack leads the high school side as Youth Minister: High School, and Meredith Morton leads the middle school side as Youth Minister: Middle School, with Terri Jones keeping the ministry organized as Assistant, Youth and College.
Sunday mornings offer Bible study at 9:30 am, with middle schoolers meeting in The MAC room A200 and breaking into smaller groups by grade and gender; high schoolers meet in The Venue main room with seniors in the back room. Sunday nights are for 7:37 Discipleship, the spiritual backbone of the ministry, where same-age, same-gender groups meet with two college leaders and grow through teaching and accountability. Wednesday evenings split by age: middle school PrimeTime runs from 6:30 to 7:45 pm in the MAC with games, mixers, student testimonies, worship, and a talk; high school Wednesday Night Live meets from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in The Venue for worship, skits, testimonies, and teaching.
Special events fill the year, including Hoop-De-Doo, an all-night middle school event with pizza, skating, inflatables, and a trip to Main Event; 5th Quarter, a Friday-night silent disco for high schoolers after local football games; and Sondays Camp, a summer week-long camp for both middle and high school students. Each December, seniors are invited to attend the Passion Conference as a launch into the next chapter. A Student Leadership Team of high school juniors and seniors meets monthly to shape the ministry through a Programs Team, Skit Team, and Spiritual Formation Team.
College Students at the Baylor Campus
First Woodway sits in Waco with Baylor University in its backyard, and the college ministry is built around that relationship. Case Smith serves as Minister of College Students, with Casey Escue as Worship and College Associate and Walker Garrett as College Associate. College Hour meets at 9:30 am in the Choir Room on the second floor of the Main Building, followed by the 11:00 am worship service in the Worship Center. Wednesday night College Fellowship begins at 7:30 pm with dinner, worship, and prayer in the College Room on the MAC second floor. Once a month the Last Wednesday service moves to Anthem Stories on 800 Anthem Stories for a larger gathering of students from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.
ArtiosU is a summer internship for college students who serve in a church ministry 15 to 20 hours a week and meet twice weekly for spiritual formation, biblical and theological training, and ministry equipping. The summer ends with a mission trip to a different context. The College Ministry also takes a Fall Retreat to Latham Springs each October and runs Life Groups that meet during the week. The ministry's vision is to walk with college-age students as they are shaped by the Word of the Father, surrendered in worship to the Son, and sent in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Well and the Men's Ministry
The Well is the women's ministry for college age and up. The Dwelling meets Mondays at 9:00 am in The Venue for moms with kids still living at home. Just Moved meets Tuesdays at 9:30 am for women new to the Waco area. Anna's Friends, a single and widowed senior women's group, meets the first Tuesday of each month at 11:30 am at George's on Hewitt Drive. Women on Mission gathers the second Thursday of the month at 9:30 am in The Venue for missions, prayer, giving, education, and hands-on service. Christian Women's Job Corps, Freedom's Gate (a mentoring ministry for incarcerated women), and Comfort Quilters round out the women's missions and outreach. Michael Carlson oversees the ministry as Pastor of Congregational Care.
The Men's Ministry gathers around an early-morning rhythm. Wayward Men meets Thursdays at 6:30 am in The Venue with donuts and coffee. God's Seekers and Searchers meets Fridays at 7:30 am in The Venue for an in-depth Bible study led by Dr. Weldon Kunkel that is open to men from the wider community. Basketball Pray and Play offers weekly basketball and prayer at the MAC. A Senior Adult Men's Breakfast meets Tuesdays at 7:45 am at the Coffee Shop Café in McGregor, and God's Toolbox does home repair projects, ramps, and grab bar installations for elderly, low-income, and disabled neighbors. René Maciel serves as Missions Pastor and oversees men's outreach.
Married Life, Marriage Mentoring, and Couples
Married Life serves couples from engaged to empty nest. Married People Life Groups meet across all three Sunday morning hours and on weeknights in homes. For engaged couples and pre-marital counseling, the church partners with Legacy Family Ministries, which offers a six-week class and a weekend-only option. For couples needing counseling, the staff maintains a list of local recommendations through Connor Griffin. The ministry points couples to resources from Desiring God, Family Life, Fierce Marriage, Focus on the Family, Gary Thomas, Homeword, Marriage365, and others, and recommends books such as Cherish, Sacred Marriage, The Five Love Languages, and The Meaning of Marriage.
Senior Adults at Every Stage
Senior Adult Ministry is led by Roy Marshall, Minister of Pastoral Care and Senior Adults, with Latisha Dixon as the office contact. Senior Adult Worship Fellowship meets Sundays at 5:00 pm in the Choir Suite for Bible teaching, prayer, and traditional hymn singing. Mondays and Fridays bring free Chair Pilates from 10:15 to 11:00 am at the MAC with Bonnie Luft. Tuesdays at 7:45 am, men 55 and up gather for the Senior Adult Men's Breakfast at the Coffee Shop Café in McGregor. Wednesdays at 5:00 pm the whole church gathers for a churchwide meal before heading into Discipleship Classes. Fridays at 10:00 am the New Day Choir sings at The Venue back room.
GoodTimers (55+) meets the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm in the Worship Center with entertainment, devotionals, and a catered meal. Anna's Friends meets the first Tuesday at 11:30 am at George's in Hewitt for single and widowed senior women. The Wednesday Night Saints deliver a warm meal to 30 to 40 homebound members each Wednesday during the school year. The Senior Care Ministry helps navigate health care services, in-home visits, and in-home food delivery on Wednesday evenings, plus retirement facility worship services, a Bible study, and a dementia support group. Day trips in recent years have taken the group to Latham Springs, the Texas Hill Country, Presidential Libraries in Dallas and College Station, Homestead Heritage in Waco, and Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas for a Christmas Celebration.
Care for the Hurting
The Care Ministry describes itself as a sanctuary of hope and healing. It is led by Michael Carlson, Pastor of Congregational Care, and Alexis Gurley, Congregational Care Coordinator. DivorceCare meets Mondays at 6:30 pm in Room 204, led by Leon and Jo Williams, and runs a thirteen-week Christ-centered program with video, group discussion, and personal Bible study. GriefShare meets Wednesdays at 6:00 pm in Rooms 224 and 225, led by Dianna Palich and Jan Thrower. PorchLight meets Mondays at 6:30 pm in Rooms 217, 218, and 205 for families with a loved one struggling with addiction; it was birthed by Brad and Lisa Hyde from their own experience. Celebrate Recovery offers one-on-one sessions by gender to walk through the twelve-step curriculum, with future weekly gender-separated groups planned. Visitation Ministry trains volunteers to serve members living in local care facilities, and Care Day is the annual mental health awareness event.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday night is the church's midweek gathering. From 5:00 to 6:15 pm, the Fellowship Hall serves a hot meal before the studies begin in the spring and fall semesters. Adults pay $10, kids five through twelve pay $5, and kids four and under eat free; each meal includes tea, water, coffee, salad, and a homemade dessert. The 6:30 pm hour offers Adult Discipleship Classes, Adult Choir, Kids Choir (KREW), Kids Discipleship Classes, and Middle School PrimeTime. At 7:00 pm High School Wednesday Night Live begins in The Venue, and at 7:30 pm College Fellowship starts in the College Room on the MAC second floor.
Discipleship Classes cover four pathways: Bible, Belief, Behavior, and Community and Care. Recent offerings have included The Names of God, Titus: Displaying the Gospel of Grace, and After the Boxes are Unpacked. Connor Griffin coordinates the ministry with Brandy Langford and Ashlyn Goranov. ARTIOS, a three-year training program for Christians called to ministry, offers The Drama of Redemption I and II, Basic Christian Theology I and II, Spiritual Formation, and Ministry Skills. Tuition is $100 per course, with scholarships available. Classes meet from 6:30 to 7:30 pm during the fall and spring semesters.
Music, Worship, and the Sound of Sundays
Art Wellborn serves as Worship Pastor and oversees the Worship Choir, Orchestra, Worship Band, and Praise Team. Casey Escue coordinates with the Worship and College Associate role, while Andy Gauer leads production and Hannah Hisel and Caleb Wilson round out the team. The Worship Choir rehearses Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The orchestra plays eight to ten times per semester, averaging every other Sunday. The Worship Band is a rotating, auditioned group on keys, guitars, bass, drums, and auxiliary percussion. The Praise Team is a rotating group of auditioned singers. The New Day Choir, led by Larry Danks, gathers Fridays at 10:00 am at The Venue for adults with daytime availability. KREW, the Kids Choirs, meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 pm during the school year and uses KidCheck for check-in.
The MAC and The Fields: A Campus Built for Neighbors
Trevor Jackson serves as Associate Minister of Recreation and oversees two facilities that the church has intentionally opened to the wider Woodway community. The MAC (Ministry Activity Center) is described as a place where strangers become neighbors. It includes a gymnasium with six basketball goals, a volleyball court, men's and women's locker rooms with showers, a workout room open to those 18 and older with Precor cardio equipment, Precor strength stations, free weights, an indoor walking track, and a Party Room for events. Hours run 6:00 to 11:00 am and 4:00 to 9:00 pm most weekdays.
The Fields opened in May 2026 after construction began in early 2025. The outdoor area behind the church includes pickleball and basketball courts, sand volleyball, a paved stroller-friendly walking track, an artificial turf area, an open grass field, and a covered pavilion. Hours run 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm Saturday, and 12:00 to 10:00 pm Sunday. A waiver is required for participation. The project was unanimously approved by the church and was dedicated in prayer shortly after opening.
Activities at The MAC include Pickleball on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; Volleyball on Friday nights; Fitness Classes like Pilates, Strength and Stretch, and Aerobics; and Family Time in the gym on Saturday mornings. Groups that use the facilities include 84 Runners (first and third Saturdays) and the Narrow Road Hiking Club on weekdays, Saturday mornings, and Sunday afternoons. The MAC can also be reserved for rentals, and the Party Room and MAC Parlor are available for events.
The Given in Jesus' Name Food Pantry
The Food Ministry serves hundreds of individuals and families each year. The food pantry, called Given in Jesus' Name, is open Thursdays by appointment only from 8:00 to 11:30 am. To schedule an appointment, callers dial the food pantry line at 254.640.5551 and share their name, family size, and phone number. Pickups happen every two weeks. Volunteers are needed every Thursday to shop, stock shelves, bag orders, talk and pray with customers, and bring food to cars. The pantry serves the whole of Central Texas, and donations of specific food items are always needed.
Missions: Local, National, and Global
The Missions Ministry is led by René Maciel, Missions Pastor, with Sherrie Anderson as International Missions Coordinator and Lynn Brooks as Community Outreach Coordinator. Eight percent of every regular gift funds mission work through the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. Local outreach includes Wash and Prayer at The Washtub Laundromat on North Hewitt Drive on the first and third Mondays of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 pm; the Given in Jesus' Name Food Pantry; Esther Generation for 6th through 12th grade girls; God's Toolbox home repairs; Wednesday Night Saints meal delivery; and partnerships with Caritas of Waco, Alamo Hospice, Friends for Life, Mission Waco, Mentoring Alliance, the Salvation Army, Together For Good, the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children, Compassion Waco, the Heart of Texas Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Isaiah 117 House, Care Net Pregnancy Center, and the Family Abuse Center.
Stateside mission trips in recent years have taken teams to Harlingen, Texas; Del Rio, Texas and Ciudad Acuña, Mexico; Shoshoni, Wyoming; Red River and Questa, New Mexico; and New Bedford and Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Work has included VBS, construction, Bible studies, and outreach. International mission trips have sent teams to Cambodia, Chile, Southern Asia, Lebanon, the Dominican Republic, Canada, and Brazil. Each month the church lifts up a current global partner, such as Andrew and Mizuho Piña, who serve together in Yokohama, Japan through Reliant Ministries, helping launch a college ministry through a local church plant.
The vision statement that anchors it all is "Open to God, open to people, open to the world," drawn from 2 Corinthians 2:12, Acts 1:8, John 15:13, Acts 14:27, and Matthew 28:19-20. The motto for getting involved is three words: Pray, Go, Give.
Beliefs in Brief
The church teaches that God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, eternally existing in three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All human beings are created in God's image but are marred by an attitude of disobedience called sin, which separates them from God. God created human beings to exist forever, either eternally separated from God because of sin or in union with God through the gift of eternal life in Christ.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, co-equal with the Father, who lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He rose again on the third day, ascended to heaven, and will return to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Salvation is a free gift from God to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; no human being can make up for sin through self-improvement or good works. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Christ and is kept by the grace and power of God.
The Holy Spirit is present in the world to make all people aware of their need for Jesus Christ, lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, and provides power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. The Bible is God's word to all people, written under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Baptism is the symbolic outward expression of new life in Christ, an obedient response to Christ's own example and command, and is by immersion following one's salvation experience.
Getting Connected at First Woodway
The Connections Team is ready to answer questions, help guests find a Sunday morning group, share information about ministries, and walk anyone through the campus. The mobile app puts sermons, giving, and event registration in one place and is available on iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV, and Roku. Past services can be watched online, with sermons also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube under "FW Sermons" and "The Table," a limited series podcast on life, faith, family, and following Jesus.
Giving is available online, by mail to 101 Ritchie Road, Woodway, TX 76712, or in person at the church office during office hours. CCB Connect, the online church database, lets members find contact information for their groups, update their profile, set privacy levels, view giving history, register for events, and view attendance. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 4:30 pm and Friday from 8:00 to 3:00 pm. Phone is 254.772.9696 and email is info@firstwoodway.org.
For new visitors, a New Member Workshop is held several times throughout the year on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in The Venue, just across Ritchie Road from the main campus. Both dinner and childcare are provided. The Artios three-year ministry training program and the ArtiosU summer internship are open for those called to deeper ministry preparation. The Blue Box Ministry gives members a thoughtful way to welcome new neighbors to Waco with a card, Scripture cards, a candle, coffee, and BBQ dry rub. No matter the door a person walks through, the church's motto is the same: God is Good, Grace is Real, Everyone's Welcome.