Missions

Get Involved
Get Involved

First Baptist On Mission

First Baptist Church is a mission-minded church. We take seriously the call to follow Jesus. Mission is not an isolated project or event for us, but a mandate for how we live our lives daily and who we are to be. As a church family, it is our mission to cultivate and equip the calling of others through the engagement with what God is doing in the lives of others and the world. For that reason, we are constantly seeking new ways to push for engagement, whether locally or globally.

For more detailed information, click on the subheadings below and/or check out our latest Missions Newsletter, but more importantly, come serve with us!

In Our Local Neighborhood

Through local missions, we actively serve our neighborhood by sharing the love of Christ, meeting practical needs, and building meaningful relationships within our community.

Hands of Hope is a faith based, tuition-free, ten week semester educational program for women. We provide an array of life and job skills training as well as Bible Study along with academic classes. Each woman has her own personal encouraging mentor.  Hands of Hope offers a life-changing experience to women who commit to this program. For more information check out www.handsofhopesanmarcos.org.

Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” By serving others we reflect what Christ has done for us. Let’s serve corporately and witness to what Jesus has done in our lives. Together, we can do far more than we can on our own. Mission Able is a quarterly service week and/or weekend. We complete projects that meet needs within the San Marcos area. For more information about Mission Able events and activities, check out www.missionablesmtx.org!

School Fuel’s mission is to provide the “fuel” for a better learning environment by removing the pangs of hunger among the students in our classrooms. More than 75% of our school age children are on reduced or free meals at school. Most of them go home on the weekends to little or no food. Statistics show that children who struggle with hunger at home perform at lower levels in school during the week. It began out of a service project through a FBC Bible Study in 2013. Today they are serving over 900 students in the SMCISD. For more information, visit www.schoolfuelsanmarcos.org.

Our annual Mission Fair this year is October 27th. It is a way we celebrate what the Lord has done in and through us. Our fair displays our mission endeavors and partners. It is a great way to see the various ways you can get involved in God’s mission here locally or in other parts of the world. We encourage all of our members of First Baptist to find a way to serve. 

Mission Fair Exhibit Form

Beyond Our Neighborhood

Beyond our neighborhood, we partner in missions to share the Gospel, support ministries, and serve communities around the world with the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. It is a project that seeks to provide Christmas shoebox gifts to children all over the world. Every year, National Collection Week takes place the third week in November when nearly 5,000 drop‑off locations are open across the country. First Baptist Church is a drop-off location. Check out www.samaritanspurse.org/occ for more information.

This local ministry began right out of the heart of First Baptist Church in 2013. It has since grown to be an independent 501(c)3. Today Mission Able is equipping other local churches for local connection through neighbors’ home repair needs. To learn more about the Mission Able mission, check out their website at www.missionablesmtx.org.

In 2014 we sent a mission team to serve West, Texas after the fertilizer plant explosion. When we returned there was a deep desire to be equipped and prepared in the event that something drastic happened in our home town. Over the next year we trained with Hays County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). In May of 2015 the 100 year flood hit Wimberley and San Marcos. We were prepared to respond. The next day we had over 80 volunteers serving the victims of that flood. Five months later, the second flood hit. We were ready. Check out www.hayscountycert.com for a listing of trainings, fairs, and events.

Our Medical Explorer Post 4077 is a fully recognized student organization at Texas State University. It has been on-campus since 1991, and is a chartered unit of the Boy Scouts of America Learning for Life Program. They meet at First Baptist on Tuesday evenings and partner with us through various mission opportunities. They also provide blood pressure checks and first aid on Sunday mornings. For more information visit Facebook @txstatemedex.

In Our Global Community

In our global community, we engage in missions by supporting and sending partners who proclaim the Gospel, serve others with compassion, and make disciples among the nations.

For years we have partnered with Ernesto and Olga Santiago who are missionaries to the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico. The Tarahumara Indians live in the rural and mountainous parts of Mexico. They have little healthcare and resources. The Santiagos have a feeding and clothing ministry to these people as the share the love of Jesus Christ.

About every other month a mission team goes to Acuña, Mexico to serve at Casa Hogar El Corazon de Rey Children’s Home. The team drives down to Del Rio on Friday night then crosses the border Saturday morning. Sometimes the team leads a VBS, play yard games or helps with construction projects around the home. 

Around 2:00pm the team heads back to San Marcos. It is a quick, inexpensive mission trip. It costs $40 for the weekend. For more information about the orphanage, check out whitestone.ws/about.html.

Rainbow Ministries Children’s Home is based in Morelos, Mexico. In past years we sent teams to the orphanage to serve and love on the children in their care. Due to rising conflicts and threats, our support is mostly financial and prayers. Visit rainbowministrieschildrenshome.org to learn more about the orphanage.

Dereje is from Ethiopia, Africa and answered the call to orphans in Kazakhstan. He has been there for decades, working with several orphanages in a major Kazak city. He assists orphans with doctor’s appointments and medical needs. He is also an instrumental connection for the aging-out orphans to find housing, ongoing education and furnishings.

TEEMHaiti is a non-profit 501c3 dedicated to reaching and empowering the Haitian people. The mission of TEEMHaiti is to teach, empower, equip, and mentor the people of Haiti working with men, women, and children to provide hope and encouragement. Our goal is to impact the future by investing in people and making a lasting change. At least twice a year we send mission teams to Haiti under the leadership of TEEMHaiti. Check out teemhaiti.com for more information.

Kuna Yala is an Indian reservation in the northern part of Panama. It is remote and isolated from the world. Our presence on the island of Ailigandi is possible because of the work of Daniel Gruver’s father, who established a medical ministry during a time period where the Kuna were not welcome to foreigners. Today they welcome us with arms wide open. We go during the end of June or beginning of July to serve in various ways, but mostly to build relationships.

Minnie Knispel Legacy & Scholarship

The Minnie Knispel Missions Fund is a scholarship fund, which assists those participating in international mission endeavors. Miss Knispel established this fund to “defray or help defray the expenses of missionaries in a foreign country.” The Missions Committee of First Baptist Church reviews scholarship applications and disperses funds as available per need. The amount of Knispel scholarships granted differ according to individual financial needs and availability of the Knispel Fund. Please provide thorough answers for the Mission Committee review. It is suggested that applications be turned into the Mission Committee three months prior to the need of the funds, if possible. In addition to the scholarship application, an interview before the Mission Committee may be requested.

Knispel Application for Acuna, MexicoInternational Knispel Application