The Downey Patriot

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Faith in Downey: First Baptist Church of Downey

DOWNEY--By the looks of First Baptist Church of Downey, no one would guess the church was the city’s first.

The church, originally named Los Nietos Baptist Church, was established in 1868, meeting at a little school in Gallatin – one of two settlements at the time.

It was the only church in a ten-mile radius and its membership consisted of seven people.

The church was not only the first in Downey, but also the first Baptist church in Southern California, later meeting with four other churches in 1869 to form the Los Angeles Baptist Association.

As the congregation grew, the church expanded, moving into a two-story school building in Gallatin in 1871. Then, in 1876, the first church building was built, also changing the church’s name to First Baptist Church of Downey.

The church then looked to expand once more in 1921, selling the original First Baptist building to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of Downey, where it stood until 1955. After 79 years of service to Downey, the building was sold to Walter Knott, being placed in the heart of Knott’s Berry Farm.

Renamed Church of Reflections, the church sat next to Reflections Lake, the body of water the amusement park used to use for their water shows. In 2002, the church was relocated behind the park’s picnic area.

What is seen now on Third Street was built in 1965.

Their purpose, according to their website, states that, “First Baptist Church of Downey exists to glorify God, lead others to him and nurture people to become fully-devoted followers of Jesus.”

First Baptist has lived up to their purpose by providing numerous ministries, including a Spanish ministry, worship ministry, and children’s and youth ministries. Multiple mission trips take place throughout the year as well, ranging from Indonesia to Mexico.

On average, over 800 people attend on a Sunday morning, with a bilingual service offered at 11 a.m.

The church also opens its doors to community events such as baccalaureate’s, 5th Quarter, symphony meetings, and more.

Although denominational, the church welcomes anyone interested in attending. Two services are held Sunday mornings at 8 and 11 a.m.; a Spanish service is held Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m.; and various programs are held throughout the week.

Their foundational beliefs, as listed below, can be found on their website:

• That the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, is the divinely inspired word of God, the final and trustworthy authority for faith and practice. It is to be interpreted responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit within the community of faith. The Bible clearly reveals the essentials necessary for salvation and the basics of how to conduct our lives. It is the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standards by which human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried.

• That there is only one true and eternal God consisting of three co-equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

• That God created humankind in the divine image. Through Adam’s fall all became sinful, lost and condemned. Each human being by deliberate choice participates in sin and is in need of redemption though Christ.

• That Jesus Christ is God’s Son, fully divine and fully human, the eternal and pre-existent Word. By his death Christ full atonement for our sins, and by his resurrection showed Himself to be the Lord and giver of life to all who believe.

• That God offers forgiveness of sin and justification through faith in Christ Jesus apart from works. Such redemption is received by human individuals as God’s gift upon repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ. Through Christ the believer becomes a new creation, whose mind and will are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit from loving sin, to loving the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind, and loving all people as we love ourselves.

• That the church is a community of faith consisting of regenerated believers with Christ as Lord. Such believers claim a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, follow the Lord in believer’s baptism, share in the Lord’s Supper, gather regularly for worship, and covenant for mutual edification and care-giving.

• That the church is called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and God’s reconciling grace in the power of the Holy Spirit, inviting persons to receive salvation and follow Christ as His disciples. As disciples, we seek justice for all persons and the reform of society.

• That Jesus Christ will return visibly, at which time He will raise the dead and judge all people. Believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God as they participate in the fullness of His eternal reign, while unbelievers will suffer eternal separation from God.

For information on First Baptist Church of Downey, visit their website at fbcdowney.org or call (562) 923-1261.