Our Focus
Worship We glorify God through worship
Discipleship We follow Jesus Christ and obey his teachings and way of life
Community Presence We serve the community by being present in the community as Jesus' representatives
Fellowship We enjoy sharing life together
Who We Are
At FBCH, we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived, died on the cross, and was resurrected for the forgiveness of sins for all who repent and believe in Him, and that He will return, as He departed, to claim His own. FBCH is an autonomous congregation dually affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
First Baptist Church Hillsborough (FBCH) was founded on November 19, 1853 and has been sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to Hillsborough and the surrounding communities ever since. Our historic church is located a block away from the heart of downtown Hillsborough on a two acre campus. We gather weekly for worship on Sunday mornings preceded by an hour of Bible Study in small groups. Worship is a blended style with both contemporary and traditional music. In 2011, we opened our facility to a Hispanic congregation that worships on Sunday afternoons.
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
MATTHEW 18:20
What We Believe
First Baptist Church of Hillsborough is a congregation of Baptist Christians and Christians from other traditions. Our primary and essential commitment is to Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Son of God, Savior, and Lord.
We affirm the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament and New Testament as the final authority for faith and practice in the life of the believer and the believers' church.
We affirm the inspiration and the purpose of the Scriptures as described in 2 Timothy 3:15-16.
We affirm the classic and orthodox statements of the Christian Faith found in early church statements like the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.
As Baptists, we are not a creedal people. That is, we do not insist on creedal affirmation for church membership. However, the content of these creeds reflects well our connection to historic Christian convictions (with "catholic" church understood as the universal church and not the particular Roman Catholic Church).
We affirm historic Baptist convictions including believer's baptism, priesthood of the believer, religious freedom (as well as separation of church and state), and congregational polity.
We recognize these convictions are different from other Christian traditions. We long for unity in the church, and at the same time we hold these convictions deeply as our witness to the larger church. The Baptist Faith and Message of 1963 is a good confession of faith that reflects our beliefs.
We affirm the importance and autonomy of the local church.
We believe the Biblical way to live out the Christian faith is in active participation in the community of believers. While many other expressions of the Christian faith exist, nothing takes the place of the local body of believers. We believe the local church is responsible before God for decision making and ministry, including decisions about leadership in the church.
We affirm the call to evangelism and missions.
Jesus told his disciples, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21). God the Father sent Jesus to the world and for the whole world. Jesus then sent his disciples into the world with the Good News of salvation. We believe our call remains to take the Christian message near and far as God leads us. Further, we believe in the shared work of mission with other churches, understanding that we can do more together than alone (our partnerships include the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of NC, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist State Convention of NC, and other local missions partnerships)
We affirm the call to discipleship.
When we say "discipleship," we mean the call to follow Jesus as Lord, to grow as followers of Jesus in all areas of our lives, and to trust the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying our lives for the glory of God. We seek to see that discipleship is at the forefront of everything we do together as church.
Staff
Dr. Matt Riggsbee - Senior Pastor
I prioritize my relationships and life focused first as a follower of Jesus, then as a husband, father, and pastor. That provides the healthiest avenue for me to live into my calling as a pastor. I love the Lord and I love the church. As Jesus lives through and transforms me, Jesus calls me to make disciples and teach disciples. That occurs specifically in a congregational context.
I am married to an amazing Christian woman, Lauren. We have two daughters, Lillian and Penelope. We enjoy spending time outdoors, traveling, reading, walking in the community, playing golf, and watching sports with friends. We live in Hillsborough, NC.
I am a graduate of Campbell University Divinity School (Buies Creek, NC) earning my Doctor of Ministry (Foci: Congregational Leadership and Discernment in the Life of the Church); Master of Divinity (Concentration: Evangelism and Missions); and Bachelor of Arts in Religion.
Please contact Matt at mattriggsbee@fbchillsborough.org
Crystal Swisher - Administrative Assistant
I have a wonderful husband of 20 years, Larry, and two children, seven grandchildren (and one soon-to-be great grandchild). When we aren’t busy with family, we enjoy watching sports, especially college football and basketball (NC State and UVA and Duke). We also spend our time with our three sweet pooches (Maggie, Lucy and Mr. Snickers)!
I lived in Hillsborough as a young girl throughout high school and have circled back after many years to find good friends and family waiting to welcome us home!
Please contact the office at office@fbchillsborough.org
