A Pentecostal Anchor on North 5th Street
First Pentecostal Church of Silsbee stands at 1420 N. 5th Street in Silsbee, a small Hardin County town in southeast Texas. Its rallying cry is the question on the sign out front: "GOT HOPE?" The congregation is known locally for Acts 2:38 Pentecostal worship, a tight-knit family ministry, and a recovery program that walks alongside people fighting addiction.
Three Gatherings, Plus a Live Stream
Worship services are held Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m., Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m., and Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Each service is broadcast through the church's listen-live audio, so anyone can tune in remotely. A sermon archive is also available through the church's online audio site. First-time visitors can fill out a guest card online to connect with the pastor and congregation.
Reverend Homer Looper and His Family
Reverend Homer Looper has pastored the church since March of 2008, though his roots there go back to 1991, when he moved to Silsbee from Arkansas. He grew up in a preacher's home and has spent more than thirty-six years in ministry. He married Jodi Duplissey Looper in December of 1991, and together they have four daughters, three sons-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren. The family serves side by side in the bus ministry, music ministry, and other areas of the church, and Reverend Looper counts it a great joy to minister together as a family.
B-Free from Addiction
The church runs a faith-based recovery ministry called B-Free from Addiction, dedicated to helping people achieve sustained sobriety through the love and healing power of Jesus Christ. The program is built on a supportive community and the church's belief that Christ can transform lives.
What They Believe
First Pentecostal Church holds to a classic Oneness Pentecostal statement of faith. Members affirm that the Bible is the inspired and only infallible written Word of God, that there is one God who made Himself known in the person of Jesus Christ, and that salvation is found in Christ alone through God's grace. The church teaches that the New Testament new-birth experience is made up of repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. The congregation also believes in holy living, the authority vested in the Name of Jesus, the rapture of the church, and that God's miracles, healings, and signs remain active in the church today.
Music, Bus Ministry, and Family
Music is a centerpiece of the church's life, with the Looper family deeply involved in the music ministry. A bus ministry reaches out into the community to bring people to services. The congregation stays connected through active Facebook and Instagram pages, and a Bible study program invites newcomers to begin "their Journey into the Word of God" with Psalm 119:10 as a guide: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."