First Baptist Church of Nitro

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

The history of the First Baptist Church of Nitro is more than dust covered events linked to an institution. It is forever tied to the life and faith of its people.  To tell of our history is to name names, real people who have shouldered the cross of Jesus and have served Him daily in their homes, factories, schools and communities.

Our church came into existence when the Teays Valley Baptist Association saw the need for a Baptist witness in the area of Lock Seven and held a revival there.  From that handful of people, the work began to reach out.  An old clubhouse was bought and remodeled into a sanctuary.  Rooms were later added to handle the overflow of young lives that were being impacted by the congregation.  In a day when travel was not easy for many, the congregation began a satellite Sunday School program on the edge of town.  Our church has always encouraged the spiritual growth of our young people. We have supported them with a strong youth program and through camping scholarships to our West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen.

The numerical growth of the congregation has not always been easy or smooth.  The economic difficulties of the community have forced many of our people to relocate to communities in other states. The vision of the people has been challenged, yet they have remained consistent in their dedication to their Lord.

The First Baptist Church of Nitro is associated with the Teays Valley Baptist Association, the West Virginia Baptist Convention and the American Baptist Churches, USA.  We are involved in ecumenical out reach programs with our community churches.

We believe that as we see our faith and our community with new eyes, we are on the cusp of a new era of service and dedication.  We invite you to join us in this new Journey of Faith.

Our Pastor

David R. Bess began his ministry as senior pastor at First Baptist Church on September 1, 2010. He has pastored two other churches in the Kanawha Valley during his 25 year ministry, Oakwood Baptist Church and Kanawha City Baptist Church. He has also served as the pastor of churches in New Martinsville and Kingwood, West Virginia. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky in 1985, and his Doctorate of Ministry from the same school in 2000. He is passionate about Biblical preaching, heartfelt worship, and going beyond the four walls of church buildings to reach unsaved people with the love and message of Jesus Christ.

His life verse is 2 Timothy 4:5 - "But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."(NIV)

David enjoys going to the gym regularly (well, "enjoy" may not be the right word), reading Christian books, and tinkering with computers and all things techy. He loves watching sports, especially football, when one or more fans are present to savor the game. He also thoroughly enjoys spending time with his wife of nearly 25 years, Jeannie. They are very active in American Baptist missions, having traveled to Russia and India on short-term mission trips. They usually go to the gym together, eat lunch together on week days, and watch Netflix movies together.

David was raised on Roxalana Road in Dunbar, West Virginia. He has one married son Joshua, who works full-time at the Air National Guard base here in Charleston.

"You can email David at bessdr@wvusa.org or add him as a friend on Facebook."