|
In 1989 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Poindexter and Mr. and Mrs. Ron Tucker contacted Bob Jones
University in Greenville, South Carolina, concerning the establishment of an independent, fundamental
church in Williamsburg, Virginia. Michael R. Privett was presented with this need, and after much prayer,
the Privetts discerned that the Lord was leading them to Williamsburg to start this church. The Poindexters
and the Tuckers met with Brother Privett on a wintry evening. After two hours of prayer and discussion,
they decided the church should be called "Faith Baptist Church"--for we are saved through faith and we
live by faith. A new independent, Bible-preaching church was founded on December 11, 1989.
Michael, along with Sheri, and Joshua (their three-month-old son), moved to Williamsburg on
December 30, 1989. The first service of Faith Baptist Church was held at the home of the Poindexters on
January 7, 1990. For the next three months the three couples prayerfully sought a place to meet. During
those three months, they alternated meeting in homes. They were denied permission to meet in the schools;
the community hall was occupied; possibilities of various rental properties fell through or were too
expensive. During those three months, the foundation of prayer at the Faith Baptist Church was laid, as
they immediately began to see the Lord answer one prayer after another.
The first public service of Faith Baptist Church was conducted on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1990,
in Suite 103 of the Kristiansand Business Park. Thirty people attended, including many relatives for moral
support. On October 7, 1990, Faith Baptist Church officially organized with its chartering service.
Michael R. Privett was officially called to be the pastor of Faith Baptist Church.
1991 was a year of many testings and trials, which the Lord used to purify and mature the small
group. Highlights of the first year included the organization of the youth group, the men's ministry, the first
Evangelistic services, and a Family Enrichment Conference. In addition, the church voted to take on the
regular monthly support of our first missionaries, as well as to set aside funds for a larger and more
permanent church building. One major landmark of the first year was the development and explanation of
the church's philosophy of ministry. The purpose of Faith Baptist Church is to glorify God through the Lord
Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:20-21) by balancing dynamic evangelism (Matthew 28:18-20), Biblical
instruction (Acts 2:42), loving fellowship (Acts 2:42), God-centered worship (Acts 2:42), fervent prayer
(Acts 2:42), and the practical equipping of believers for service (Ephesians 4:11-16).
A “year of growth” summarizes 1992. Attendance increased notably in both Sunday School and
the regular services. As a result, it became necessary to increase the size of the auditorium by removing a
wall. The church held its first baptismal service on October 6. The outreach of the ministry of Faith Baptist
Church expanded as well. The church voted to support more missionaries including Dan and Lyn Sehested,
missionaries to Romania. Locally, Faith Baptist Church instituted a weekly Saturday chapel service at
Chambrel, a retirement community.
1993 was a year of additions. While the Lord added to the numbers, the church added several new
ministries such as a youth choir. Also, the following servants of our Lord joined our missionary family:
Jerry and Louise Pike, missionaries to the American Indians; Fred and Ruth Fueller, missionaries to
Germany; and David and Donna Utter, missionaries to the Marshall Islands.
1994 was a year of testing. We began to actively pursue the purchase of land and were tied up for
nearly a full year believing a real estate deal had been worked out. However, it fell through, and many
people became discouraged. Psalm 37 was an important passage during this time, especially verse 23: "The
steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." We thank God for that test
because it reminded us that God is still on the throne! Nathan and Diane Fray, church planters to Brazil,
were added to our missionary family as well. In January, due to the fact that it was not
practically or legally possible to seat at one time all that attended the morning services, we began to hold two morning
services.
Challenges and victories marked 1995. Though space was limited in the two office condominiums,
and attendance leveled off during this time, a children’s church service, for those ages 4 through 3rd grade,
was incorporated into the Sunday morning ministry. The church also voted to include Randy and Amy
Boardman into the missionary family at Faith Baptist Church.
In 1996, we saw the broadening of our ministry. The Lord moved us into bigger facilities as we
relocated within the Kristiansand Business Park, subleasing a daycare center. We held our first weeklong
revival meetings. We also added Walter & Carol Loescher, missionaries to Cameroon, to our missionary
family. In September, we began our Patch the Pirate Club for children in grades 2-6.
1997 was marked by some exciting news, including the cash purchase of seven acres of
undeveloped land on Rochambeau Drive. The years of delay enabled us to purchase the land without
borrowing any money. As Faith Baptist Church discussed and prayed concerning master plans, building
plans, and site plans, we continued to see numerical and spiritual growth, despite the need to use
closed circuit television in an adjacent room. On the first Sunday in June, we moved into new temporary facilities
in the Toano Middle School as we planned and erected our first building for the glory of God.
1998 was a year of building. On February 15 we broke ground to begin construction on our first
church building. James McReynolds, one of our members and a highly reputable general contractor, built
the 7,800 square foot building. Brother McReynolds saved us tens of thousands of dollars as a result of his
careful oversight and his donated labor of love. Also, despite the much publicized weather phenomenon
called El Nino, only three days of construction were lost due to bad weather. We held our first service in
the new building on July 26, 1998. Praise the Lord! Though we were in the midst of a building program,
we emphasized building people spiritually. We also launched a professional, Christ-honoring Internet site
for the church, which contains--among other things--the simple plan of salvation.
1999 was a year of expansion. We expanded our missions program by beginning to support two
church planting mission agencies--Armed Forces Baptist Missions & Baptist Home Missions--as well as
the Stan Sheltons, missionaries to Austria. In addition, we expanded our community outreach by
producing an informational and evangelistic monthly newsletter called Focus on Faith and beginning our
AWANA Clubs ministry. Lastly, we expanded our future ministry potential by purchasing the fifteen acres
adjoining our land, which gave us over 22 acres of land to use for His glory.
A year of firsts describes the year 2000. We held our first Christmas Eve service, which attracted
a large number of people from our community. We sent out our first short-term missionaries as Charles
and Juanita Poindexter served in Paraguay for two weeks. We hosted our first mission agency family week
as Baptist Home Missions met here for their bi-annual conference.
2001 was a year of additions. We hired Joe Fraga as a part-time Office Administrator to free up
Pastor Mike for ministry opportunities. The church raised enough money to purchase a grand piano to add
to our excellent, growing music ministry. Also, we added an Adult Singles ministry and College of
William & Mary outreach to work with this growing group in our church family.
2002 was a year of changes. We made the change in our leadership to line up more with the
Biblical teaching of elders and deacons. Our campus was changed this past year with the construction of a
one-acre retention pond. We added the Lonny Schmid family to our church’s family of missionaries.
Lastly, we sponsored our first Missions Trip as we ministered in New York City with a church planting
missionary recognizing the one-year anniversary of 9/11.
2003 was another year of expansion. Due to growing attendance and membership, we actively
began planning, designing, and raising the funds for our new Activities Building. Our music ministry
expanded by beginning our hand chime ministry. Our mission ministry began to support the Orville Blake
family, church planters to South Florida. In addition, we expanded our Men’s and Women’s ministries by
conducting monthly Bible studies on Wednesday evenings.
2004 was a year of growth. We held our first Faith Promise Missions Conference. We also began
to support the Steve Sundberg family, the Wilds Christian Camp, and Rapidan Baptist Camp. Our second
Mission trip traveled to South Florida to assist the church planting endeavors of the Orville Blakes by
ministering in the Sunday Services, handing out over 2,500 church invitations, and conducting a week of
Vacation Bible School. In addition, our home educators published their first yearbook. Back home,
practically using every square foot of our present building during every service, we broke ground on June
20, 2004 for our new 14,000 square foot Activities Building.
2005 was a year of building. We officially organized our Shepherding Ministry in which various
members volunteer to minister to and edify a small group of families in their local area. We added John
Hutcheson and FrontLine Missions as well as the Tim Melton family, missionaries to Japan, to our mission
family. While making a priority of building lives and families for the glory of God, we have also been
busy with the construction of our Activities Building. In addition to the hundreds of volunteer hours by our
men, women, and teens, a local church in Pennsylvania sent eight of their men for a week-long mission trip
to erect our steel super structure. As we desire to pay as we go, it has been exciting to see the Lord bring in
the funds before they have been needed for the next phase.
We praise and thank the Lord for His continued blessings upon our church. And we pray that the
Lord would continue to bless us spiritually, numerically, and financially over this next year for the glory of
Jesus Christ our Savior!
|
