who we are

When asked, "Who is First Baptist Church?" the answer constantly changes.  We have families who have been here for generations and people who have been here a few months.  We have people who work for the school system, Rapid City Regional Hospital, on ranches, in food service, and lots of other places.  Maybe the best response to the question, "Who is First Baptist Church?" is simply, "We're messy."  Yes, we have messy lives because we're human.  We struggle, but we struggle together.  We celebrate, and we celebrate together.  We try to be real with each other, but sometimes don't even do that very well.  If you join us for worship, people will very likely come up and introduce themselves.  We'll respect your anonymity if group settings are intimidating.  But if you're open to connections, we want to get to know you.  

Key Aspects of our Belief

We are first and foremost followers of Jesus.  While Baptists are fiercely independent, we typically share common belief in the following areas:


We believe in the authority of the Bible as our guide in faith and practice

(II Timothy 3:16).


We believe the eternal God exists and that God exists in three equal persons: God the Father, 

God - the Son, and God - the Holy Spirit

(Matthew 28:19-20).


We believe Jesus was born of a virgin, being both fully God and fully human  

(Luke 1:30-35).


We believe that Jesus, having died by crucifixion on Golgatha, rose from the dead, and is a living Savior.   Through Jesus we receive forgiveness and salvation (John 1:29).


We believe salvation is a gift of God's grace, through faith in Jesus

(Ephesians 2:8-9).


We believe in the celebration of baptism, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This is an important testimony to the work God has done in us. 

(Acts 2:28-41; Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 6:3-4).


There are many other facets of our belief yet the most important part of our belief is an ongoing commitment to following Jesus with our lives to the best of our ability.


Our Mission

First Baptist Church exists to worship God, grow in Christ, 

equip for service, and draw others into the family of God.