DE SOTO – People are excited at First Baptist Church De Soto. Smiles are everywhere! The reason? The first worship service in their new facility will be Easter Sunday, April 24.
The 24,000-square-foot building is the result of many years of prayer and planning on the part of scores of people.
Back in the early 1990s, the church purchased a plot of land “on the hill” several blocks from the current facility. The house on the new property was used as a day care facility, and picnics and get-togethers on the site from time to time kept the people focused on a new building someday at that location. The location at 400 Boyd Street, built in the 1950s, had no more room for growth. Every classroom and cubby in the three-floor structure was filled to capacity. Two worship services every Sunday have been the schedule for many years.
Then, in 2008, Jeremy Muniz, the senior pastor, began a program called “Reach the Harvest” to plan for the future. Various committees were set up to assess the need, size, cost and logistics for a new plant. Cottage prayer meetings began in earnest. People prayed for unity, votes were taken, and momentum picked up. The congregation moved toward the ultimate—a new place of worship and ministry. A large church-wide prayer meeting under a tent on the grounds enabled people to move from station to station, praying for those who would be meeting in each class location when the building was finished. Prayer bathed the whole project from start to finish. During the three-year “Reach the Harvest” campaign, the congregation has given almost $1 million above tithes, offerings and special mission gifts for this new facility.
In 2010 ground was broken and walls started going up. People became even more excited as new people came every Sunday. A visitation blitz on April 9 for hanging door knockers will give every household in De Soto a personal invitation to the first service in the new building on Easter.
Classrooms for two complete Sunday Schools at 8:15 and 11:00 are ready. The ministry center will be used on Sundays at 9:30 for worship, and again on Sunday evening. People in the community know this church as “the church that does stuff for kids.” For more than10 years, Vacation Bible School at the De Soto church has enrolled 500 and more every summer. More than 125 kids come on Wednesday nights during the school months for AWANAs. Youth group brings in about 75 teenagers. Upward Basketball has been a regular part of the activities for the past four years, but games were played at the local school gyms. Now all Upward activities will be held at the church’s own facilities. Because of all the ministries provided by the members of First De Soto, the ministry center will get a lot of use through the week, too.
The main part of the church will serve as both a worship and activity center. The worship platform, covered by a “cloud” of lights for ambiance, will hold the 45-voice choir and praise band. Basketball goals are retractable so as not to be obtrusive during worship. The large foyer, with its wall of glass, will provide a beautiful gathering place for the body of believers. An elevator will assist those who need help going from floor to floor.
Muniz’ vision for this facility is that it will be a launching pad for missions, both locally and abroad, as the church moves toward providing more resources and reaching more people for Jesus.
JUANITA NOBLES/contributing writer