Business of the Month: First Baptist Church

As you drive down Crawford Street, you pass a readerboard for First Baptist Church (FBC) that alternates cheerful greetings with fun quips or advice like the town favorite, “If at first you don’t succeed, try doing it like your wife told you to.” This community-minded group of people love food, friendship, and the Deer Park area. First Baptist’s core values of grace, transformation, and an outward-focus have led them to function as a church with unique characteristics.

Core Values

Grace is undeserved kindness and love, and attendees of FBC are deeply aware of their own need for grace, which leads them to readily extend that acceptance to others. Just this week one family hit a deer and totaled their car, so another family in their small group, who knows what it’s like to suddenly be without a vehicle, chose to walk to work and loan their car to the family in need.

Valuing transformation means investing in families and communities over the long haul, since lasting change is usually a slow and difficult process. First Baptist has been involved in caring for the community through avenues like We Heart Deer Park for years because student success in schools is a wonderful long-term goal.

Unlike a club, First Baptist’s members exist to reach out and serve others, not to promote their own happiness or quality of life. This outward concentration is regularly emphasized through community service projects and diligence in saying no to regular time commitments that would keep members focused on each other instead of serving their friends, family, and neighbors. This external focus has led FBC to participate in several community-centric events, and motivates them to staff their parking lot with friendly people ready to welcome everyone.

Markets

First Baptist was one of the first vendors to join the new First Saturday Markets when the Chamber began promoting its summer business initiative, but FBC’s goals were different than the rest of the businesses involved. While happy to encourage economic development, First Baptist’s leadership gets excited about the transformation that can happen when individuals and families meet Jesus. Lead Pastor David Stapp has guided FBC to a consistent commitment that when First Baptist serves they do so without charging anything. This helps First Baptist prioritize relationships and to focus on serving those who can’t give anything back.

We Heart Deer Park

In 2012, after much prayer, both Pastor David Stapp of First Baptist and Pastor Tim White of Tri-County Christian Center approached the Deer Park Superintendent about how their churches could serve Deer Park’s students. Then Superintendent Cooke found it easy to encourage them to combine their efforts and focus on providing backpacks to elementary school students in need. Several more churches joined the effort, and We Heart Deer Park began so that the faith community of Deer Park could demonstrate God’s love to their neighbors, which they did through providing backpacks, as well as creating a back-to-school party on the day elementary students and parents meet their teachers.

First Time

Associate Pastor Caleb Stapp is acutely aware of the uncertainty people often feel when they walk into a church for the first time. Stapp explained that newcomers often “don’t know which door to use, where the bathrooms are, or when to stand up or sit down – and that’s OK. At First Baptist we know what people are likely to be feeling when they arrive and so we do everything we can to guide them through that first Sunday service and help them feel like they’ve arrived at home at last.”

Stapp explained that the FBC website has a page dedicated to answering questions for first-time guests and states that their goal is to meet each guest in the parking lot so they can answer questions and provide tips like where the bathrooms are as they walk in.

Featured Sponsor
Thank You For Your Support!

Related Articles

Young Voices Shine Home Link Writing Contest

Home Link recently held their annual short story writing competition. More than twenty 3rd-12th grade kids participated this year. In a competition that encourages six-trait story telling, but welcomes writers of all experience levels to tell a tale.

Read More »

Library Campaigns Feed Minds and Fight Hunger

This April, the Spokane County Library District is turning the page on two pressing issues, literacy and hunger, by launching Library Giving Day and the Bites & Books food drive. These twin campaigns aim to nourish both minds and bodies, ensuring every child in the community has access to books and basic nutrition.

Read More »

Gerald Ray “Jerry” Knight, 1933-2025

Gerald Ray “Jerry” Knight, born November 23, 1933, in Spokane, Washington, passed away peacefully on April 14, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and love. Jerry was the beloved son of Albert James Knight and Nora Marie Mack Knight. He spent his formative years in Dover, Idaho, and Usk, Washington, alongside his little sister, Chrystal, to whom he was a life-long protector.

Read More »

April 16 Open House: City Of Deer Park Seeks Input

The City of Deer Park is inviting residents to an open house to provide input on long-term plans for growth, transportation, housing, small agricultural animals, and land use. The event is part of a periodic update to the city’s Comprehensive Plan as state law requires.

Read More »

Ronald R Baird

Ronald Ray Baird was born September 9, 1946 to Thomas and Laverne (Brown) Baird in Newton, KS. He passed away January 22, 2025 at his beloved home on the Pend Oreille River, near Usk, WA. Ron grew up in a rough and tumble home, the 4th of 5 brothers, Dick, Steve, Herb, Ron, and Mike. Ron attended and graduated from Remington High School in 1965. While there, he lettered in football (#60) and was selected as an all-league lineman.

Read More »

Gallery: Miss Deer Park 2025 Elegance & Achievement

The Miss Deer Park Scholarship Association chose their 71st representatives. The program was rich with poise and promise as six talented young ladies took to the stage. From fitness to composure, they held nothing back while competing to be the face of Deer Park. An image gallery awaits because what’s a royal moment without a little paparazzi?

Read More »

Share this!

Featured Sponsor
Thank You For Your Support!

Share this!

Featured Sponsor
Thank You For Your Support!

Read more news.

This Weekend – Holiday Cheer and Christmas Events

Holiday magic is alive and well in Deer Park. Many festive events will bring the community together this weekend. From the holiday light parade and breakfast with Santa to nativity displays and theatrical performances, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this December.

Read More »
Ellen Standen Profile Photo

An Interview With Council Member Ellen Standen

Ellen Standen, a Deer Park resident since 1974, shares her journey from Northern California to her current role on the Deer Park City Council. With a long and varied history of service to the community, she reflects on the town’s growth and her aspirations for its future.

Read More »

Subscribe to our emails

Use the form below to sign up to receive news via email at no cost to you.

Read & Support The

Local news to keep you informed and entertained. The Deer Park Gazette is locally owned and operated. When you support the Deer Park Gazette, you support local writers and photographers.