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Religion

Baptists think big once again

For an active, huge congregation, a dream deferred is now a reality.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published September 11, 2005

LARGO - This morning's service at First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks will be unlike others since January 1988, the last time members gathered as one to praise God. They will celebrate the newest addition to the 50-acre campus, a $13.1-million worship center with seating for 3,200.

Church officials say the new facility, with calming earth tones, theater-style seating and state-of-the-art audio and video systems, was conceived with a particular vision in mind. They say that in a county where many residents are "unchurched," the new worship center will stand ready to welcome the thousands whom First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks intends to evangelize.

"We're building for the future," said Pastor Charlie Martin, 60, during a tour of the new center. "As a church, we are excited about the accomplishment of a longtime dream. ... Our goal in building the church is to give us more room to minister to more people in this community."

"It's not about the building," added church administrator Timothy A. Ferguson, 41. "For us, it's a tool."

Over the years, the church, which has a $12-million budget and a staff of 250, established a Christian school, medical clinic, thrift store, memorial garden and numerous programs to serve its 6,000-member congregation and surrounding communities. On Oct. 2, the church will launch its north county campus in Tarpon Springs. In December, it plans to open Heron House, a 128-room senior adult community, at 2050 East Bay Drive, minutes from its main campus. Church services will be piped into the complex.

Martin, the church's senior pastor, said the new, 61,000-square-foot worship center is a dream that has been long deferred. Since moving in 1988 to its current property, the congregation has worshiped in a multipurpose fellowship center. Five weekend services had to be scheduled to accommodate the growing membership.

"When we came over here, we didn't want to build the worship center overnight. There were more urgent needs," Martin said.

Building suitable facilities for Indian Rocks Christian Schools, which now has about 1,000 students from kindergarten to 12th grade, was a priority, he said. Later, the medical center, run by church member Dr. Mary J. King, was established especially to meet the needs of struggling young families and older people.

"We don't require full payment at the time of the visit. As long as somebody is paying just a few dollars a month, we will work with them," Martin said of the clinic where 80 percent of the patients are not church members.

Over the years, the church expanded its property. It bought a building that housed a bar and another business and transformed it into Smiley's Coffee House, for young single adults, and a thrift store.

When Frank's Nursery closed, the church bought it and converted it to gathering places for its middle and high school groups. A skateboard park sits in what was the store's garden area. The most recent acquisition was the old Scotty's hardware store. The thrift store will be moved to that spot.

The congregation began in 1958 as a mission of Calvary Baptist Church of Clearwater. Then known as Indian Rocks Baptist Chapel, the new religious community took its name from the street it was on. Services were held at Anona Elementary School. Today some worshipers travel from as far as Lakeland, Tierra Verde and Spring Hill to attend the church at 12685 Ulmerton Road. Most, though, come from nearby towns.

Martin, one of 20 pastors, has led the church since 1972. The church has made remarkable progress under his leadership, said Ferguson, the church administrator.

"His first Sunday as senior pastor, there were 70 people in Sunday school and 90 people in the worship service. He has such a passion for people and to share Christ with people ... and just using a lot of ways to get the message out," Ferguson, himself an ordained minister, said.

"Now that we are built up here, he's not resting on that. We've moved up to north county. It's fun to be part of that. I think that's why the church has just flourished. God has just given him a vision and a passion to make things happen."

During a recent interview, Martin said his goal is to build a racially diverse congregation and staff. He said the neighborhood around First Baptist Church of Indian Rocks should be reflected on its campus. As part of its outreach, the church has an international ministry that offers free English language classes. The congregation also sponsors a feeding ministry and supplies volunteers for the weekday program at nearby Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation.

Martin said his church's goal is to reach at least 1 to 2 percent of the estimated 762,000 Pinellas County residents who have no church of their own.

"That means there's a lot of people to reach for the Lord," he said.

For weeks, as the congregation prepared for today's inaugural service in its new worship center, church members fanned out to distribute 30,000 gift bags to their neighbors. Each bag included Chick-fil-A and Starbucks coupons, a discount to the church's medical center, a magnet and an invitation to today's celebration.

[Last modified September 11, 2005, 01:12:04]