First Baptist Church of Murphy

"Very pretty church. Nice friendly people"

"They have a food pantry, clothes, rental assistance and electrical assistance. Very great place. A place where you will never lose your faith."

"I enjoyed my visit to Murphy’s First Baptist Church. I attended an 11 a.m. Sunday morning service. The church has prime parking spots designated just for visitors. A woman in the lobby greeted me and offered me a bulletin right away. I thought it was nice that the bulletin clearly lists cell phone numbers and email addresses of every minister. It also includes a brief service outline and a calendar of weekly activities. The church had an organist and a pianist. It seems there’s normally a choir, but on the Sunday I visited four teenage girls led worship, which included three contemporary Christian songs (This is Amazing Grace, In Jesus Name, and The Goodness of God). Lyrics were provided on big screens so it was easy to follow along. The minister seemed nervous and unconfident, but he quickly identified himself as the youth pastor filling in while the senior reverend was away. Once he got five minutes into preaching, however, he seemed to hit his stride and used the book of Jude to lead an engaging homily on false teaching. He also included stories from his own life. He told folks that it was only half the sermon and they’d have to return for the 6 p.m. evening service to hear part two. After the message, the worship leaders returned for one last contemporary song (Light a Fire) and the service was dismissed. It lasted about an hour. An offering plate was not passed during the service I attended. Instead, plates were available for giving in the lobby. The volume was just right – never too loud nor too hard to hear, and the temperature was comfortable. I thought the music selection was good, though I always enjoy a hymn or two as well. First Baptist Church has a spacious, wood-paneled sanctuary with blue carpeting and stained glass windows on all sides. There are three columns of pews, each with about 17 rows. Hymnals and Bibles are available at each pew. American and Christian flags flank the platform. The two projector screens are the older 4:3 ratio, but the projected content was widescreen, producing a letter-boxed feel. The service was well-enough attended. The place was by no means packed, but it definitely was not empty either. The current church complex was built in 1971, and it’s easy to tell. There are heavy wooden doors, dated signage, cinderblock hallways, and drop-ceilings throughout. However, many areas seem to have been renovated. The front lobby and restrooms especially seem to have been refurbished recently, and many adult classrooms have been updated with flat screen TVs for presentations. The campus is all on one floor for easy access. As a midsize church, Sunday School, youth group, nursery, choir, children’s choir, Monday Bible study, and food bank services are all offered. There are too many classrooms to count, a large fellowship hall and kitchen, a dedicated choir room, a small prayer garden, a decent-sized church library, and a sparse, fenced-in playground. The children’s rooms were colorful and inviting, and the church felt clean. In some areas, the ceiling lights could use care – they seemed to flicker or not work properly. At one time, this sprawling campus of classrooms and facilities probably suited the church’s population very well. However, it seems that the size of the congregation has shrunk over the years, making the vast maze of rooms left behind seem almost overwhelming. This may well be the largest church campus in the region, and many churches would probably love to have this kind of space. Nevertheless, it is a benefit to the town to have a venue this large for gatherings, and I hold onto hope that attendance at First Baptist Church of Murphy will build upward again. During my visit I was greeted by multiple people, and everyone I spoke with was very kind and friendly. That was a great sign. It really seems a good place to be a part of. I’d return in the future, and I hope you come to First Baptist, too."

"We visited here on our honeymoon in 1992 and returned for our 30th anniversary. I wish I had known there was Sunday School because we probably would have attended that as well as morning service. The people we talked to were chatty and thrilled to see the visitors guide I brought, circa 1992."

"Traditional Southern Baptist Church that wants to welcome you to the waters of baptism that are waiting for you. Has NIV Translation in pew. Church goers seem nice."