Living for God's Glory on Southeast 59th
First Baptist Church of Newalla gathers on a wooded stretch of Southeast 59th Street, just east of Oklahoma City's expanding edge in Cleveland County. The congregation has put down roots here since 1946, when it grew out of a mission that Immanuel Baptist Church in Oklahoma City had planted three years earlier. Today the church still clings to the same gospel-centered vision its founders articulated, while extending practical care across the towns of Newalla, McLoud, Harrah, and Choctaw through a food and seasonal-assistance ministry called S.O.N. Ministries.
The church's motto, "Living for God's Glory," frames everything from Sunday morning sermons to Wednesday night Bible studies to mid-summer Vacation Bible School. Three weekly services on Sunday (a Bible-study hour, a morning worship service, and an evening service) are bracketed by a Wednesday night program that pulls together every age group for an evening of teaching, Scripture memory, and games. The result is a calendar that keeps the whole family in step, week after week.
From Mission Point to Pillar: The Story of FBCN
First Baptist Church of Newalla began on December 15, 1943, as a mission of Immanuel Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Hollis Morris, then a student at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, served as the mission pastor. On May 5, 1946, the mission was formally organized as First Baptist Church of Newalla, with Morris becoming the first pastor of the new church. Members first gathered for worship in a steeple-topped building that still stands on the property today and now serves as the church's Fellowship Hall.
Over the decades that followed, the church's buildings, leadership, and programs have changed many times. The mission, however, has not. The congregation still seeks to exalt Christ, reach sinners with the good news, teach biblical truth, and minister to people of all ages. The same gospel that drove those first worship services is preached, taught, and lived out in Newalla today. "God and the gospel don't change," the church observes of its own history, "and we humbly pray he will continue to glorify his name in this place until Jesus comes again."
The Gospel at the Center
First Baptist Newalla describes itself in the language of 1 Timothy 3:15: "the household of God," "the church of the living God," and "a pillar and buttress of the truth." A short statement of purpose gathers up four commitments:
- Bringing glory to God in everything the church does.
- Fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
- Keeping the gospel a matter of first importance in worship and ministry.
- Living out faith in holiness and love as members of the body of Christ.
The heart of the church's message is the good news about Jesus Christ. A dedicated Gospel page invites visitors to explore the Christian message through two short films ("The Story" for older viewers and "The Story Maker" for younger children) and to contact the pastor with any questions about trusting Christ as Savior and Lord.
Sunday in Three Movements
Sundays at FBCN follow a three-part rhythm. Small groups (the church's name for Sunday School) meet at 9:00 a.m. for Bible study across every age group, from preschool through senior adults. The morning worship service begins at 10:15 a.m., with congregational singing led by Worship Leader Erin Campbell and a sermon from Pastor David Nolen that typically works through a book of the Bible verse by verse. Recent series have included expositions of Colossians, Judges, and Acts. The evening service gathers again at 6:00 p.m., often for a shorter second message or a special feature: mission reports from missionaries the church supports, a "Fifth Sunday Sing" or hymn night, or Communion. Students in grades 7 through 12 meet separately for their own discipleship time at 5:00 p.m. before joining the wider evening service.
The worship ministry encourages believers to pursue "a daily lifestyle of private and family worship" and to "declare their love and devotion to Jesus Christ" in corporate worship. Special music is offered by individuals and small groups who share their gifts in song or on instruments, while a behind-the-scenes technical team handles audio and video so that the room itself can stay focused on the Word.
Wednesday Nights Pull the Generations Together
At 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, the church lights up its midweek programming for every age. The most visible piece is AWANA, a national children's ministry that the church runs from September through May. Younger children in the Cubbies club work through Awana curriculum with their parents; Sparks (kindergarten through second grade) builds basic biblical literacy and Scripture memory; Truth and Training (grades 3 to 6) tackles a deeper, Bible-centered curriculum aimed at preparing "tomorrow's leaders, today." Each weekly gathering includes Bible lessons, Scripture memory, awards, team games, and a clear presentation of the gospel. Commander Krystle West coordinates the clubs.
Adults and students gather at the same hour for their own studies. The Abundant Life Student Ministry (grades 7 through 12) meets in Family Ministry Center Room N102 for Bible study, while adults take part in classes and small groups across the campus. The Ladies class, for instance, gathers at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in addition to its Sunday School hour at 9:00 a.m.
Throughout the summer, the Wednesday cadence typically gives way to other activities: Vacation Bible School in late June, a Kids Kamp at Green Country Camp for children finishing grades 3 through 6, and student ministry events such as Inspire week.
Small Groups for Every Decade
Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. is the church's small-group hour. The adult ministry is organized by life stage so that newcomers can drop into a class that fits their season:
- Ladies (18 to 98): a women's Bible study led by Laura Dague that meets at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and again at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.
- Compass Ministries (Young Couples): a class of young couples and families who walk through the Bible together, taught by Mark and Julie Patterson with co-teachers Mark and Amy Tippit and Cindy Nolen.
- Farley Class (40s to 50s): a mix of singles and couples in midlife, led by Shane Farley.
- Wilder Class (50s to 60s): a fellowship- and study-oriented group.
- Senior Adults (65 and up): a foundational group at FBCN, active in ministry within the church and in the wider community.
Beyond Sunday mornings, the small-group ministry extends to children (AWANA, preschool Sunday School) and students (Abundant Life). The church frames its small-group hour around four connecting points: Jesus, his truth in the Bible, his community in the body of Christ, and his mission in making disciples of all nations.
Abundant Life Student Ministry
Students in grades 7 through 12 are part of the Abundant Life Student Ministry, led by Youth Minister Jonathan Stewart. The ministry gathers three times a week: Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., student discipleship at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, and Bible study at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. "Helping students learn how to experience who God is, what a relationship with God looks like, and how to become a disciple of Christ" is the stated mission.
The student ministry connects with Skopos, a Southern Baptist student-ministry resource network, and links students to broader conferences and events alongside other Oklahoma Baptist youth groups. The student ministry also takes an annual off-campus trip, supported by Green Country Camp, Falls Creek Retreat Center, and other gospel partners.
Children and Preschool
Younger children at FBCN are not left waiting for the adults. Preschool Leader Jeannene Williams oversees a busy Sunday and Wednesday schedule for the church's smallest attenders:
- Sunday School at 9:00 a.m.
- Mission Friends at 5:00 p.m.
- Little Church at 10:15 a.m. and again at 6:00 p.m.
- AWANA on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Little Church gives preschoolers an age-appropriate worship experience; Mission Friends introduces them to a missions mindset; AWANA participation for preschoolers emphasizes "an attitude of discipleship" through Bible stories, Scripture memory, and games. The preschool ministry also hosts parent fellowship times for families in the same stage of life.
Older children (1st through 6th grades) move into the main AWANA program and into the church's Vacation Bible School, held the last week of June each year. A summer Kids Kamp at Green Country Camp, held in early June for children finishing grades 3 through 6, extends the calendar into the warmer months.
Worship Ministry Under Erin Campbell
Worship Leader Erin Campbell was called to FBCN in September 2022 and oversees both the music side of services and the technical team that operates behind the soundboard and video screens. A veteran first-grade teacher in her nineteenth year in a local public school, Campbell holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma and East Central University, respectively. She leads congregational singing, coordinates special music by individuals and small groups, and recruits the audio and video volunteers who serve Sunday by Sunday.
Campbell's approach to worship is rooted in Colossians 3:16-17: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Her stated goal is to lead the congregation in "praising, worshiping, God-pleasing, and God-honoring" praise that goes beyond the walls of the room. The Coley Bible Reading Plan, a devotional resource available in printed form at the church, complements the music ministry by encouraging daily, Scripture-shaped worship.
S.O.N. Ministries: Serving Our Neighbors
The most visible community ministry of FBCN is S.O.N. Ministries, an acronym for "Serving Our Neighbors." Located just south of the main campus at 6001 N. Harrah Road (on the southwest corner of SE 59th and Harrah Road), S.O.N. exists to share the good news of Jesus Christ and "show the love of God" to families across the four-town area.
S.O.N. provides food and seasonal assistance during three open blocks each week:
- Tuesdays, 10:00 a.m. to noon.
- Thursdays, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
- Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to noon.
The name and the work are anchored in Matthew 25:37-40: "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?" S.O.N. is funded and staffed by the congregation as a hands-on outreach of FBCN into the surrounding towns of Newalla, McLoud, Harrah, and Choctaw.
Partners in the Gospel
First Baptist Newalla voluntarily cooperates with three layers of Southern Baptist life: the Capital Baptist Association (the local association of churches), the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, and the Southern Baptist Convention itself. Through a giving channel called the Cooperative Program and several annual mission offerings, the church supports ministries of evangelism, church planting, education, and relief at home and around the world.
Individually, FBCN also partners with other believers, gospel churches, Christian organizations, and educational institutions, periodically and as the church senses God's leading. The church's doctrinal commitments align with The Baptist Faith and Message, the confession of faith adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention.
Becoming a Member
Prospective members are welcomed at the invitation time that concludes most Sunday worship services. Those who sense a call to join can speak to Pastor David Nolen in advance, or simply come forward during the invitation. After a brief conversation, candidates are usually presented to the congregation that same morning. FBCN receives members in four ways:
- By Baptism, for believers being baptized for the first time, those who trusted Christ earlier but were never scripturally baptized, or those transferring from another denomination.
- By Letter, for members in good standing of another Baptist church who transfer their membership.
- By Statement, for baptized believers whose previous church records are no longer available, or who have belonged to non-Baptist churches since baptism.
- By Watchcare, a category designed primarily for college students who want to participate in FBCN's life without formally leaving their home church.
A Pastor and Staff Whose Calling Shapes the Church
Pastor David Nolen began his ministry at FBCN on Easter Sunday 2014. A graduate of Oklahoma State University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he has also completed doctoral seminars at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. His stated burden is "declaring the whole counsel of God" so that believers may be "presented ... mature in Christ." Sharing Acts 20:24 as a defining verse, Nolen sees his life as "not precious" to himself "if only [he] may finish [his] course and the ministry that [he] received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
Jonathan Stewart, who joined the staff in January 2023 as Youth Minister, carries the same burden for students. A graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Oklahoma, Stewart also works as a systems engineer at the Boeing Company. His calling, in his own words, is "to live first and teach second," following Matthew 5:19 and James 1:27's instruction to "visit the fatherless and widows" and to "keep himself unspotted from the world."
Erin Campbell rounds out the ministry staff as Worship Leader, with Jeannene Williams overseeing the preschool ministry and Krystle West serving as Awana Commander.
Planning a Visit
First Baptist Church of Newalla sits at 20800 S.E. 59th Street, Newalla, OK 74857, with easy access to neighboring Harrah, McLoud, and Choctaw. The church office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and closed on Fridays and Saturdays. Visitors can reach the office at 405-391-6266 or by email at michelle@fbcnewalla.com.
Worship services are recorded and posted as audio to the church's sermon archive, with additional media on the church's YouTube channel. Online giving is available through the church's eGiving page, and a custom Ministry One church app handles ongoing communication, push notifications, and connection to small groups.
First-time guests will find the same gospel FBCN has preached since 1946 waiting for them on Sunday mornings at 10:15 a.m., along with age-graded Bible study at 9:00 a.m., an evening service at 6:00 p.m., and a Wednesday night program at 6:30 p.m. that draws the whole congregation back together.