About First Baptist Church
The First Baptist Church of Rushville is a church in the midst of Holy-Spirit inspired transition. “Church” is being re-imagined and re-designed to provide new opportunities to encounter the Divine. For instance, the children’s wing is being changed to accommodate a novel way of presenting Bible stories. Kids will be taught the classic stories of the Bible using four different learning styles in four different environments [computer room, movie theater, craft room and drama room] on four consecutive weeks. .
Also we understand that different generations encounter Jesus under different circumstances and through other worship experiences. Our Journey service provides younger folks (and previously non-churched folks) with an “inter-active” worship time. The gospel will be presented and the Bible will be taught, but in a non-traditional way.
So if you are interested in visiting a house of God that’s changing by listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit; if you want to bring your children to a house of God where they will be excited and energized about Jesus, and if you want to hear the Word of God taught in a way that is faithful to the original text in its original ‘language’ but done so in a practical way that has the potential to be a life-changer- Come visit First Baptist Church of Rushville.
We look forward to your visit!
Church Staff:
Dr. Rev. Dave Richardson and Pam Richardson
Dave was born and raised in Marietta, Ohio and Pam was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Her father’s job necessitated numerous moves and she ended up going to high school in Pound Ridge, New York (a suburb of NYC). Pam and Dave met at Marietta College in the choir. Dave graduated from Marietta College with a liberal arts degree, with a major in music and a minor in speech/drama. Pam graduated from Marietta College with a degree in business and accounting. Dave’s plan was to go to seminary right after college (and he had been accepted at Wheaton College, School of Divinity) but the Vietnam War led him to a different decision. Instead of using seminary as a means of avoiding the draft, after graduating from college, Dave enlisted in the Air Force, married Pam and they ended up being stationed in Turkey where he and Pam lived for three and a half years. Following their return home, Dave no longer felt led to go to seminary and instead joined his father’s printing business intent on pursuing the American Dream.
The plan worked perfectly until the age of fifty when one evening after singing at a local street festival with a gospel quartet, Dave received a dramatic and undeniable call to pastoral ministry. Because of his real estate investments and community responsibilities Dave did not believe that anything would come of the call since he felt pastors needed formal education and he could not leave everything and go to seminary for several years. The Lord already knew this and provided a way for the education to be acquired while the local obligations were met. Dave graduated from Eastern Theological Seminary in May of 2006 with a Masters of Divinity degree and from Palmer Theological Seminary in May of 2010 with a Doctor of Ministry degree (Marriage and Family Counseling).
Dave has been in full-time pastoral ministry since 2002 and prior to that directed choirs, taught bible classes and provided pulpit supply. Pam was a stay-at-home mom who volunteered extensively in church, school and community activities as she felt led of the Spirit. In past churches, Pam has led women’s bible studies and been involved in the music programs. Outside of church she has been a discussion leader at BSF for fifteen years.
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