Lead Pastor

Church and Community Profile

Organized March 9, 1864, First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, Missouri, has ministered to our greater community and beyond for 162 years. Our church property adjoins the property of our Oak Ridge R-6 Public School District which is the heart of our rural community that surrounds the Village of Oak Ridge that itself has a current population of 243.

Weekly Schedule and Ministries

• Sunday Morning Prayer Gathering at 8:15
• Full age-range of Sunday School Classes
• Sunday Morning Worship Service (currently led by lay volunteers; blended style of traditional hymns and modern praise songs)
• Sunday Evening Prayer Gathering at 5:00
• Wednesday Evening Bible and Topical Study for children, teens, and adults
• Weekly Thursday morning free breakfast and Gospel lesson for all Oak Ridge secondary students (20-year tradition; average 80 students and staff served during 2025-26 school year)
• Free closet of new and gently-used clothing
• Distribution partnership with the Southeast Missouri Foodbank

Congregation and Facilities

Our congregation is a mixture of senior adults, younger families, and single adults, with a blend of working professionals reflecting a broad range of education and income levels in our greater community. Average Sunday morning worship attendance for the first six months of 2026 was 48. Current monthly offering is approximately $11,000, which adequately covers monthly expenses. The church is free of debt.

The church campus includes a modern parsonage of three bedrooms and two full bathrooms, set directly behind the church building and immediately adjacent to the Oak Ridge Public Pre-School.

Current paid staff: full-time pastor and part-time custodian.

Missions and Affiliations

• Local mission partner: Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau
• National mission partner: Calvary Commons (new church plant) in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Seeking God's leadership in establishing an international missions partner
• Active in the Cape Girardeau Baptist Association
• Full cooperation with the Missouri Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention

Mission and Values

Mission: "Having been established in 1864, we endeavor to continue in the Biblical tradition of the charter members of this church in following truthfully and faithfully our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Values: "We exist to demonstrate and to proclaim the sacrificial love of God." In doing so, we:

• Pray Humbly (2 Chronicles 7:14, Lamentations 3:41, Luke 18:9-14, Philippians 4:6-7, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:6-7)
• Teach Transformationally (Matthew 28:16-20, Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 3:16, 2 Timothy 3:16)
• Worship Joyfully (Psalm 30:5; 66; 100; 149; and 150; Philippians 4:4, Hebrews 13:5)
• Listen Compassionately (Proverbs 18:13, John 4:1-45, James 1:19-21)
• Share Boldly (Isaiah 6:8, Mark 16:15, Luke 14:12-24, Acts 1:8, Romans 1:16, Romans 10:13-17)
• Serve Selflessly (Matthew 20:16, Mark 10:45, John 13:1-20, 1 Corinthians 10:24, Galatians 5:13, Philippians 2:3-4)

Application Process

All interested candidates are invited to submit a formal letter of candidate interest, a current resume of academic study and of professional service, three letters of professional recommendation, and three digital links to sermons from within the last six months. All candidate applications will be reviewed and maintained in strict confidence until both candidate and church agree to announce publicly our mutual interest. The position will remain open until filled.

Submit all candidate materials and related questions to:

Mike Cowan, PhD, pastor search team chairperson
Email: cowanmc53@gmail.com
Mobile: 1 (573) 579-1355
Webpage: https://www.oakridgefbc.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/firstbaptistoakridge
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@oakridgefirstbaptishchurch836