The First Baptist Church of Chalmette, a Southern Baptist Church firmly planted in St. Bernard Parish, recently reorganized and restructured its entire ministry strategy, creating the First Chalmette Community Development Corp (FCCDC), a faith-based 501c3 non-profit corporation.

“St. Bernard parish is experiencing rapid population growth, a changing ethnic and economic demographic and increased, rather than diminished, ministry need,” shared Dr. John Dee Jeffries, Senior Pastor.  “Our ministry and ministry strategies are shaped by two complementary forces:  (1) by the time-honored biblical traditions and values that shaped our past; and, (2) by the contemporary ministry needs that are apparent as we transition with our community into the future.”

Utilizing these two complementary approaches to ministry First Baptist subdivided its many ministries into two broad categories:  (1) Traditional Ministry Strategies; and, (2) Transitional Ministry Strategies, with one goal, Transformation, in four areas: individual, family, church, and community.

The mission of FCCDC, which will coordinate Transitional Ministry Strategies, is to bring hope and help to every heart and every home through the development and implementation of faith-based strategies in three areas of community outreach: education, economic development, and social services.  The listings below are partial, as new ministries are being developed and new affiliations and associations are being formed.

Traditional Ministry Strategies

• Prayer Ministries
• Bible Study Ministries
• Discipleship Training
• Evangelism Ministries
• Senior Adult Ministries
• Single Adult Ministries
• Family Ministries
• Youth Ministries
• Children/Preschool Ministries
• Men’s Ministries
• Women’s Ministries
• Video/Sound Tech Teams
• Music Ministries
• Missions
• Vacation Bible School
• Children’s Summer Camp

Transitional Ministry Strategies

• First Chalmette Community Food Pantry
• Food For Seniors
• Latino Farmers Co-Op
• Crisis Pregnancy Center
• Christian Counseling
• Addiction/Alcoholism • Counseling
• Weekday Preschool/Daycare
• Children’s Before/After Care
• Children’s Mentoring Program
• Teen Mentoring Program
• Christian Exercise Program
• Extreme Coupon Classes
• GA – Gambler’s Anonymous
• Toastmasters

“One of our primary goals after Katrina was to create a 7-Day Week church,” related Carol Saling, Ministry Assistant at First Baptist. “We’ve done that by having ministries flow through our facilities every day of the week.  Something’s always going on, ministry is always happening.  It’s a blessing, a real blessing to be apart of what God is doing through this church.”

The FCCDC faith-based strategies address a wide range of contemporary issues which include, but are not limited to:

• • Urban Life
• • Hunger Needs
• • Poverty
• • Housing
• • Health Care
• • Family Life
• • Women’s Issues
• • Child Care
• • Early Childhood Education
• • Aging
• • Hospice
• • Racial and Ethnic Concerns
• • Needs of Persons with Disabilities
• • Refugees and Immigration

“Its amazing,” shared Misty Colson, Children’s Educational Director. “It’s amazing to see how many people are being touched by the ministries of this church.  It’s nothing for sixty, seventy or eighty people a day to come through the doors of this church; and, with this new ministry strategy we’re confident that we’ll be able to help even more people and more families in St. Bernard.”

“Private entities and governmental agencies provide services primarily through institutionally based models that are guided by and limited by financial constraints,’ related Jeffries. “The FCCDC provides a significantly different model of care, rooted in faith-based commitment to compassion for all people, concern for the whole person, and a high ethical standard in related decision making, guided by biblical principles of Christian ministry.”

“Our pastor works hard” related Mike Gillette, Deacon Chair. “Our deacons work hard. Our people work hard because God is always at work.  We are simply co-laborer’s with God.”

For additional information about First Baptist Church and/or its ministries contact the church at 504.277.2939.  Para-church ministries, organizations, groups and others interested in exploring additional ministry opportunities should contact the church.