Second Baptist Church sits on North 58th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska, where it has been a steady Baptist presence for more than 135 years. Formed in 1890 as a church plant of First Baptist Church of Lincoln, the congregation now meets at 525 N 58th Street, near the heart of the city, and lives under a simple motto: Caring for One Another, Our Neighbors and our World. The building opens early on Sunday mornings, holds a regular rhythm of prayer, study and song through the week, and sends its people out into Lincoln to cook, teach, pray and serve.
A Sunday on North 58th Street
Sunday mornings begin at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School for every age, from pre-school through adult. Parents can drop off infants and pre-kindergartners a few minutes earlier, at 9:15 a.m., where paid childcare staff watch the children through the end of the worship service. The whole congregation gathers for worship at 10:45 a.m., a traditional Baptist service led musically by the Chancel Choir with Mark Pudwill directing and Kay Byers at the piano.
On the first Sunday of each month, the table is set for Communion. Second Baptist practices open Communion, meaning anyone who wishes to receive the bread and cup is welcome to do so, whether or not they are a member. On the second Sunday of most months, a Celebration Sunday fellowship follows the service, with cake and conversation for birthdays and anniversaries.
Three Lincoln Locations Since 1890
Second Baptist was planted in 1890 by First Baptist Church of Lincoln, and over more than a century the congregation has moved to its third location on North 58th Street. The continuity runs through the music program as well as the membership: Mark Pudwill, the current music director, grew up in the church, served as its organist from 1983 to 1988, and returned after a long career in medicine to lead worship again. Kay Byers, the accompanist, has been playing piano in church since she was nine.
Rev. Julie Duut serves as Senior Pastor, having recently begun her ministry with the congregation.
What American Baptists Here Believe
Second Baptist is a member church of the American Baptist Churches USA and the American Baptist Churches of Nebraska, and it works alongside the Capitol Association and the Baptist World Alliance. The congregation summarizes its convictions through nine historic Baptist principles: the importance of personal decision in matters of faith, the supremacy and authority of Scripture, the autonomy of the local church, believer's baptism by immersion, regenerate church membership, freedom of religion and soul liberty, connection to other Baptist bodies by association, the separation of church and state, and the priesthood of all believers. Every member is treated as a minister of the Gospel, and the church's stated mission is making disciples.
A Faith That Reaches Beyond the Building
Mission work is woven into the church's weekly rhythm. On the third Friday of each month, members and friends drive to Matt Talbot Kitchen to cook and serve lunch to anyone who comes in hungry. Second Baptist stays in close contact with People's City Mission, communicating its current needs and collecting clothing, bottled water, winter gear and cash in the foyer. The church is a member of the Northeast Lincoln Food Pantry, and the bi-weekly Midweek Newsletter lists the food items most needed each week. With The Bridge Behavioral Health, a treatment center for alcoholism and drug addiction, the church hosts a weekly Bible study on-site, brings clients to the men's monthly breakfast, hosts a summer picnic at the facility, and serves a full Christmas dinner there on December 25.
Second Baptist also runs a Good News Club at Riley Elementary School, meeting on Tuesday afternoons during the school year under the umbrella of Child Evangelism Fellowship to share the love of Jesus with neighborhood children.
Adults in Study, Men in Prayer
Bible study is a daily habit here. On Sunday mornings, the Journeys class, led by Bob Howe, gathers year-round in the Multi-Purpose Room and works through the David C. Cook Bible-in-Life curriculum. An online class called Crusaders, led by Nancy Comer, meets at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays and pulls current events into scripture study. A Monday morning men's prayer and study group meets in Fellowship Hall at 6:30 a.m., and a Wednesday evening Bible study begins at 6:30 p.m. The chancel choir rehearses each Wednesday from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. A handbell choir, the Chancel Ringers, is on hiatus but hopes to resume.
Women, Men and the Wider Baptist Family
All women in the church are part of American Baptist Women's Ministries. The group meets on the first Wednesday of most months at 1:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall for dessert, a program by a member or guest speaker, and occasional book studies. Through the Nebraska Region, Second Baptist women take part in a June women's conference and an October women's retreat, both held at Moses Merrill Camp and Conference Center in Linwood, Nebraska. The men's ministry gathers for breakfast on the second Saturday of each month at 8:00 a.m., prays together on Monday mornings, and makes service trips to Moses Merrill to maintain the cabin Second Baptist is responsible for. Members also serve the wider community in other ways, including hosting Yazidi men for a Saltdogs baseball game.
What Visitors Will Find
The church building at 525 N 58th Street is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Each Sunday morning, the 10:45 worship service is livestreamed on YouTube, and a sermon archive of recent services is available online. Two AA meetings are held at the church each week, on Monday and Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., opening the doors to neighbors who may not otherwise step inside. Giving is available online, and a Midweek Newsletter is published every other week. Anyone interested in singing with the choir, joining a Bible study, volunteering at Matt Talbot, or learning more about the church's ministries is invited to call 402-464-8398 or email 2ndbaptistlincoln@gmail.com.