On Old Highway 171 in the Moss Bluff community north of Lake Charles, Louisiana, a Southern Baptist congregation that began with thirty members in 1949 now welcomes roughly 2,500 people every week. First Moss Bluff runs three Sunday morning worship services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. and a Wednesday Midweek gathering at 6:30 p.m., and it has grown into the area's largest network of family, student, young adult, and special-needs ministry under one roof. The church's motto is a simple invitation: "You'll be glad you came."
From Thirty Members to a New Worship Center
First Moss Bluff was the first Baptist church in the Moss Bluff community and was never a mission of another congregation. From the start it was independent and self-supporting, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Brother Stafford Hebert served as part-time pastor when the first building was completed on October 27, 1949. Two years later the church called Brother Ben A. Hatfield as its first full-time minister. In 1953 the original building was moved to the present site, and a long-range building program began: an educational building was finished on September 6, 1955, and a larger sanctuary opened for its first services on September 11, 1960.
In the summer of 2018, the church moved into a new worship center. The student ministry took over the older sanctuary, and a photographic timeline of the church's history now lines the hallway of the new building. The congregation's stated prayer is that God would continue to use First as "a beacon of truth, hope, and light in the Lake Area."
Two Wings of the Bird: Worship and Small Groups
When it comes to ministry philosophy, First Moss Bluff keeps it simple by taking its cues from the early church in Acts. The focus is what staff call "two wings of the bird": worship and small groups. As people draw near to God in worship, the church teaches, they also draw closer to one another, and that moves a step further when members live life together in small groups. That single framework shapes almost everything the church does.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
Worship is described as "our love expressed to God as a response to His grace." Services feature a contemporary band with drums and guitars, and the church encourages freedom in worship - some people raise their hands in praise while others do not, and no one is singled out. Teaching is practical and connects the words of the Bible to everyday life.
The dress code is simple: "wear something." Jeans, slacks, shorts, and dresses are all common. Guests are not asked to give financially or to stand up and identify themselves. Free coffee is available in the lobby, and greeters help anyone find a seat. Anyone new can walk to a "New Here" tent outside the worship center or simply tell a greeter, "I am new," and be pointed in the right direction.
Services are livestreamed and on demand through the church's own streaming channel, and the sermon podcast, the Live Like Jesus Podcast, is distributed on Spotify and other major podcast platforms.
Wednesday Midweek
Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. are a parallel front door to the church. Midweek gathers adults for worship and teaching while, in the same building, students and kids run their own programs. The Wednesday service is treated as a continuation of the Sunday rhythm, an extra opportunity for the church family to draw near together during the week.
First Kids and First Preteens
First Kids is designed to guide children from birth through third grade in a safe, fun environment, with a curriculum built around statements every child is meant to absorb: "God knows me - I am known," "God forgives me - I am forgiven," "God gives me a place to belong," "God is always with me - I am never alone," "God wants me to know Him," and so on, down to "God has a plan for me - I am designed for a purpose."
Sunday mornings offer Nursery and Small Group at 8:00 a.m. for birth through Pre-K, with Nursery and Large Group at 9:30 and 11:00. Kindergarten through second grade follows the same three-hour rhythm with Small Group, Large Group, Small Group. Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., birth through second grade meet in the Children's Center. First Preteens, for third through fifth graders, meets on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. for co-ed Small Group, 9:30 for Large Group, and 11:00 for Small Group, all in the Chapel; on Wednesdays they meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Gym.
Safety is described as the first and highest priority. Every volunteer submits to a background check and is trained through MinistrySafe; multiple security team members are stationed in the building. Check-in is by information card at the Welcome Desk, after which greeters escort children to their classrooms, and a labeling system supports a tight handoff at pickup. The ministry also encourages parents to keep the conversation going "on the ride home," asking two questions: Did you have fun, and what did you learn? The stated goal is a positive answer to both, every week.
First Students: Middle and High School
The Student Ministry exists to help students take their next step in a growing relationship with Jesus. The staff describes it as more than a program: a place where hearts are being turned toward Christ and minds shaped by His Word. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, with worship and large group teaching beginning at 6:00 p.m. From 6:50 to 7:45 p.m., students move into gender- and grade-specific small groups led by adult leaders. On Sundays, students are encouraged to attend one of the three morning services and to serve on a team.
Justin LeBlanc serves as Family Ministry Pastor and Timothy Gothrup as Young Adults Pastor / Student Associate, joined on the student staff by Olivia Broussard.
First Young Adults
First Young Adults gathers 18-to-25-year-olds throughout the year for community, study, and service. Sunday morning small groups meet on campus at 9:30, and FYA Sunday Nights run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the church with food, worship, and a biblical message. Wednesday night small groups meet at 7:45 p.m. The ministry also runs its own Instagram at @firstyoungadultsmb and uses a text line for direct contact.
Small Groups: Find Your People
The phrase "Find Your People" is the small groups ministry's motto. The church teaches that "church isn't just something you go to - it's something you belong to," and that small groups are how a large congregation becomes personal. Groups meet weekly in homes or on campus, usually for 60 to 90 minutes, talking through Sunday's message, Scripture, or a topic that helps them grow, and sharing a meal, prayer, and conversation together.
Groups include co-ed, men's, women's, home-based, affinity-based, campus, workplace, prayer, discipleship, and seasonal options. Leaders are trained through what the church calls the Champion Network and supported by a Groups Coach. A recommended two-hour evening rhythm looks like: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. for connection and a meal, 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. for study and discussion, and 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. for prayer requests and check-ins. The church offers Lead a Group and Join a Small Group resources for those interested.
VIP: Special Needs Ministry
VIP is the church's gospel-centered ministry for people with special needs, broken into three groups: VIP Kids for preschoolers through preteens, VIP Students for seventh through twelfth grade, and VIP Adults for those 18 and older. The stated mission is to help individuals take their next step in a relationship with Jesus and to develop a place of belonging within the body of Christ. VIP Kids and VIP Students meet at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays in the Children's Center and Adult Ministry Center respectively, and on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Children's Center.
First North: A Second Campus in DeRidder
First Moss Bluff also operates a second campus, First North, in DeRidder, Louisiana, led by Campus Pastor Bubba Sharpton. Staff serving First North include Jase Ellis as Worship Leader and Student Pastor, Ashley Barrow as Director of Children, and Olivia Everritt as Administrator and Student Assistant. The DeRidder campus extends the same worship, kids, and student ministry into Vernon Parish.
Biblical Worldview and the Nine Rhythms
A distinctive thread running through the church is its Biblical Worldview initiative, described as "training to see all of life through the lens of the Bible and discipleship to Jesus." The vision is to produce biblical worldview-anchored disciples of Jesus who transform every community and every home. The pathway is described in three movements: renewed minds, transformed hearts, and following Jesus. Practically, that is lived out in what the church calls the Nine Rhythms of Jesus - daily Scripture, prayer, Sabbath rest, silence and solitude, fasting, worship, giving and simplicity, community, and witness. A free Live Like Jesus guide is available online to walk through these practices, and the same ideas shape the Family Vision Guide designed for parents.
Missions Near and Far
First Moss Bluff's stated responsibility is to advance God's kingdom in Moss Bluff, then Calcasieu Parish, then Louisiana and the Southeast, and then to the world. Missions Pastor Bill Saxby leads that work. Locally, the church partners with ABC Pregnancy Resource Center and Embrace Grace, and with Brothers Keepers Athletics. Nationally it supports the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program, the North American Mission Board, and the International Mission Board. Globally, it sponsors children through Compassion International, packs shoeboxes through Operation Christmas Child, and sends a short-term team each January to work alongside the Honduras Baptist Dental Mission in La Esperanza, Intibuca, providing dental care, pharmacy services, worship, children's ministry, English teaching, construction, and a pastors' conference.
Weddings on Campus
First Moss Bluff hosts weddings and posts its full fee schedule publicly. A non-refundable $100 reservation deposit secures the date; facility fees range from $200 for the Annex up to $750 for the Worship Center and Foyer, with the Chapel at $325 and the Fellowship Hall with kitchen use at $275. A required First Moss Bluff Wedding Director ($200) coordinates the day and serves as the church's on-site representative; sound technicians ($125) and cleaning ($200) are also required. Outside officiants are welcome with church approval, and outside wedding coordinators may direct the day, though the Wedding Director fee still applies.
What They Believe
The church's stated vision is "to glorify God by creating a church that is irresistible to those far from Jesus, indispensable to those following Jesus, and impactful with the love of Jesus." Core values are drawn directly from Scripture: Biblical Authority from 2 Timothy 3, Spiritual Intimacy from Mark 1, Authentic Community from Acts 2, Personal Ministry from Romans 12, and Global Responsibility from Acts 1.
First Moss Bluff holds to classic Southern Baptist convictions: the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, with final authority in faith and life; one true God exists eternally in three persons; Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, sinless in life, crucified and resurrected, now interceding for His people and returning personally and visibly; the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, regenerating, sanctifying, and empowering; salvation is a free gift received by repentance and faith, not by self-improvement; eternal security rests on the finished work of Christ and the sealing of the Spirit; heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence; the local church is a gathered body of baptized believers; baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are the two ordinances committed to the church; and the church should live for the glory of God and the good of neighbors.
The Pastoral Team
Bryan Carter joined the church in June 2021 as Lead Pastor, after more than sixteen years of pastoral ministry in North Mississippi and Montana. John Louviere, who started as Student Pastor in 2017, now serves as Spiritual Formation Pastor. Beau Guidry, with more than thirty years of ministry across South Louisiana, directs Operations and Administration. Justin LeBlanc is the Family Ministry Pastor, Seth Cooley is the Worship Pastor, Bill Saxby oversees Pastoral Care and Missions, Roy Chapin serves as the church's biblical Counseling Pastor, E.J. McCann is the Senior Adult Pastor, and Bubba Sharpton is the Campus Pastor at First North. Timothy Gothrup joined in February 2025 as Young Adults Pastor and Student Associate. The team is rounded out by preschool, kids, and nursery directors, a production and video director, and worship leaders at both campuses.
First Baptist Christian Academy
Families connected to the church also have access to First Baptist Christian Academy, a sister school that shares the campus and extends the church's discipleship of children into the school week.
Visiting First Moss Bluff
Three Sunday services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. and a Wednesday Midweek service at 6:30 p.m. are offered weekly. Coffee is free, dress is whatever is comfortable, kids are safe and loved, and a greeter is ready to help from the parking lot to the pew. The address is 276 Old Highway 171, Lake Charles, Louisiana 70611, and the phone is 337-855-9067.