First Naples glorifies God by being a multigenerational, multiethnic, multiplying church, raising up the next generation of disciple-makers, church planters, missionaries, and world-changers, to reach Naples to the nations.
Our Vision
Who We Are
We are Honest
Being honest is more than just telling the truth, it’s doing what we say we are going to do, it’s talking to people not about them, it’s bringing light to dark places, and it’s being honest in our conversations even when they are hard. (Ephesians 4:25, Joshua 1:1-9)
We are Sent to Serve
Our purpose goes beyond our own comfort. We are here to serve knowing that isn’t always easy, but willing to do whatever it takes. We get our hands dirty serving side by side with the church from Naples to the Nations. (Mark 10:45, Matthew 28:16-20)
We are Intentional
Healthy community doesn’t just happen, so we take intentionality seriously. We choose joy over fear, family over fame, and protecting each other’s health over protecting our own kingdoms. (Romans 15:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
We are Compelled by Love
We are compelled by love because He first loved us. We pursue unity with each other so that our love reflects God’s love for all people, spanning all generations and ethnicities. Genuine love is more than a feeling, it’s an act of worship. ( 1 John 4:16-21, Romans 12:9-18)
We are Creative
God is creative and He created us to create. We dream big; we aren’t afraid to fail; and we rely on God to see us through. When life doesn’t go as expected we find solutions not excuses, and we create space to worship Him through it all. (Colossians 1:16-17, Genesis 1:27)
Our History
We’re very thankful to have a wonderful history as First Baptist Church Naples. We have seen God do incredible things over the years, and through the ministries of First Naples.
In the spring of 1945, Reverend Joseph Engel, his wife and young son were sent by the Brookdale Baptist Church of Bloomfield, New Jersey to plant new churches in South Florida. They arrived in Naples and gathered other Baptist families to meet with them in a small outbuilding behind the local grocery store, meeting for their first worship service on November 6, 1945. Soon they began to worship in the small house of the Naples Women’s Club on 11th Ave. South. Just one year later, on April 7, 1946, twenty-four charter members held their first worship service at the newly built 8th Street South chapel, overlooking what is now Cambier Park.
Over its 75 year history, this congregation has been shepherded and led by men of God who had a vision to reach people for Jesus Christ: Reverend U. Curry Walton (1946-1958), Reverend Robert F. Martin (1959-1969), Reverend Freddie Smith (1970-1977), Reverend Irvin Northcutt (1978-1980), Reverend Max Cadenhead (1982-1991), and Dr. Hayes Wicker (1992-2019). In 2021, First Naples voted to elect its eighth lead pastor, Alan Brumback.
Over the years, God has blessed First Naples with the resources to expand our campus and outreach to our Naples community and nations around the world. In 1977 we outgrew the downtown meeting place and moved to a 12-acre campus on Pine Ridge Road and again in 1995, God provided the means to purchase 100 acres of orange groves for relocation to the church’s present home on the corner of Orange Blossom Drive and Livingston Road.
In 1956, the first mission church of this congregation, the East Naples Baptist Church, was formed out of First Baptist Church Naples. In 1978 our congregation established a Spanish Mission and launched the first services of the Golden Gate mission in 1979. In the spring of 1990, the completion of a building in Bonita Springs for a Spanish Mission was also realized. Now, through the faithful giving of our church family, we are blessed to be able to support 25+ missionaries and mission partners across the globe.
God has been moving in a mighty way to continue to bring people to Himself. Even though God has done great things in and through First Naples over the years, we believe that the best is yet to come.
First Baptist Church Naples is composed of its people committed to living out the gospel, living in community, and living on mission. We’re a fellowship of believers who have joined together to give glory to God alone as we together proclaim the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our solid foundation is built on Him and on His trustworthy Word. We give all glory to God for all He has done and look with anticipation toward all that He will do in the future, until he comes again. We would love to have you join us in this journey and see the great things that God can do in and through you.