Who We Are

Mission

God has ordained New River Baptist Church to be a lighthouse that will share the Light of the gospel and the love of Jesus in a lost world, both at home and abroad. In truth, He has charged every Christian with that task.

We believe that the Lord placed New River Baptist Church on the banks of New River in St. Amant, LA and has allowed it to exist for 175 years for a purpose, and we continue to strive to fulfill that purpose as we seek to follow His leadership.

In addition to winning souls to Christ we have the responsibility to equip and disciple believers, growing them strong in their faith.

Doctrine

This church receives the Scripture as its authority in matters of faith and practice.  Our understanding of Christian truth as contained therein is in accord with the belief of the Southern Baptist Convention as stated in the Baptist Faith and Message (2000)

Scriptures

The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God's revelation of Himself to man  It has God for its author, salvation for its end and truth without any mixture of error for its matter. Therefore, all scripture is totally true and trustworthy. 

It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain until the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

Beliefs

We believe that there is one and only one living and true God.  We believe in the Holy Trinity of God the Father; God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  We believe in birth of Jesus Christ along with his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, and that salvation only comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that Christ will return to receive His own and to execute judgment.

Until that day, we believe that God has called His church to be the light and share His love with a dark world as we live lives that are holy and set apart for Him.

History of New River Baptist

Antebellum Beginnings

New River Baptist Church began as a home church in Gonzales when 22 people decided to organize into a church on December 22, 1849. For the first seven years, New River would meet in homes, shops, and anywhere else they were able to gather. 

In 1856, one acre of land, six miles east of Gonzales, was donated to the church and the first sanctuary was built that same year. Indicative of the time, most of the material for the building was moved by flatboat up Black Bayou to the Stringer Bridge landing and then moved by ox wagon to the site on New River. 

Building into the

20th Century

The church enjoyed the sanctuary until it was destroyed in 1890 when the Mississippi River overflowed. In rebuilding the sanctuary, New River entered into an agreement with the Methodists to share the same building. A "union church" dedication took place in 1897. The two churches continued sharing the building until 1920, when the Methodists built their own house of worship. 

In 1950, New River began a mission in the town of Sorrento, which later became Sorrento Baptist Church. In 1972, the property across the New River Bayou was purchased, with a new sanctuary being built in 1977, education building in 1984, and gym in 1996.

Equipping the

 21st Century Saints

Entering our third century of ministry, New River is in a unique position to greatly appreciate the past and be

genuinely excited about the future. 

By partnering with ministries and missionaries at home, around our state, across North America, and all around the world, we are blessed to see God do incredible things in and through our church.

175 years after the Lord started this church, New River still humbly confesses that "unless the Lord builds the house, the workers labor in vain." 

Baptism and the Lord's Supper