Tucked along Highway 4 in the small Panhandle town of Baker, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church has anchored the same stretch of Okaloosa County for more than 130 years. Founded in 1888, the church today describes itself as a thriving, multigenerational congregation of roughly 350 active members, drawing families from Baker School, the wider Okaloosa County School District, and a sizable community of homeschooling households. Everything the church does is organized around three words that appear at the top of its materials: Christ, Community, Commission.
A Heritage Rooted in 1888
Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church was founded in 1888 in the town of Baker, in the Panhandle of Florida, and the congregation has remained in continuous ministry there ever since. The church sits within a 15-minute drive of the larger city of Crestview and about an hour from the white-sand beaches of the Emerald Coast, and it serves families who make their homes across that region. Members describe Pilgrim Rest as lively and involved, with ministries that welcome every age. The congregation gathers on Sundays and Wednesdays to hear biblically rich, Christ-centered messages, and throughout the week its people are engaged in Bible study, worship, fellowship, and outreach opportunities. The driving conviction of the church is a simple one: be passionate about sharing the gospel with the community and building disciples who impact the world for Christ.
Christ, Community, and Commission
Every ministry at Pilgrim Rest is built on three pillars that the church calls Christ, Community, and Commission.
- Christ is the foundation of the church's faith and the center of everything it does. Members seek to know Jesus, worship Him, and grow together in His Word.
- Community is the conviction that the Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. Pilgrim Rest aims to be a family where people find encouragement, friendship, and support as they walk through life together.
- Commission is the call to make Jesus known. The church is committed to equipping believers to share the gospel, serve others, and live on mission locally and around the world.
That three-fold purpose shows up in the church's discipleship pathway, its small-group life, and its missions strategy.
What Pilgrim Rest Believes
The church holds to historic Baptist convictions. The Bible is affirmed as the flawless, inspired Word of God and the exclusive authority for faith and life. There is one true God who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes but without division of nature, essence, or being. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone, with baptism by immersion as a testimony to that faith. Those who believe will spend eternity with the Lord; those who reject Christ face eternal separation.
Pilgrim Rest teaches that the local church is an autonomous, self-governing expression of God's Kingdom. While the congregation collaborates with various Baptist associations, its decisions are made independently. The church supports international and North American missionaries through the Cooperative Program, the unified giving channel of the Southern Baptist Convention. For a more comprehensive doctrinal statement, Pilgrim Rest points to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
The stated purpose of the church is to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commandment of Matthew 22:36-40 and the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. From those passages, members identify five God-given purposes for the church: worship, ministry, discipleship, fellowship, and evangelism.
A Week at Pilgrim Rest
The rhythm of the week at Pilgrim Rest centers on two main gathering days.
Sundays. Community Groups meet at 9:00 a.m. for Bible study and discussion, with classes for every stage of life from PreK through Senior Adults. The Sunday Morning Service begins at 10:15 a.m. In the evening, Youth Choir gathers at 5:00 p.m. and Kids Choir at 6:00 p.m. during the school year. PM Community Groups meet from 5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. during an eight-week fall session, focusing on fellowship, food, and friendship in homes and church classrooms.
Wednesdays. At 6:30 p.m. the church runs three tracks at once: an Adult Bible Study, a Kids Ministry called PRBCKidz, and Student Worship Night in a space called The Loft. Adult Choir Practice follows at 7:40 p.m.
Fridays. The Women's Ministry hosts a Coffee Fellowship at 9:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
Services are held in English. They are livestreamed on YouTube, and audio and video of recent messages are available for later listening and viewing. Giving can be done online through Pushpay.
Children's Ministry
The Kid's Ministry at Pilgrim Rest exists to guide children into a personal relationship with Jesus and to instill a transformative love for Him that they can share with others. The approach weaves together biblical teaching, hands-on crafts, intimate small groups, object lessons, uplifting worship activities, and game times, all aimed at making faith exciting and personal.
Weekly offerings include Kids Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., Kids Church for K5 through 5th grade at 10:15 a.m., and Lil' Kids Church for children ages three through five at 10:15 a.m. Kid's Choir meets on Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. during the school year. On Wednesdays, PRBCKidz gathers from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for children in K5 through 5th grade. The ministry is led by Children's Pastor James Roderick.
Throughout the year, the church hosts Vacation Bible School in the summer, along with Kid's Camp and other family events. The Children's Ministry also partners with Upward Football and Upward Cheer as a sports outreach for kids in the community.
Student Ministry
Pilgrim Rest Students is built around the conviction that young people should leave youth ministry with a faith that is real, resilient, and relevant well beyond graduation day. The ministry seeks to be a place where students feel known, valued, and at home, and where questions are welcomed as part of the journey.
Weekly, students gather for Community Group on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. and for Student Worship Night at The Loft on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Special events throughout the year include summer river floats on the Blackwater River and other seasonal activities. The ministry is led by Student Pastor David Oglesby.
Worship and Music
Worship at Pilgrim Rest is led by Worship Pastor Loren Minnick, Jr., with a philosophy rooted in Romans 12:1-2. The church describes true worship as motivated by the mercies of God, presented with the whole person - heart, mind, hands, thoughts, and attitudes - and shaped by the renewing work of the Word. The aim of every service is God-centered worship, not emotional performance.
The Worship Choir plays a central role in Sunday morning services through weekly specials and seasonal presentations at Christmas and Easter. Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays at 7:40 p.m., and a separate Youth Choir meets on Sundays at 5:00 p.m. for students in grades 6 through 12. The Kids Choir adds another voice on Sunday evenings during the school year. Musicals and children's programs give younger kids a chance to learn about God through singing, acting, and performing. Select recordings are produced and shared, and the church offers devotionals and seasonal worship projects available in the church office and at the product table in the foyer.
Women's, Men's, and Senior Adult Fellowship
Women's Ministry. Open to women of all ages, the Women's Ministry centers on discipleship, evangelism, and service. The goal is to help women develop meaningful relationships, maintain a Christ-centered, balanced lifestyle, and grow spiritually together. In addition to the Friday morning Coffee Fellowship in the Fellowship Hall, the ministry offers Bible studies, ministry projects, and fellowship events throughout the year, with details promoted through the church and its women's ministry Facebook page.
Men's Ministry. The Men's Ministry is a place for men to grow in their faith, build strong friendships, and encourage one another in their walk with Christ. Through Bible studies, fellowship events, and shared activities, men are challenged to lead their homes, serve their church, and live out their faith in everyday life. The men of the church also participate in regional conferences such as the Hold the Line men's gathering hosted by Emmanuel Baptist Church.
Senior Adult Ministry. Older adults at Pilgrim Rest stay connected through regular gatherings, day trips, service opportunities, and shared meals. Recent gatherings have included a Senior Adult Brunch, a Senior Adult Luncheon, and a group trip to the Tallahassee Museum, with the bus leaving from the church parking lot. The ministry is described as a setting where seniors continue to encourage one another and remain active in the life of the church.
Community Groups and Growth Track
Pilgrim Rest runs two complementary small-group structures. AM Community Groups meet on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. for Bible study and discussion, with classes for every stage of life. PM Community Groups meet in the evening during an eight-week fall session, with a focus on fellowship, food, and relationship-building. Children's and youth activities are offered on the Pilgrim Rest campus from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. so parents can attend group time.
For those ready to go deeper, Growth Track is a step-by-step discipleship pathway made up of six eight-week classes. Participants do not have to start at the beginning - they begin wherever they are in their walk with Christ. The six tracks are Foundation (basics of faith, baptism, and Christianity), Journey (spiritual habits such as prayer and Bible reading), Study (how to study and interpret Scripture), Theology (what to believe and why), Mission (serving, evangelism, and a missional lifestyle), and Leading (preparing to guide others). After completing a class, participants move on to the next during the following Growth Track cycle.
Mission82 and Breaking Ground Missions
Missions at Pilgrim Rest is the practical expression of the church's Commission pillar. Locally, Mission82 is the church's outreach arm, made up of two initiatives: Community Impact, which organizes service projects and hands-on acts of love in the surrounding area, and Evangelism, which focuses on sharing the gospel and building relationships with neighbors, schools, first responders, and families. Mission82 meets on a regular basis and welcomes anyone who wants to serve.
Globally, Pilgrim Rest partners with Breaking Ground Missions to support gospel work in Uganda. That work focuses on equipping and training local pastors in sound biblical doctrine, reaching those who do not yet know Christ with the message of the gospel, and helping establish new churches in villages where there is great need. The church describes this partnership as a long-term commitment to seeing lives transformed and communities reached for Jesus.
Getting Connected
Anyone exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for a church home is welcomed at Pilgrim Rest. The church has built a four-step on-ramp for newcomers.
- Sign up for Connect. Connect is a Sunday-morning gathering where newcomers meet staff, learn about ministries, and discover next steps for getting involved. Dates and times are posted on Church Tap, the church's online connection hub.
- Take the New Members Class. After service, the class goes deeper into the beliefs, structure, and ministries of Pilgrim Rest. Lunch is provided, and participants discuss baptism and membership.
- Present yourself for membership. During the response time of a Sunday worship service, newcomers come forward to present themselves for membership.
- Welcome to the family. The church votes to receive new members, and they are welcomed into the Pilgrim Rest family.
Visitors who want to stay in touch can fill out the online Connect Card, and those who would like to reach a pastor directly can do so through the contact information on the church's materials. The church is located at 5595 FL-4 in Baker, Florida, and can be reached by phone at 850-537-9221 or by email at prbcbaker@yahoo.com.