Pastor's Page
Senior Pastor Daniel W. Bellavia joined the staff of First Baptist in August of 2007.
Pastor Dan was born in Buffalo, New York and thus has a love for the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. He attended United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, where he earned his Master of Divinity degree in 1993. He was ordained in the American Baptist Churches, USA in 1993. Before coming to First Baptist, Pastor Dan served as Senior Pastor at Memorial Baptist Church in Dayton.
Pastor Dan believes that his calling is to “equip the saints for ministry.” It is his calling to follow the Great Commission and the Great Commandment in order to lead the church and bring the saving message of Jesus Christ to the people of this nation and the world.
Pastor Dan is married to Betsy, and they share their home with their three boys: Chris, James and John. Scott, their eldest son is currently serving with the United States Marine Corps.
Message Schedule
Join us each week as Pastor Dan brings a message from God's Word!
Upcoming Sermon Schedule
September 5, 2010
Communion Sunday
“Counting The Cost. . .For Success”
Luke 14:25-33
September 12, 2010
Rally Day (Regular Schedule Begins)
"Seeking the Lost"
Luke 15:1-10
September 19, 2010
Chicken Bar-B-Q
“Pride and His Brother Envy”
Genesis 37:2-13, 18-20, 26-28
September 26, 2010
"How Dreams Can Save a Nation:
Genesis 41:1, 8-40
October 3, 2010
Joseph Weekend
“Building Families Through Personal Sacrifice”
Genesis 44:18 - 45:9
Pastor's Perspective - September 2010
By the Rev. Daniel W. Bellavia
As many of you know, First Baptist Church has spent the summer months seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to plot our direction for the future. Through prayer, fellowship, study, and worship we have begun to discern a direction and a vision for the future. This vision was delivered to the Church Council on Thursday, August 19th, and the three basic links of the plan were all unanimously approved. Here is the report as presented to the Council…
Pastor's Perspective - August 2010
By the Rev. Daniel W. Bellavia
Reprinted here for your perusal is the October 2007 Pastor’s Perspective. It was the second article that I wrote for First Baptist Church. I think that you will enjoy this blast from the not so distant past, but more importantly this will remind you that the task has never changed for First Baptist Church.
It is an unfortunate fact that older churches are having more difficulty with growth strategies than new churches. While some people have attempted to understand why this is, many have simply thrown up their hands and mimicked the strategies and culture of the newer churches. The assumption is often made that traditional organizations, structures and services are no longer needed in our post-modern world. What if I were to tell you that there was a legitimate way to use our very tradition to grow our church? Would you believe me?
Pastor's Perspective - July 2010
By the Rev. Daniel W. Bellavia
“Where there is no vision, the people perish”
Proverbs 29: 18 (KJV)
Last month I told you about our summer programming and the relax, refresh, restore plan. This month I am going to devote this space to an update so that we can chart our progress and prepare ourselves for the work ahead of us. We are now two weeks into the relax plan and some of you that have participated in our mid-week meetings have been made aware of our goal of discerning the vision that God has called us to follow. We have discussed a few facts about vision. We have learned that vision is directional. It leads us to a particular place and goal. A God-given vision creates life and growth. Those who desire the Church to grow must embrace the primacy of discerning God’s vision.
Pastor's Perspective - June 2010
By the Rev. Daniel W. Bellavia
Three years ago First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo extended the call to me to become your eighteenth Senior Pastor. Then, as now, I see my call as both an honor and a responsibility to God and His Church. Over the past three years we have experienced some wonderful signs of growth as well as the return of some of the anxiety and conflict that has typified the past ten years. This was to be expected. No organization can experience turmoil and not bear the scars of said conflict. The Church, however, unlike other organizations of human origin, is not afraid to show its scars. We, of course, were born out of the scars of our Lord Jesus Christ. The experience of Jesus allows us to hope and even expect that nothing is impossible apart from God.
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