Thank you for visiting the First Baptist Church of Monroe website. At FBC Monroe, we strive to be a caring church family, with an emphasis on unconditional love for all those in our community.
Here you can discover opportunities for personal and spiritual growth through the worship of God, Bible study, music, and more as we exist to Love God, Love Within, and Love Beyond.
At First Baptist Church, we believe that a person's spiritual growth is best fostered in relationship with other Christ-followers. Bible Fellowship Groups at FBC is the small group discipleship ministry of the church. These groups are designed to offer particpants in the church the chance to form bonds with others in the congregation for further faith development, mutual support, and mission engagement. We encourage everyone to get involved with a Bible Fellowship group to foster meaningful relationships with others, and to be encouraged to go deeper in their faith
Bible Fellowship Hour (9:30 AM - 10:30 AM)
- Preschool Ages (Room 203)
- Elementary Ages (Room 204)
Both classrooms located on second floor of Education Building
Worship Hour (10:45 AM - 12:00 PM)
- Nursery for infants is available at 10:30 through the end of worship. The nursery is located on the ground floor of the Family Life Center building.
- Age 4 - 2nd Grade - Children's Worship & Wonder
- Children 2nd grade and older are encouraged to remain and participate in worship.
- Fellowship Meal - 5:30 PM (Family Life Center)
- Age Group Breakouts - 6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
Infants ~ Nursery (Family Life Center building)
Preschool ~ Room 203 (2nd floor, Ed. Building)
Elementary ~ Room 204 (2nd floor, Ed. Building)
Since its founding in 1852, the First Baptist Church of Monroe has existed to glorify God. We desire to be led by the Holy Spirit to reach into the world and share the glory and grace of God through Jesus Christ the Son. As a Cooperative baptist church, we are an open fellowship of free and faithful Baptist Christians committed to a journey—a journey of serious study, intentional worship, loving and compassionate fellowship and hands-on ministry.
At First Baptist we offer a variety of ministries and programs in an effort to reach, teach and minister to whole persons. We collaborate with the Union Baptist Association in a cooperative endeavor to do missions and ministry locally. We affiliate with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina for the same purposes. We are aligned with and financially supportive of the national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to do together what we could not do apart: namely, to support ministry and missions both locally and globally.
We are autonomous. This means that no individual, person, hierarchy or ecclesiastical board dictates what we should believe or practice, who our leadership should be, how we budget our money or whom we support. We are governed by our members and the majority of the work done in the church is by our members. We are democratic in governance, seeking always to be a community of faith governed and led by God.
At FBC Monroe, North Carolina, the heart of our church beats with a resolute commitment to serve. With a passionate ministry team by our side, we stand unwaveringly devoted to our members' spiritual growth and well-being. Guided by our faith in God's will, our dedicated staff pours their energy into crafting transformative experiences that uplift and inspire. From dynamic sermons that resonate, to nurturing small groups that foster genuine connections, every aspect of our ministry is an embodiment of service. FBC Monroe stands as a testament to the boundless power of a community united by love, faith, and the unwavering pursuit of God's purpose.
Chris Dawson is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Monroe. A graduate of East Carolina University, Chris was working in the private sector when he felt a call into ministry when Dr. Greg Rogers, pastor at Oakmont Baptist Church, preached a message that we are all called into ministry wherever we are, but some are called into full time vocational ministry. Following that message, Chris pursued a theological education and shifted his focus to become a preacher/pastoral caregiver within the church. He has now been in ministry since 2003, and in that time span has received his Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry from Campbell University Divinity School while serving as Minister to Youth and Children at Swift Creek Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC and as pastor at Westfield Baptist Church in Dunn, NC and First Baptist Church of Monroe since August 2012. He is married to Michelle and they have three children: Sydney, Bayley, and Trevor. Chris feels God’s leading in every facet of his life and knows he is living out the purpose God has for him; teaching everyone to love God and love neighbor.
Dr.Melanie Williams
Melanie Williams serves part-time at FBC Monroe as Minister of Worship Arts. A graduate of the University of Illinois with a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance, Melanie has been involved in leadership in music ministry in the local church since her middle school days in her home state of Georgia. She has served in two full-time positions since 1991—Fort Mitchell Baptist Church in Fort Mitchell KY and The Baptist Church of Beaufort in Beaufort SC. Melanie was ordained to the Gospel Ministry in 2003 at The Baptist Church of Beaufort and retired from full-time ministry there in 2017. Since her retirement, she has continued to serve in leadership roles in various denominations and is delighted to land at FMBC Monroe NC with her husband, Alan, who serves as a Disaster Response Coordinator with CBF.
Elaine Potter
Elaine is the accompanist at FBC Monroe. She has been a professional musician since graduating from Wingate College with a BS in Music Business in 1984, and has enjoyed teaching piano lessons, directing and accompanying church choirs and playing for several funeral homes for nearly four decades. Elaine is married to Gary and they have three children and seven grandchildren.
Marsha Sexton
Kathy Cole
Alyssa Metze
Our newsletter, Steeple Views, provides the latest happening in the church. Stay informed with meetings, upcoming trips, children and youth events, and more. You can also read memorials and find out the latest facts and figures from the church.
Stay up-to-date with the latest happening at the church. Whether it is an event for our children, adults, or youth, or a ministry opportunity, the calendar will keep you informed.
