Visit FBCMurphy This Sunday
JOURNEY Groups
Sundays @ 9am
JOURNEY WORSHIP
Sundays @ 10am
Wednesday Night Events
Wednesdays @ 5pm (meals and worship on first Wednesday of every month)
CONTACT
Have questions?
Please feel free to contact the church office.
By Mail:
First Baptist Church
401 North 15th St.
Murphysboro, IL 62966
First Baptist Church
401 North 15th St.
Murphysboro, IL 62966
By Phone:
618-687-1769
618-687-1769
Need something more specific?
Then contact any of our staff:
Nathan Borish: Lead Pastor – nathan@fbcmurphy.org
Jesse Boudet: Ministry Director – jesse@fbcmurphy.org
Steve Tanner: Worship Pastor – steve@fbcmurphy.org
Denise McDowell: Financial Secretary – finance@fbcmurphy.org
EVENTS
Student Camp 2025 Registration
Click here to sign up for our student summer camps for this year!
Kids Camp 2025 Registration
Click here to sign up for our kids summer camp for this year!
Our Staff
Nathan Borish
Lead Pastor
Jesse Boudet
Ministry Director
Steve Tanner
Worship Pastor
Denise McDowell
Financial Secretary
Angie Phoenix
Building and Grounds
OUR BELIEFS
The Nature of God
We believe in the one, living and eternal God who is the Creator of all. He is holy, perfect, and living in nature. God is personal in that He concerns Himself with the affairs of all people. God has revealed Himself as God, the Father, Jesus Christ the virgin-born Son, and the Holy Spirit, all of whom are the same essence though distinct in personality. Deuteronomy 6:4; John 1:1-13
The Inspiration of Scripture
We believe that each word, as well as the whole of the message of scripture, was inspired by God. Therefore, we affirm that the Bible is the sole authority for Christian faith and practice. Timothy 3:16-17:2; Peter 1:20-21
The Existence of Satan
We believe in the existence of Satan and his demons, the enemies of God and humankind, who seek unlawful dominion through the overthrow of God’s gracious rule. Genesis 3:1-4; John 8:44
Humankind
We believe that all human life through creation has value. Humankind was created in the image of God, but Adam’s original sin resulted in spiritual death and human separation from God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all persons need God’s forgiveness. Genesis 1:27-31; Genesis 2:16-17; Genesis 3:1-6; Psalms 139:15; Romans 3:23; Romans 5:19; Romans 6:23
Our Salvation
We believe people are saved from penalty of sin by God’s grace through personal faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, bringing them into a relationship of peace and fellowship with God. This redemption was accomplished through the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18-19
Our Future
We believe that those who receive Christ as Savior and Lord will rejoice eternally in God’s presence, and that those who reject Christ will be eternally separated from God. John 10:27-30; Ephesians 1:13-14; John 5:11-13
Christ’s Return
We believe in the imminent physical return of Jesus Christ to receive all believers, according to His promise. John 14:1-6; Acts 1:10-11; Thessalonians 4:16-17
The Church
We believe in the Church, a living and universal spiritual body with Christ as its head and all believers as its members. The local church is a visible example of a community of believers committed to worship, ministry, discipleship, fellowship, and evangelism. Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 12:13
Worship
We believe that all persons are created with a need to worship God. Worship is the personal and corporate expression through which the believer experiences and responds to the nature, personality, and will of God. We believe that the Christian should make a commitment to private and public worship on a regular basis. Psalm 95; John 4:21-24; Hebrews 10:25
Giftedness
We believe that all Christians have received God-given spiritual gifts for the purpose of building up a Body of Christ. The church is responsible to encourage the discovery of spiritual gifts, and to provide an environment where every member is given the opportunity to pursue ministry based on giftedness. Ephesians 4; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12
Evangelism
We believe that all Christians have been commissioned by God to actively proclaim the good news of Christ’s love and sacrifice. Every believer is responsible for maintaining a lifestyle that invites others to personal faith in Jesus Christ. Mathew 28:18-30; John 17:20-23
Baptism
We believe that baptism is a public symbol of the believer’s death to the old life and resurrection to new life in Christ, and that bodily immersion, as the New Testament example, is required for membership in this local fellowship. Mark 1:5-10; Acts 8:36-39
The Lord’s Supper
We believe that the Lord’s Supper is a symbolic commemoration of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, His broken body and shed blood, and that this celebration is open to all believers. 1 Corinthians 11:16-29; Matthew 26:26-30
Giving
We believe that Christians are to cheerfully and responsibly provide financial support for the ongoing ministry of Christ’s Church. Further, we believe that members should maintain a regular and proportionate giving plan, understanding the need to support both the local and the world wide needs of the Church. 2 Corinthians 9:6-9
JOURNEY GROUPS
Adult Groups
Student Groups
AWANA
Our Leadership Team
Moderator
Treasurer
Clerk
Members
Kristy Dunning
Kay Reiman
Vicki Ardrey
Trevor Anderson
Matt Guthman
Ron McLaughlin
Andrea Waddington
Dale Blaise
Tony Stamm
Karen Perschbacher
Tina Evans
Lead Pastor
Ministry Director
Worship Pastor
Nathan Borish
Jesse Boudet
Steve Tanner
OUR HISTORY
The First Baptist Church of Murphysboro, Illinois was organized June 27, 1867, with approximately sixty members, by Rev. Monger of Carbondale, Illinois. On October 10, 1869, a deed was made by Colonel John A. Logan and his wife, Mary, to the trustees of the church for a parcel of ground at 12th and Walnut for $400. A building was started and the cornerstone laid for the church in that year, however the building was never completed. In 1875 Rev. D.P. French connected with the American Baptist Home Missionary Society as pastor. The church had 22 members. The Sunday School was organized in 1876.
Later this congregation acquired the old Southern Methodist Church at the northeast corner of Locust and 12th streets where the congregation worshiped many years. Jacob Cole, who had been the Chaplain of the Thirty-first Illinois Regiment, commanded by Colonel John A. Logan, became pastor in 1884. The church bought the present site of 15th and Logan streets on September 9, 1890, for $900 and a wood building was built in 1893.
Billy Sunday held a revival in Murphysboro in the spring of 1908. Over 100 new members came into the church making a total about 200. In February, 1911, the Lampkin Revival Meeting was held. There were about 250 professions in the campaign and 113 additions to the church.
In 1912 a consolidation was made with the members of the First Baptist Church and the members of the Free Will Baptist which was organized in 1875 by Rev. G.A. Gordon. The consolidation of the two churches formed a membership of approximately 400.
Soon after the consolidation the congregation voted to raise the existing building and put in a basement to handle the fast growing congregation. The church membership continued to grow and the beginners Sunday School class was moved to a house dwelling adjoining the church property. It then became necessary to build an annex for the Junior department of Sunday School.
In 1922 the church, feeling the need for larger quarters and more adequate equipment voted to raise a building fund of $65,000.00 for a new house of worship. The membership had increased to more than 900 members. The church had interim services in the Liberty theater on Walnut street and started construction on a new brick structure at the old site with the cornerstone laying on September 16, 1923. The Rev. H. T. Abbott was pastor during these years and the church was completed in 1925. But before the first service could be held in the new sanctuary a tornado hit Murphysboro on March 18, 1925 destroying the new church as well as killing many of the members.
During the tornado there was a funeral service being held in the basement of the church, but not one person in attendance was injured. The funeral director went up the steps and looked out the door and received a cut on his face. He was the only injury on the site despite the upper part of the building being destroyed. “Come Back Sunday School” was held in a temporary tabernacle until the new church was completed in the summer of 1927. The church building was replaced with the same brick design and the building is still in use today. The church has an educational building annex and spacious parking areas. The latest addition has been an elevator system for the disabled and elderly. Membership today is approximately 492 with an active attendance of approximately 228.