Though its main campus is in Kansas City, Midwestern Seminary also offers classes in St. Louis, MO. Whether students are interested in undergraduate or masters classes, they can study residentially at the St. Louis Campus, located at First Baptist Church O’Fallon. FBC O’Fallon was planted more than 60 years ago with a vision to reach the community and the world with the gospel. This partnership with Midwestern Seminary, led by Senior Pastor Michael Atherton (D.Min. Expository Preaching, 2009; Ph.D. Biblical Ministries, 2020), helps the church to biblically train God-called men and women for ministry. For these reasons and more, it is a delight to include First Baptist Church O’Fallon as our church highlight in this edition of the Midwestern Magazine.
Mbts: Can you tell us about the history of First Baptist Church O’Fallon?
First Baptist Church O’Fallon: First Baptist Church of O’Fallon is a 60+ year old ministry. We are dedicated to helping reach our community with the gospel. All our Life Groups have a community mission project that they work on monthly/quarterly. We support a local food bank, have partnerships with area elementary schools, and serve as chaplains for the local police and high school football team. We run a Christian Academy on our campus, serving around 250 preschool through 8th grade students. We continue to make ground towards a multi-year strategy and goal to have a gospel conversation on the doorstep of 20,000 homes within our zip code. Our missional strategy suggests that the light which shines the furthest, must shine the brightest at home.
Beyond our immediate community, we have committed many resources and much time to taking the gospel to the world. We have active missional partnerships and projects in Colorado, Kansas City, Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, Mexico, Israel, Scotland, the Netherlands, and Zambia. This past year, we sent out more than 350 people on short term missions, ranging from 8 years old to 80+ years old, and from 1 day to 10 weeks. We have given more than $500,000 toward missional causes this past year.
At First O’Fallon we have four core values that motivate our ministry: (1) Declaring God’s Glory through Worship, (2) Discovering God’s Purpose through Bible Study, (3) Delivering God’s Message through Gospel Proclamation, and (4) Developing Godly Relationships through Biblical Community.
This results in having very focused objectives. For example, our value toward worship has resulted in creating a multi-generational weekly worship service and the production of a four-month devotional guide for families that correlates with the service. Our commitment to discipleship results in a Life Group/Sunday School ministry wherein 70-75% of our Sunday morning worship attendance engages in weekly life groups. Further, we have a robust slate of stand-alone classes to help disciple folks in specific areas. For example, we have a one-year leadership development program and a yearlong worldview curriculum (wherein participants learn how to develop a Biblical worldview). In addition, we offer classes in parenting, personal finance, dealing with divorce, marriage, handling grief, etc.
Mbts: FBC O’Fallon has a unique partnership with Midwestern Seminary. Can you share a little about this partnership and how Midwestern’s vision extends to your church?
Fbco: Our partnership with Midwestern Seminary helps us to develop new vocational ministry leaders that will go forth and continue to plant, replant, and revitalize local churches to continue to fulfill the Great Commission. Many of our students at this location now serve as interns within FBCO. As a result, we have students who are not just learning in the classroom, but are getting on-the-job experience as worship leaders, student ministry leaders, women’s ministry leaders, men’s ministry leaders, deacons, etc. So far, we have seen three of our students move on to church staff positions and are awaiting multiple others who should be called to positions in the coming months.
Mbts: With your experience in training many young men and women for ministry, what advice would you give to those aspiring to ministry in the Church?
Fbco: Don’t wait! There is a shortage of people in the life of the Church who are willing to give everything they have to helping the Church be all that God has created her to be. We need more biblically sound and convictionally strong leaders. I have found that oftentimes a pastor may become convinced they don’t have time to pour into a new generation of church leaders. Nothing will inspire or energize your ministry more than reproducing new leaders and launching them out to strengthen God’s Church and grow God’s Kingdom.
Mbts: The theme for this edition of the magazine is the joy of serving the local church. How would you encourage pastors and ministry leaders to continue to pursue joy when life and ministry are difficult?
Fbco: There is no greater joy than serving the local church! Can ministry be tough? Sure, ministry can be tough. Ministry is people and people are sinful. We shouldn’t be surprised when we encounter difficulties with people. They will say things that are unfair and do things that are unwarranted. Was Jesus’ ministry any different? In many respects, we walk in His footsteps. How could He find joy? It certainly was not in what all the people said or did. It was in the reality that He was doing the will of His Father. Our joy in ministry should not be found in the affirmation of people or lack thereof. Our joy must be rooted and grounded in our fulfilling God’s call and will.
Yet even still, when times get tough, let’s remember Paul’s admonition to consider it joy when we walk through trials of many kinds, knowing that trials produce endurance, character, and hope. God always has a plan when we walk through a trial. Thus, the trials of today quite literally become tomorrow’s testimonies to the goodness of a God who walks with us through our day-to-day struggles.
