Our Process
Our Process - We desire to aid every person connected to our church to advance in their relationship with Christ. The process involves movement from one aspect to the next and provides us with a gauge for our own level of discipleship and the health of our congregation. Here is our discipleship process:
Connect
Our process begins with connecting to God in corporate worship and to one another in genuine community (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Grow
To enhance personal spiritual growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ, our process also includes being connected to a small group Sunday School class
(2 Peter 3:18).
Serve
Growth leads to service. Our process involves service in the ministries of our church and in our community (1 Peter 4:10-11).
Go
Our process culminates with going across the street and across the globe with the Gospel. This enables others to connect with God and replicate our discipleship process in their own lives (Matthew 28:18-20).
Our Core Values
Word Driven
Gospel Centered
Gospel Centered
We are deeply committed to the Word of God. The Bible is without error and is our perfect guide for faith and practice. All other values stem from this conviction (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Gospel Centered
Gospel Centered
Gospel Centered
We affirm the centrality of the Gospel. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is about the central Gospel message of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection to rescue us from our sin. We are saved by belief in the Gospel and we grow in faith as we grow deeper in our understanding of the Gospel
(Luke 24:27).
Family Focused
Gospel Centered
Family Focused
We believe discipleship happens best in the context of the home. We strive to equip parents to disciple their children at home and in partnership with the church (Deut 6:4-7).
Discipling Disciples
Discipling Disciples
Discipling Disciples
We aspire to be disciples of Christ who make disciples for Christ through the ministries of our church and our personal relationships (2 Timothy 2:2).
Community Engaged
Discipling Disciples
Discipling Disciples
We are a part of the city of Paris and of Bourbon County. We love our community! Our desire is to engage and serve our community
(Jeremiah 29:7).
Missions Minded
Discipling Disciples
Missions Minded
We have an obligation to speak the Gospel to our neighbors and to the nations. We are a church on mission with God (Matthew 28:18-20).
Our Staff
Lead Pastor Kyle Sullivan
Worship & Education Pastor Mark Murphy
Worship & Education Pastor Mark Murphy
Kyle and Rachel Sullivan have been married for 15 years. God has blessed them with 4 children, Drew (12), Ava (10), Levi (7), and Asher (5). Kyle surrendered his life to Christ two days before he began his freshman year of college at the University of Kentucky. Several months later while on a mission trip to Haiti, he realized God’s call on his life to serve in vocational ministry. Kyle then transferred to Clear Creek Baptist Bible College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry in 2006. Following that, he received his Advanced Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2010, and a PhD in Evangelism and Church Growth from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville.
For 20 years, Kyle has served churches in Kentucky, Texas and Louisiana. Kyle desires for every believer to be deeply connected to the local church in order to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18) and for all nations to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Kyle’s philosophy of ministry is shaped by several key passages of Scripture. Since both salvation (Romans 10:17, 2 Timothy 3:15) and discipleship (2 Timothy 3:16-17) occur only through the Word of God, Kyle is convinced that His ministry must be Word-centered in all areas. Kyle is also convinced that his ministry must be Christ-centered in all areas because the Scriptures testify of Christ in all places (Luke 24:27, John 5:39). Finally, Kyle believes that his ministry must be an equipping ministry that empowers others to do “the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-16). As a pastor, Kyle strives to be faithful in preaching the Word of God, shepherding the flock of God and leading the mission of the church of God.
Kyle’s hobbies include sports, reading, traveling, dating his wife and spending time with his family.
Worship & Education Pastor Mark Murphy
Worship & Education Pastor Mark Murphy
Worship & Education Pastor Mark Murphy
Mark and Kime Murphy have been involved in church ministry since they married 36 years ago. our children, Erin and her son Luca live in Louisville as does her sister Katie and her husband Ryan and their two sons Henry and Otto. Olivia lives in Louisville as well. They all have a love and heart for ministry and are active in their churches.
Mark leads worship with his guitar or keyboard and directs the Worship Choir, Worship Team and Worship Band.
Mark is also our Minister of Education.
Youth & Families Pastor Ben Burke
Church Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Royalty
Church Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Royalty
Ben and Kayla Burke have been married ten years and have been blessed with three daughters Emma (14), Chloe (9), and Ellie (8). Ben surrendered his life to Christ at the age ten at Rosemont Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. Ben sensed his call into vocational ministry his senior year of high school. He pursued his calling at the University of the Cumberlands by getting a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Biblical Studies and minoring in psychology. Ben served for a few months as interim youth pastor at First Baptist Corbin, KY while in school. When he and Kayla graduated they got married and started life together at Cloverport Baptist Church, in Cloverport, KY where Ben served as the youth and children’s minister for seven years. In 2014 Ben was called as the Pastor of Students and Families here at First Baptist Church Paris KY. Ben’s desire is to equip parents to be the main spiritual influences in their children’s lives (Deut 6:7) and support them through teaching their children scripture and life application. Ben desires to make disciples of Christ that will live according to scripture and a life on mission no matter where they are. Ben believes all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16).
Ben is humbled by his call into vocational ministry and strives daily to pursue Christ more and more that He might be the overflow of his life.
Ben’s hobbies are having fun with his family, hunting, fishing, and DIY (do it yourself) projects.
Church Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Royalty
Church Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Royalty
Church Administrative Assistant, Cheryl Royalty
What We Believe
Our Beliefs - We are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Kentucky Baptist Convention and the Central Kentucky Network of Baptists. We affirm the latest edition of the Baptist Faith and Message, which was drafted in the year 2000.