[1]NICEVILLE, Fla. – The Church on Bayshore has grown from 500 in Sunday morning worship to more than 1,300 since James Ross was called as pastor in 2017. The reason for the growth, Ross says, is because the church shifted its focus to young families, and the church’s senior adults have supported that change.
Located on Boggy Bayou in Florida’s far-western panhandle, the Church on Bayshore (in this article shortened to “Bayshore”) formerly was known as First Baptist Church of Niceville.
“When I came here I really saw the church was wanting to reach young families,” Ross told Baptist Press. “They had been talking about making changes to reach families for 10 years.”
The pastor led the church in this, his second pastorate, to even change its name. Having benefited himself from the cooperative work of Southern Baptists, he now serves on the Florida State Board of Missions and the SBC Executive Committee.
The church’s senior adults “have laid aside their preferences because they believe God’s mission and they trust us to continue to teach the scriptures,” Ross said. “We only lost a handful of people despite a lot of change, drastic change, even a name change! It was change in style but not beliefs.”
One of those beliefs is a commitment to missions through the Cooperative Program, the way Southern Baptists work together for God’s glory in state conventions, across North America and throughout the world. Bayshore allocates 8 percent of its substantial budget for missions through the Cooperative Program.
[2]“The church has a long history of being very engaged in the cooperative work of Southern Baptists,” Ross said. “We believe the Lord has blessed us. We want to pour that blessing out to strengthen churches.
“We don’t want to just grow our church,” the pastor continued. “We want to grow the Kingdom of God. I believe The Lord has blessed our church because of Matthew 6:33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
With all the local ministries, church plants and international endeavors the church supports, Bayshore allocates more than 20 percent of its budget to external causes, plus hefty support for seasonal Southern Baptist causes. All while taking care of its own needs.
The Church on Bayshore is raising money for a multipurpose building that includes a full gym that also can be used for worship gatherings, outreach and fellowship. It’s also going to “more than double” student ministry space and expand the children’s area by 30 percent, plus a central entrance, “and of course more parking,” Ross said.
Despite three Sunday morning services, “On Easter Sunday we had nowhere for people to sit. Some people left,” Ross said. “That showed us we are going to continue to grow, so we need more space.”
In addition to zeroing in on young families, Bayshore directs its attention to missions, ministry and church planting.
[3]“The Church on Bayshore’s main focus: making disciples for Jesus Christ,” Ross said. “Our mission is to do whatever it takes to help people believe in Jesus, belong to God’s family, and become who God created them to be, impacting the world for Christ.
“That’s why our focus is on young families,” the pastor continued. “We want to see parents equipped to share the Gospel with their kids, and we want those families to grow in their understanding of and in their commitment to Scripture.”
Locally, Bayshore most often works financially and with members’ hands-on service through a variety of community ministries, addressing problems solved by tutoring, after school care, temporary housing, meals and groceries, medical issues and several more. In addition, the church has a “benevolence building” through which more than $150,000 was distributed last year alone.
Several adopted and foster children and their families are part of the church and its ministries. This includes the pastor’s family. Three of James and Christie Ross’ seven children were first fostered and later adopted. Bayshore also serves One More Child, formerly known as the Florida Baptist Children’s Home and now an international ministry.
Each spring, Bayshore leads “Serve Day” in Niceville. More than 300 members were equipped in mid-April for ministry and trained in the “Three circles” evangelism tool designed to interest people from an unchurched background. Teams went two-by-two, door to door, in addition to 16 service projects, such as cleaning up local schools, packing thousands of meals to be distributed, and serving foster families.
“The Three Circles is a launching pad to get people sharing the Gospel,” Ross said. “I share the Three Circles at new members classes and in church at least every quarter. We also have evangelism training classes every year or two. We’re trying to expose our people as much as possible to share the Gospel with the people God brings to them.”
Most baptisms include a testimony video that shows “how God used people in their lives to trust Jesus,” the pastor added.
Bayshore has planted or revitalized five churches since Ross became pastor.
“I was very up front [with the pastor search committee] that church planting was a passion of mine,” Ross said. “Five years ago, we planted Anchor Church in Freeport, [Fla.; 31 miles east] and 40 people from our church went to start it.”
Current multi-year commitments for church plants: locally, Garden City Church in Okaloosa County. Pillar Church in Fayetteville, N.C.; and three plants in New York City. Pillar Church is part of a network of Southern Baptist churches designed to minister specifically to the military. “Plus other churches we give to over the year,” the pastor continued.
Mission trips are planned for this summer to New York City to help in church planting; Peru for medical missions; and Uganda to again work with a former member of the church who has a long-time ministry there. The church also connects with a couple from the church that the IMB sent to North Africa.
Bayshore also is “heavily engaged” with a South Asian church network that has grown from two churches to “probably 70-plus churches,” Ross said. “They baptize more than 1,000 people every year. The IMB has come alongside us in this.”
The pastor was asked why the Church at Bayshore ministers locally and globally.
“It connects us with the Lord’s heart,” Ross said. “He has a heart for the nations. It’s a beautiful thing. As we are doing these things God has called us to do, we become more like Him.”
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