Missions
Missions is not a side ministry of the church. It is part of the church’s very reason for existing. Jesus has commanded His people to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all that He has commanded (Matthew 28:18–20). We believe this Great Commission is carried out primarily through healthy local churches that proclaim the gospel, make disciples, and establish more faithful churches.
Missions Emphasis Sunday
Sunday, October 11th
Join us on Sunday, October 11, for our annual Missions Emphasis Sunday as we lift high the name of Jesus and celebrate how God is moving around the world!
We are thrilled to welcome one of our church's mission partners and IMB missionaries who have been serving in Central Asia for the last 4 years. They will be joining us to share a burden for the nations, recount God's work, and proclaim His Word.
Schedule of Events:
9:15 PM — Sunday School Q&A with Youth.
10:30 PM — Morning Worship Service: Our guest missionary will deliver the morning sermon.
3:00 PM | Chapel — Meet & Greet & Mission Partner Displays: Kick off our afternoon gathering in the Chapel with a special meet-and-greet with our missionary partner and his family, alongside interactive displays showcasing all of our church's incredible mission partners.
3:30 PM | Chapel — Missions Conference: Join us in worship as we hear the missionary call from our IMB mission partner and hear reports from our recent mission trips.
5:00 PM | Chapel — Conclusion & Fish Fry: We will wrap up our afternoon session and immediately transition into a time of fellowship and fried fish!
We are thrilled to welcome one of our church's mission partners and IMB missionaries who have been serving in Central Asia for the last 4 years. They will be joining us to share a burden for the nations, recount God's work, and proclaim His Word.
Schedule of Events:
9:15 PM — Sunday School Q&A with Youth.
10:30 PM — Morning Worship Service: Our guest missionary will deliver the morning sermon.
3:00 PM | Chapel — Meet & Greet & Mission Partner Displays: Kick off our afternoon gathering in the Chapel with a special meet-and-greet with our missionary partner and his family, alongside interactive displays showcasing all of our church's incredible mission partners.
3:30 PM | Chapel — Missions Conference: Join us in worship as we hear the missionary call from our IMB mission partner and hear reports from our recent mission trips.
5:00 PM | Chapel — Conclusion & Fish Fry: We will wrap up our afternoon session and immediately transition into a time of fellowship and fried fish!
Short-Term Mission Opportunities
To apply for a trip online, click here. Or you can download an application and submit it to the church office.
London
London Mission Trip - October 9-15, 2026
This October, a team from First Baptist Dothan will travel to London to serve alongside IMB church planters, Journeymen, and local churches in reaching university students from around the world. The team will help connect with students, share the gospel, lead Discovery Bible Studies, and develop intentional discipleship relationships as they partner with churches seeking to reach their local university communities.
Please pray for our team as they serve in this diverse global city. Pray that God would give them boldness and wisdom to faithfully proclaim the gospel, that He would open doors for meaningful relationships with students, and that He would bring people to faith in Christ. Pray also for the IMB missionaries and local churches who are laboring year-round to make disciples among the nations represented in London.
Please pray for our team as they serve in this diverse global city. Pray that God would give them boldness and wisdom to faithfully proclaim the gospel, that He would open doors for meaningful relationships with students, and that He would bring people to faith in Christ. Pray also for the IMB missionaries and local churches who are laboring year-round to make disciples among the nations represented in London.
Kenya Mission Trip - April 2-11, 2027
Join First Baptist Dothan as we partner with IMB missionaries serving in Sub-Saharan Africa by caring for their children during a week of training and encouragement. Team members will help lead Bible lessons, games, crafts, worship, and other activities with children, while missionaries focus on being equipped for long-term gospel ministry. This trip is an opportunity to serve missionary families in a practical way while gaining a greater appreciation for God's work among the nations. If you're interested in learning more about this mission opportunity, we'd love to hear from you.
Why We Do Missions
We do missions because God is on a mission.
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals God’s purpose to redeem a people from every tribe, language, people, and nation for His glory. We participate in missions not merely out of compassion for human need, but out of worship. We long to see Christ known, trusted, and obeyed where He is not yet named, and to see churches established that will continue this work for generations to come.
Missions is also an expression of love. The gospel that saved us is the same gospel the nations need. Because we have received mercy, we gladly give ourselves so that others may hear of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection and be reconciled to God.
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals God’s purpose to redeem a people from every tribe, language, people, and nation for His glory. We participate in missions not merely out of compassion for human need, but out of worship. We long to see Christ known, trusted, and obeyed where He is not yet named, and to see churches established that will continue this work for generations to come.
Missions is also an expression of love. The gospel that saved us is the same gospel the nations need. Because we have received mercy, we gladly give ourselves so that others may hear of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection and be reconciled to God.
What We Value In Missions
Our mission philosophy is shaped by a deep commitment to Scripture and to the central role of the local church.
1. The Priority of the Gospel
At the heart of all true missions work is the clear proclamation of the biblical gospel: that sinners are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. While acts of mercy and compassion have an important place, we believe the greatest need of every person is reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.
2. The Centrality of the Local Church
We believe the local church is God’s primary instrument for making disciples. For that reason, we prioritize missions efforts that strengthen existing churches and help establish new, biblically faithful churches. Our desire is not simply to create ministries, but to see congregations formed where believers are baptized, taught sound doctrine, shepherded by qualified leaders, and sent out to reach others.
3. Making Disciples, Not Just Decisions
Jesus commanded us to make disciples, not just converts. We value long-term, relational ministry that teaches believers to obey all that Christ commanded. This includes training leaders, equipping pastors, and helping churches grow in theological depth, spiritual maturity, and faithful practice.
4. Strategic and Thoughtful Stewardship
We want to be wise stewards of the people, time, and resources God has entrusted to us. This means prioritizing places with little or no gospel witness, supporting work that has a clear plan for church planting and leadership development, and regularly evaluating our involvement to ensure it remains faithful and fruitful.
5. Prayerful Dependence
Missions is ultimately God’s work. No strategy, funding, or training can change a human heart; only the Spirit of God can. Therefore, we are committed to praying regularly and specifically for the nations, for missionaries, and for the spread of the gospel through healthy churches around the world.
1. The Priority of the Gospel
At the heart of all true missions work is the clear proclamation of the biblical gospel: that sinners are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. While acts of mercy and compassion have an important place, we believe the greatest need of every person is reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.
2. The Centrality of the Local Church
We believe the local church is God’s primary instrument for making disciples. For that reason, we prioritize missions efforts that strengthen existing churches and help establish new, biblically faithful churches. Our desire is not simply to create ministries, but to see congregations formed where believers are baptized, taught sound doctrine, shepherded by qualified leaders, and sent out to reach others.
3. Making Disciples, Not Just Decisions
Jesus commanded us to make disciples, not just converts. We value long-term, relational ministry that teaches believers to obey all that Christ commanded. This includes training leaders, equipping pastors, and helping churches grow in theological depth, spiritual maturity, and faithful practice.
4. Strategic and Thoughtful Stewardship
We want to be wise stewards of the people, time, and resources God has entrusted to us. This means prioritizing places with little or no gospel witness, supporting work that has a clear plan for church planting and leadership development, and regularly evaluating our involvement to ensure it remains faithful and fruitful.
5. Prayerful Dependence
Missions is ultimately God’s work. No strategy, funding, or training can change a human heart; only the Spirit of God can. Therefore, we are committed to praying regularly and specifically for the nations, for missionaries, and for the spread of the gospel through healthy churches around the world.
Our Commitment
As a church, we are committed to sending, supporting, and shepherding missionaries; equipping our members to participate in short-term and long-term missions; and cultivating a congregation that cares deeply about God’s global purposes.
We do missions so that Christ will be honored, His gospel proclaimed, His disciples made, and His churches established among all peoples until the day when worship rises to Him from every corner of the earth.
We do missions so that Christ will be honored, His gospel proclaimed, His disciples made, and His churches established among all peoples until the day when worship rises to Him from every corner of the earth.
Cooperation
Cooperation is one of the ways we fulfill the Great Commission together with other churches. By voluntarily joining with like-minded churches, we can pool our resources, encourage one another, and accomplish gospel work that would be difficult for any one church to accomplish alone. Through cooperation, we support missions, church planting, leadership development, and ministries of mercy locally, nationally, and around the world.
