ABOUT FIRST
BAPTIST
CHURCH

Our Mission

The mission of First Baptist Church is to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ through the preaching and teaching of the Bible, the fellowship of the saints, and the sanctification of God’S CHILDREN.

Our Beliefs

  • We believe in the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments as originally written; that it was the verbal and plenary inspiration of God in Scripture and is the product of Spirit led men, and therefore is infallible and inerrant in all matters of which it speaks. The Scriptures are sufficient to meet all our needs in matters of life and godliness (2 Tim. 3:6–17; 2 Pet. 1:19–21).

  • We believe that there is one God, a living, intelligent Spirit, the Supreme Ruler of the universe, expressing Himself through three coequal and co-eternal persons––Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The material universe, including man, came into being by direct creation by God, and not by process of evolution (Gen. 1:1; Deut. 6:14; Jer. 10:0; Matt. 28:19).

  • We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ lived without sin and the ability to sin, being God in the flesh. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world, was bodily resurrected from the grave, and ascended into Heaven. Presently, He is preparing a place for believers and interceding for them while waiting for the time of His return for His bride, the Church (Matt. 1:23; Acts 1:9–11; Heb. 2:9; 4:15; 1 John 2:1).

  • We believe that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son. Those who trust Christ for salvation are baptized into the Body of Christ, indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit. We believe the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, of righteousness and judgement. The Holy Spirit endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, comforts, and helps the believer. We believe the sign gifts given to the Jews including apostleship, prophecy, and tongues have ceased (Matt. 28:19; Acts 5:3–4; 1 cor. 12:13; 13:8–10).

  • We believe angels are personal beings, created by God. Elect angels worship God, protect believers and guide God’s servants. We believe in the reality and personality of Satan, the Devil; and that he was created by God as an angel but through pride and rebellion became the enemy of his Creator; that he became the unholy god of this age and the ruler of all the powers of darkness and destined to judgement of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire (Matt. 4:1–11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:6; Heb. 1:13–14; Rev. 20:10).

  • We believe that the chief end of man it to bring glory and honor to God. Man was created innocent in the image of God, but fell by voluntary transgression. Because of this fall, all men are sinners by birth, with no mark of divinity, and must be born from above to have fellowship with God. The ultimate end of the unrepentant sinner is the Lake of Fire, while the sinner who accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior will receive everlasting life (Gen. 1:27; John 3:36; Rom. 3:23; Rev. 4:11).

  • We believe sin is the transgression of any law of God given as a rule to man. Sin is basically selfishness and includes both acts of commission and omission. Although sin is enjoyable and attractive at times, it eventually has severe consequences. Because God hates sin and is holy, the penalty of sin is punishment or loss of reward, which may include physical, spiritual, or eternal death (Isa. 53:6; Jer. 17:9; Gal. 6:6–7; James 2:14–18).

  • We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated by the God the Spirit, wholly of grace, not by works of man, and is made possible only through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary. There is salvation in none other than Christ, and a personal acceptance of Him is absolutely essential. Justification includes pardon from sin, the gift of eternal life, and a perfect standing before God. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior are eternally secure in their salvation (John 6:37; Acts 4:12; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8–9).

  • We believe that the Body of Christ includes all believers from the day of Pentecost to the Rapture of the Church. The local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel, with the Lord Jesus Christ as her head. In all matters of membership, policy, discipline, and benevolence, the will of the local church is final. There are two church ordinances, baptism and communion. Baptism is the single immersion of the believe in water. Communion is the partaking of bread and cup, symbolic of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord (Acts 2:41–42; Rom. 6:1–13; 1 Cor. 11:23–30; 12:13).


  • We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ may come in the clouds at any moment to remove His body, the Church. Following this Rapture of the saints, God will judge sin on earth during the Tribulation, while Christians appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ and enjoy the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. At the end of the Tribulation, the Lord Jesus will personally, visibly, and bodily return to earth to set up His Millennial Kingdom. After the Great White Throne Judgement, Satan and all individuals who are not written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire, while all believers will enjoy eternity in the new heavens and new earth (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Thess. 4:13–18; Rev. 19:11–19; 20:11–15).

Our Team

Andre Reyes

Senior Pastor

Email: pastorandyfbcperry@gmail.com

Phone: 515-465-4669

Brandon Soll

Deacon

Ethan Winey

Deacon

Dylan Winey

Deacon

Church Covenant

Having been led of the Holy Spirit to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly, solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

Our goal, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, is to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of the church in spiritual wisdom and holiness, to promote its good welfare and spirituality, to faithfully attend and sustain its worship services, ordinances, discipline, and doctrine, and to give it sacred pre-eminence over all institutions of human origin.

We will endeavor to be a good steward with the resources God has entrusted to us, by contributing faithfully and regularly toward the expenses of our church, and to give of our talents, our time, and our finances in the furtherance of the gospel to the ends of the earth (Mark 16:15; Matt. 18:19).

We will seek the salvation of all, particularly our relatives and acquaintances, to engage in family and personal devotions, and to rear our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

We will strive to live a life of separation unto Christ and from the negative influences of the world (1 John 2:15; James 4:4), to be just in our dealings with our fellow men, and to avoid all gossiping, tattling, and backbiting, and unrighteous anger.

We will avoid the use of any addictive chemicals, beverages or drug that can damage our spiritual, mental or physical relationship with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17–20).

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love, and to remember each other in prayer, to aid each other in sickness and distress, to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, mindful of how willingly Jesus forgives us.

We moreover engage, that when we move from this place, we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church, where we can carry out the principles of God’s Word. In the event that there is no such church, we shall seek with the Lord’s help to establish one.

Our History

Established on January 9, 1869, as Spring Valley Baptist Church, First Baptist Church is the oldest church in the city of Perry, IA. The church originally met in a school house on the prairie about five miles south of Perry and one mile east of Racoon River.

In 1870, the congregation voted to move to Perry and changed its name to First Baptist Church. Originally located on the corner of Second and Otley Ave., The first building was dedicated in April of 1873. Its furnishings included handmade black walnut pews, an organ, baptistry, bell, and oil lamps.

The congregation eventually outgrew its facilities and it 1903 it purchased the property on Fourth and Lucinda. By 1923 the congregation need to build its third building due to stead growth. And in 1915 it purchased its first parsonage for its clergy.

In 1943, FBC separated and left the Northern Baptist Convention, now known as the American Baptist Churches USA. This move came about because of the rampant theological liberalism which had infested the denomination since its inception. Pastor Chester Diehl le the congregation in its decision and into fellowship with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. the same year.

The following seven decades were characterized by consistent pastoral turnover and other challenges which faced FBC. Nonetheless, the Lord proved himself faithful to his people and has preserved FBC for 154 years and running.

Our goal at FBC today is to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ through the preaching and teaching of the Bible, the fellowship of the saints, and the sanctification of God’s children. In so doing, we are confident that Christ will build FBC in Perry, IA into a beacon of the gospel for generations to come, until the Rapture of the Church. If you are searching for a church home where you can raise a family for Christ or even find a family in Christ, you are invited to visit and even join our fellowship of believers. Come make history at First Baptist Church.