GENESEO, Ill.—Faith Baptist Church has celebrated 40 years of ministry. With “God’s Faithfulness” as it celebration’s theme, the church marked its anniversary on Sunday, March 18, with a message from Bernie Augsburger, state representative of the Illinois-Missouri Association of Regular Baptist Churches; a luncheon; recognition of former members and charter members; stories; testimonies; and a commemorative video.
Faith Baptist Church began in 1972 when seven families who had been talking for years about starting a church finally acted on their words. Lyle Peterson, a charter member of Faith Baptist, recalls Faith Baptist’s humble beginnings, telling the Geneseo Republic, “Financially, we started with nothing. We did not have the backing of a financial institution, just the seven families who felt the Lord leading us to start the church. It was amazing. We started with zero finances in the general fund, and we not only built the church, but we also built homes for our first two pastors.”
The year they organized the church, the members bought five acres of land on which to build, constructing the majority of the facility themselves and with the help of friends. Eight months after breaking ground, they dedicated their building and joined the GARBC.
“Over 40 years of ministry, God has provided Faith Baptist with four senior pastors, 24 deacons, and finances to support monthly over 30 unique missionaries and parachurch ministries,” says Pastor Jeff French, pastor since 2010. “Over 40 years of ministry God has used Faith Baptist to disciple hundreds of members, baptize over 65 members as a testimony of their gospel salvation, and shape the lives of 12 individuals God has called into full-time ministry. God has been and will remain faithful to Faith Baptist Church.”
- Read about Faith Baptist Church in the Geneseo Republic‘s article “Geneseo’s Faith Baptist marks 40 years“
