Mission

Make Christ Known

First Baptist Church seeks to make Christ known by doing works of love in the city of Winston-Salem and beyond.

Theologian Helmut Gollwitzer once wrote that “Missions is the church in motion.” At First on Fifth, the motion of our church is directed by our Mission Committee Guidelines. These guidelines serve to give clarity to why and how our church journeys together as we love God and love our neighbor. They name Scriptural Goals to show us where to go with flexibility in how we get there. They name a funding process to ensure good wise use of the money we gather and give as a community. Ultimately the guidelines provide the church with the process and language to follow together where God calls us out into the world.

Click HERE to access the Missions Committee Guidelines

Afghan families are still in need of housing. Please contact Linda Jones lindamarie617@gmail.com if you have any leads on houses or apartments to rent.

We are ready to begin our onboarding process with World Relief. Please contact Nikki Byers at nikki@firstonfifth.org if you plan to do this.

Scriptural Goals of Mission

As we move in the work of missions, what we do is aimed at accomplishing four Scriptural Goals.
These goals are:

Charity – The immediate provision of life-sustaining needs particularly food, housing, and medical care to those whose income is insufficient to provide for such needs;
Community – Rising equality through the sharing of our communal goods within our congregation, amongst other churches or our neighbors, greater participation in worship, and reconciliation marked by unity over division;
Justice -The holistic growth of all people and the more just uses of the means necessary to sustain their flourishing;
Transformation – Growing in commitments to discipleship, baptisms, spiritual formation, joining the life of a congregation, and acts that serve others.

Active Partnerships

First Baptist Church on Fifth is involved in the ongoing mission projects featured below.

Habitat For Humanity

“Building Hope by Building Homes- Steadfastly adhering to a philosophy of a “hand-up, not a hand-out,” Habitat is a powerful engine of collaboration and reciprocity whereby those who qualify- by having a history of steady income, verifiable need and a willingness to work hard- soon become involved in giving help to others. Interest-free mortgage payments go back to Habitat to help future homeowners. Through this proven and integrity-based strategy of making home ownership a reality, Habitat for Humanity has fundamentally changed lives in 90 countries, all 50 United States, and for more than 350 Partner Families right here in our community.” This year in Forsyth County Habitat has begun remodeling houses as well as building new houses.

Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County, rooted in Christian principles, brings together community partners and volunteers from all faiths to help qualified Partner Families construct and purchase well-built, affordable homes and become successful homeowners.

First Baptist is so happy to have the State Office for Habitat for Humanity located in our church.

Volunteer opportunities:

Sponsor a house
Labor Day Blitz
Construction throughout the year on new houses and in remodeling.
Volunteers needed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays every week.
Work in the State Office

For more information please contact:
David Matthews: josdmatt@gmail.com

www.habitatforsyth.org

WSCEA

The Winston-Salem Center for Education and the Arts enriches the Winston-Salem community by providing operating space and nurturing nonprofit organizations that offer intellectual and spiritual growth through education and the arts.

WSCEA offers rent-free operation space to qualifying nonprofit organizations. The WSCEA’s John 3:16 Building houses programs that empower disenfranchised youth, provide opportunity to women and men who want to transform their lives by increasing their knowledge, and foster the next generation of leaders in our community.

Crisis Control

Crisis Control Ministry is a Christian based ministry with the mission to assist people in crisis to meet essential life needs and become self-sufficient. They are the largest provider of emergency assistance in Forsyth County, providing assistance with food, prescription medications, utilities, and rent/mortgage payments. The Crisis Control Vision is “to give help for today and hope for tomorrow by providing our neighbors with support, advocacy, understanding and information.”

First Baptist Church has been involved with this ministry since its founding. In 1973 the “Ecumenical Crisis Control Ministry” was launched by the downtown churches of Winston-Salem in the early seventies. The first location was our FBC Patterson Avenue Mission given by Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Wall, First Baptist members. First Baptist Staff Member, Ron Rice, was the first Director and mentor to many.

www.crisiscontrol.org

Winston-Salem Street School

The Winston-Salem Street School is a private alternative high school based on Christian principles and dedicated to providing students with the opportunity to complete their high school education. At-risk youth are provided an opportunity to learn and grow in a small environment that reflects and demonstrates the love of Christ. While Forsyth County’s dropout rate has improved recently, the county’s dropout rate still ranks as one of the highest in the state for metropolitan counties. The Winston-Salem Street School was specifically created to target these students. By doing so, it is playing a critical role in resolving this very real community problem. The school is recognized by the North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education.

Members of First Baptist on Fifth are actively supporting this ministry through donations and by serving on the Street School Board as well as volunteering in several ways. The school is located directly west of the church at 630 W. 6th St. in the WSCEA Building and is easily within walking distance from the church.

For more information please visit: www.wsstreetschool.com

Samaritan Ministries

Samaritan Ministries provides hope, healing and fellowship to our homeless community. Overnight shelter with dinner and breakfast is provided for up to 70 homeless men. Food is also served at noon for the homeless community. As many as 400 meals may be served at lunch.

First Baptist provides volunteers for the overnight shelter the first week in January. Volunteers are welcome at other times. Samaritan Ministries is located at 1243 N. Patterson Ave., phone 748-1962.

For more information please contact:
www.samaritanforsyth.org

Serving Our Savior

“Serving Our Savior” is a non-profit corporation established in the year 2000 by two deacons of First Baptist Church, Charles Bris-Bois and John Jordan. Its mission was to render assistance to people who needed help. From this beginning, a wheelchair ramp ministry was begun by Jack Shearin, another deacon, with the assistance of two other volunteers, Buddy Guerry and Donald McCollum, also members of FBC.

Wheelchair ramps are provided for handicapped individuals anywhere in Forsyth County. All the work is performed by volunteers. Materials are paid for by the clients or their families if they are able to do so. These payments amount to approximately 25 percent of the funds needed. If the clients are unable to pay, funds are provided by the non-profit. Each year seventy to eighty ramps are constructed. During the month of January, 2013, the 700th ramp was constructed.

Volunteers are needed on Tuesday every week.

For more information please contact Serving Our Savior at (336)725-6774.

Mission Emanuel

Years ago a relationship was formed with Mission Emmanuel when four men from our church went to help build a church in the town of Cielo, Dominican Republic. They labored to haul cinder blocks up a hill to build this church. They probably did not know that this was only the beginning of what became a life changing center for the beautiful people of Cielo. The program now consists of a medical center, men’s and women’s ministry, a water filtration plant serving thousands, play grounds, sponsorships for school children, and over 600 children in the school.

First Baptist Church has been sending missionaries to Cielo over the past ten years and there have been amazing changes in this community. Buildings have been constructed, programs have been started, children are healthier, women are nurturing other women and plans are in progress for even greater ministries. We thank God for the money and people that First Baptist has invested in this beautiful community of Cielo.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Serve on a Mission Trip to Cielo
Sponsor a child in school
Send money for a water card so that a family can have pure water

For more information please contact:
Minerva Fox: minervajfox@gmail.com

www.missionemanuel.org

Senior Services

“Helping our elderly live with dignity” is the mission of Senior Adult Services of Winston Salem. Senior Adult Services helps older adults remain at home as long as possible with dignity. With concern for those who care for senior adults, we also help caregivers through services and education that will benefit them.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Meals-on-Wheels: Meals-on-Wheels provides a hot nutritious lunch each weekday for Forsyth County’s homebound elderly. First Baptist fills this need every Friday.

www.seniorservicesinc.org

The Shepherd Center

The Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem is an interfaith ministry that promotes and supports successful aging by providing direct services and volunteer opportunities for older adults.

This organization loves volunteers! Volunteers carry out the majority of the Shepherd’s Center programs, with support of administrative staff. The scope of their opportunities will surprise you!

For more information see:
www.shepherdscenter.org

Funding for Active Partnerships

Funding for Active Partnerships of may be applied for by members of First on Fifth or local non-profits and goes to special project funding, one-time, or semi-regular events or missions endeavors. Preference will be given to active partnerships lead by members of the church or the missions committee. Funding for active partnerships will be available on an on-going basis. The application for such funding can be found HERE and printed copies are available at the church office.

Funding for Active Partnerships must be submitted no later than 30 days before it is needed.

2023 Funding for Local Non-Profits and Other Ministries

One way First on Fifth supports the work of missions in our community is through year-long disbursement of church funds to area non-profits and ministries. Local organizations and ministries may apply each year for funding support from our church using the General Missions Funding Application available at First on Fifth or digitally on our website. Access the application HERE. Please fill out all applicable sections of the form.

Applications for funding for the following calendar year will be due August 1, 2022. The Missions Committee will review all applications and notify applicants of their decisions in December of that year. Upon completing the form, it can be submitted either by mail or via email to Nikki Byers, Minister for Missions (nikki@firstonfifth.org).