Missions Ministry

History of Missions:

The Missions Committee as we know it today was formed in 1982. A part of “A Mission Vision” written about that time stated: “During 1982 First Baptist took an historic step by formally establishing its first Missions Committee and expanding the Deacon Board to accommodate this important council. We believe that Missions is an important part of our church’s responsibility, and we are committed to having Missions become an increasing factor in our entire church program.”

The Missions support from the church before 1982 was administered by Pastor Leth Davidson and the Deacon Board. The Women’s Mission Society of our church has supported missions, both home and foreign, continuously, since its beginning in the early days of First Baptist Church of San Mateo.

In June 1985, Pastor Jon Peterson wrote in the church newsletter, “One of the most basic and faithful tools God has in the area of World Missions in our church is the WMS. For more than thirty years, through times when others were neglecting or forgetting the task to be done, these ladies have been faithfully working, giving, and praying. Before the days when we as a church recognized the need for a Missions Committee, the WMS was our primary link to our missions program.”

We accept God’s Great Commission, as recorded in Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” As a result, in 1985 it was the vision of our ministerial staff and Deacon Board to see our mission giving expand in future years to 50% of the church budget.